AG Will Investigate ACORN In Baltimore

[sabra]

Source: WBAL

The Governor has given the authority for the Attorney General to investigate the activities of ACORN in Baltimore.

The move comes after hidden camera video surfaced in Baltimore and across the country of ACORN employees giving advice to a man and woman posing as a pimp and prostitute.

Members of Maryland's Senate Republican Caucus sent a letter to the Governor last week requesting he have the State Prosecutor investigate the organization.

O'Malley's office says the AG requested the authority today.

Read more: http://wbal.com/apps/news/templates/story.aspx?articleid=36018&zoneid=2

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tularetom]

2. The repubs may not be happy with the results of the investigation

Since it's already been widely reported that the fake pimp and ho broke state law by taping their little scam on ACORN without informing them first.

I guess if they want to step on their tiny wieners again, it's up to them.

[Tempest]

7. Not to mention the news that they were reported to the police by ACORN

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hA9b96qgu9MG_331xFUGcYvhOcLAD9AS3CUO0

[MissMillie]

9. looks to me like that was a different office, no?

This story looks to be about CA, but the case that's been all over the news was in MD.

Or am I wrong about that?

[Tempest]

11. The story is about Maryland

Hence the title of the thread and the link to a Maryland news web site.

[MissMillie]

12. I'm a bit confused

the link you provided was to an AP story that has "NATIONAL CITY, Calif"

I do indeed see that the OP has a story about Baltimore.

I'm happy if the AP story is about Baltimore, it just didn't seem obvious (at least not to me) that is the situation.

Maybe I'm just ignorant about the use of a city's name at the beginning of a news story. If that's the case, I'm happy to learn something new--makes the day worthwhile.

[Tempest]

15. I see where the confusion lies

I was talking of the federal investigation into ACORN and the poster I was responding to was talking about the state investigation.

Sorry.

[bat country]

8. Widely reported?

Can you provide a link? I spent some time last week trying to determine what state law, if any, was broken by recording the conversation. I could not find one.

[Tempest]

10. Both parties have to give consent in Maryland

When recording audio conversations both parties must give consent, regardless of the method the audio recording was taken with. Tape recordings with audio fall under the same laws as those for telephone conversations.

In addition, the audio portion could possibly have been obtained in violation of Maryland Law, Annotated Code of Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article §10-402, which requires two party consent.

[Scruffy1]

3. Finally maybe some sense.

It's about time. This right wing lynching has got to stop. The facts are clear. Acorn broke no laws but the "filmmakers' did. The edited and dubbed tapes are illegal under Maryland law. Apparantly they were there under the pretense of help with income tax forms for proof of income. It's a ten step
process and they didn't complete step one. Looking over the tapes it was obvious that one was playing along with a gag and the other was giving information from the filmmakers that didn't show up on the video. The word is that the indictment of the filmmakers will be out the 23rd. Who's next? Are we going to let bullies like Hannity, Beck and O'Reilly run (ruin) our country. Also such taping without two party consent is illegal In California.

[drm604]

5. Indictment of the filmmakers.

Do you have a source for that?

[Wizard777]

4. So the Governor changed his mind. Good for him!

O'Malley was already asked this question once. He declined to ask for an investigation stating that Acorn receives no state money. So this investigation will be about criminal acts on the video or in making the video. Acorns charter lapses are only punishable by fines. Acorn is clearing that up now. One Acorn entity is already losted as Revived. Acorn Housing is in the process of submitting it's filing to become revived. But it's going to be interesting to see the outcome.

[Festivito]

6. Do AGs start like M$Ms: Assume the story, then believe you hear just that.

Assume that the guy intends to bring IN underage girls to become prostitutes, then continue to believe that's what you heard.

Versus

Listen to the recording realizing that he's thinking that they're bringing the girls OUT of a prostitution situation, away from a bad pimp.

NPR makes that assumption, why should an AG not?

[Doctor_J]

13. AGs are like M$M - when the Repukes say jump,

ask, "How high?"

[FBaggins]

14. Would that make it ok?

I'm not sure you can read it quite that way... but would that make it ok to bring the girls across the border?

Since it's clear that he knows THIS girl is a prostitute and worked the prior weekend, I'm not sure we can say that he thinks they're getting the girls OUT of prostitution... just moving to a safer form of prostitution (whatever that is).

Either way... the REAL news today is that Acorn has picked a solid investigator to look into all this. Harshbarger is/was head of Common Cause which should not only make him the perfect guy to actually ferret out any problems, but it will drive the right crazy since they don't think that CC is a "nonpartisan" organization. They'll foam at the mouth that not everyone sees it the same way and it will paint them in a negative light.