That and a cup of coffee will get you . . .

New Orleans' own community organizer and ACORN founder, Wade Rathke, has a new venture. Rathke is going into the coffee house business and the Times Picayune has a feature on the new venture.

Rathke on organizing

Acorn founder Wade Rathke has posted three interesting and insightful posts about the new NLRB election rules, here, here, and here. In his first post he correctly sets out the passage to approval and predicts accurately the legal challenges and time table (years). Although he understates the effect of quicker elections, I think he's close predicting that the time for elections will be reduced from 40 plus days to 15-20. I think he also underestimates the benefit of the changes for labor. In the second post he assesses the new rules in the context of large units, very interesting read for employers. He is correct about the proper response of management, more effort at the initial discovery of union activity, less assessment before acting and a rush to an all out war strategy. This will be the new face of union avoidance - at least by those who understand effective strategy. In an interesting take, Rathke argues unions will have to work hard on pre-election stipulations in order to avoid post election challenges that may delay certification. As this post-election problem sinks in, Rathke in his final post talks about the union maintaining its support by engaging in organizational and protected concerted activities to allow a prolonged post election process to diminish its appeal. This later concern faces the reality that unlike EFCA, which would have forced first contracts, there is nothing the NLRB can do by rule making to change the NLRA to force an employer to agree to specific terms in contract negotiation.

ACORN "pimp" arrested in New Orleans

The Times Picayune reports that James O'Keefe, a conservative filmmaker who made surreptitious videos of ACORN employees which went viral, has been arrested as a part of a 4 man scheme to tamper with telephones in Senator Mary Landrieu's Hale Boggs Building offices. O'Keefe reportedly was in town to give a speech to the a libertarian group, Pelican Institute for Public Policy, (scroll down to Events). One of the four men arrested is the son of the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. The Department of Justice Press Release is here. The FBI affidavit is here.

ACORN wins preliminary injunction against U.S.

Well I'll be  . . . . ACORN's suit against the United States for cutting off its funding we blogged about here and here took a favorable turn for ACORN. A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction against the United States requiring continued funding of projects under existing contracts.

Not everyone hates ACORN

The anti-ACORN media churn continues with pols, pundits and teleprompt readers continuing their bash. However, man bites dog every now and then.

ACORN vindicated?

A former Massachusetts attorney general has issued a report on his internal investigation of ACORN. ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis characterized the report as "part vindication, part constructive criticism and complete roadmap for the future." We doubt the results of a self-audit will stop bloggers, pundits or Republicans from continuing to pile on criticism of the organization.

ACORN dumps

Fox reports ACORN dumped sensitive documents shortly after California AG Jerry Brown announced an investigation of ACORN's activities. The private investigator who uncovered the wrongdoing claims the 20,000 documents he found show illicit activity between ACORN an bank and a union. No details were provided. It is clear, however, that much sensitive personal information was in the documents - an identity theft treasure trove.

More on ACORN's suit against the United States

One of the attorneys involved is Bill Quigley, who is Legal Director at the Center for Constitutional Rights. Their press release post is here. Among the Constitutional issues is the claim that singling out ACORN for defunding constitutes a Bill of Attainder.

ACORN v. United States

ACORN has sued the federal government. It claims Congress' decision to cut off funds to the group is unconstitutional because its a punitive measure targeted against a single entity. The suit also paints a bleak picture of layoffs, program discontinuations and office closures. An abbreviated version of the Times-Picayune dead tree edition article can be found here.

AG seizes ACORN computers

The Times Picayune reports agents from the Louisiana Attorney General's office executed a search warrant and seized a hundred or so computers from ACORN's New Orleans offices. The AG's ongoing investigation into financial irregularities stems in part from suspicion that the acknowledged embezzlement scandal involving Dale Rathke may involve a lot more missing money than acknowledged by the organization. Prior subpoenas for information also indicate the AG is investigating non-payment of withholding taxes, obstruction of justice and ERISA violations.

Local ACORN eated

Updated 10/24/09: The Times Picayune reports recently ousted Louisiana ACORN Executive Director, Beth Butler, and other local ACORN leaders have scheduled a news conference today. National ACORN leadership has moved to impose "provisional administratorship" on the organization's Louisiana Chapter. Previously the Times Picayune, reported local ACORN leaders are not taking it. Butler claims a new local ACORN organization is going to open offices soon. Its a safe bet we'll see something like ACORN LA v. ACORN USA, Civil Action 2009 . . .  filed for decision by a person who wears black robes and wields a gavel. ACORN has been closely allied with the SEIU, both locally and nationally.

SEIU severs ACORN ties

Union friendly blog In These Times has an interesting post about ACORN and SEIU. SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger is quoted as saying “SEIU has . . . cut all ties to ACORN.”  The post also discusses the major ACORN donors who have ceased donating. New Orleans based Local 100, and the hard times visited upon it, including the SEIU's October 7 revocation of its charter is also detailed.

ACORN ousts longtime local leader

Executive Director of Louisiana ACORN, Beth Butler, who also is reported to be the long time "companion" to ACORN founder Wade Rathke, was fired today. Butler had worked for ACORN for 37 years. Details here.

Searcher finds nut

Someone has noticed the Louisiana Secretary of State's searchable corporation data base is useful. In addition to the information on Wade and Dale Rathke, a search for the term "ACORN" returns 4 pages of business organizations, many of which relate to ACORN's activities. A similar search for SEIU and Service Employees International Union turned up empty. But then there is a reason for that  . . . .

Its all the Rathkes' fault

ACORN's CEO Bertha Lewis claims Attorney General Buddy Caldwell's investigation and subpoena for information concerning an alleged missing $5 million dollars is based upon false information from two former ACORN board members. Ms. Lewis also says the organization is busy cleaning up the mess left by Wade Rathke, ACORN's founder and the $5 million dollar figure is based upon the estimate that it will cost that much over the next 2 years for lawyers, accountants and expenses associated with the clean up of the mess she inherited.

Acorn $5M embezzlement

Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell is investigating allegations that the price of embezzlement at ACORN was $5,000,000.00 rather than the one million dollars previously reported as repaid. According to the Times Picayune a subpoena has issued for records from more than one entity. My, My! More on the ACORN/SEIU connection and corruption here.

ACORN loses private funding

ACORN received about 10% of its annual budget from the federal government according to sources quoted in this Washington Post article. Foundations, member dues and private donations make up the rest of its $25,000,000 budget. Over the past 18 months many foundations have dropped their support of the controversial organization.

ACORN and SEIU

Kathleen Parker's Washington Post column does a fine job of detailing the ACORN/SEIU connection, here and here.

ACORN funding

GOP leader John Boehner's web site notes ACORN has received over $56 million in funding since 1994. It also has an upload of a chart indicating the vast majority of the funding occured during the Bush administration.

ACORN sues vidographer

The New York Times reports that ACORN has sued the conservative activist who used hidden cameras to video ACORN staffers giving advice about human smuggling, child prostitution and income tax evasion.