This Article has been Updated.
As President Obama renewed his effort to distance himself from his brotherhood of community organizers, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, more commonly known "ACORN," his Department of Homeland Security awarded the radical left-wing organization a nearly $1 million "Assistance to Firefighters Grant."
According to the Washington Times, such "Assistance to Firefighters Grant" are typically earmarked for fire departments. The ACORN firefighting grant made up almost 80 percent of the firefighting money earmarked for Louisiana.
Louisiana's Senator, David Vitter, asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to rescind the Assistance to Firefighters Grant awarded to ACORN:
September 22, 2009
The Honorable Janet Napolitano
Secretary
U. S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, DC 20528-0001Dear Secretary Napolitano,
I was deeply disturbed to discover a recent grant notification from the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, awarding $997,402 of taxpayer dollars to The ACORN Institute through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for the FY 2008 Fire Prevention and Safety Program. I have had grave reservations about ACORN for some time, and these concerns have recently been heightened by the serious allegations of wrongdoing on the part of ACORN. I request that you rescind this grant based on a history of abuse of federal dollars by ACORN and their clear lack of expertise in this area.
Several Louisiana fire departments have voiced their serious concerns to me over the award of these funds to ACORN. We can all understand that there are never enough funds to allocate for all the deserving requests of fire departments, and each year there are many more requests than funds available. But when so many fire departments throughout the nation are struggling for funding for important and lifesaving projects, how is it that a non-fire department with no clear expertise in fire safety and prevention is given such a large award for fire safety?
I am familiar with many fire departments in Louisiana that are in dire need of funds for many worthwhile programs, and I’m sure that is the case throughout the country. These firefighters that put their lives on the line for the safety of their communities deserve a full explanation of this award.
Again, I request that you immediately rescind this funding to a group that has a long and clear history of abusing federal dollars and reward these monies to a more deserving group of first responders. Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
David Vitter
United States Senate
As of Tuesday afternoon the Department of Homeland Security had not yet responded to Senator Vitter's letter.
The grant to ACORN's Louisiana office became public on Oct. 2, less than three weeks after the House and Senate voted to cut off ACORN funding after ACORN employees were caught on video as they gave advice on how to skirt federal laws to buy a home to use as a brothel and how to cloak the status of underage "sex workers."
The Senate voted to cut off funding for ACORN in response the latest ACORN scandal on September 14, 2009. the House did the same three days later. The two bills will have to be combined before a final vote takes place.
It's time for the Democrat -controlled Congress to get its act together and prevent any more federal money going to ACORN.
I know Obama told community organizers they would shape his presidency. But I didn't expect his administration to give ACORN even more taxpayer dollars, not after all of ACORN's fraudulant voter registration and the brouhaha over efforts to include even more federal money to community organizing groups like ACORN in the big $700 billion bailout bill that Obama voted for during the heat of the Presidential campaign.
UPDATE: Feds have blocked ACORN's Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
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