PRESS RELEASES from McCain-Palin 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008

FIVE DAYS OF THE OBAMA ACORN CONNECTION
Day 1: Deep Roots

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign spokesman Ben Porritt released the following statement:

"While serving as the director of Project Vote, Barack Obama formed the roots of his political career alongside ACORN, which is currently under investigation in thirteen states for election fraud and is also under investigation by the FBI. As more information becomes clear about Obama's associations, Americans are realizing his decisions are made using a combination of poor judgment and blind ambition. It is imperative that Barack Obama fully disclose the specifics of his relationship with ACORN, allowing the American people to determine its merit in this contest."

The Facts

· Obama Started Working With ACORN In 1992, And Earlier This Year Said He Had Been Fighting Alongside ACORN His Entire Career

· Obama Worked As An Organizer For Project Vote, An ACORN Offshoot


· ACORN'S Website Lists Project Vote As An Allied Organization

As A Community Organizer, Obama Worked With ACORN

Obama:"I've been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work." (Barack Obama 2008 Website, Accessed 10/8/08)

Obama Started Working With ACORN In 1992."What's more, Obama worked as executive director of ACORN's voter-registration arm, Project Vote, in 1992. Joined by two other community organizers on Chicago's South Side, Obama conducted the voter-registration drive that helped elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the Senate that year." (Editorial, "Is ACORN Stealing The Election?" Investor's Business Daily, 10/8/08)

"Obama Worked As An Organizer For Project Vote, An Acorn Offshoot.""Early in his career, Obama worked as an organizer for Project Vote, an ACORN offshoot, and represented ACORN in legal actions, according to various published reports, including Associated Press articles. ACORN's political action committee endorsed Obama in the primary." (David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 8/22/08)

Time MagazineDescribed Project Vote As A "Non-Partisan Arm" Of ACORN. "David Leland [is] national director of Project Vote, a nonpartisan arm of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), which claims it has registered more than 50,000 voters in the Columbus area." (Karen Tumulty and Perry Bacon, "Fighting For Every Last Vote," Time Magazine, 10/18/04)

To This Very Day, ACORN'S Website Lists Project Vote As An Allied Organization. (ACORN Website, Accessed 10/14/08)

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
FIVE DAYS OF THE OBAMA ACORN CONNECTION
Day 2: Seeding Growth

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign spokesman Ben Porritt released the following statement:

"By the time Barack Obama ran for the U.S. Senate, he had grown so close to ACORN that they were characterized as 'old friends.' In fact, when Obama first ran for the Illinois state senate, the head of ACORN in Chicago said it was 'natural' for ACORN employees to work on his campaign. Given ACORN's unlawful involvement in the presidential election, the American people deserve an honest and forthright explanation from Obama about the true nature of his relationship with the group."

The Facts

· Obama Trained ACORN Staff

· Obama Was ACORN's Lawyer


· According To Chicago ACORN Leader, Toni Foulkes, Obama Worked With ACORN So Closely That, "By The Time He Ran For U.S. Senate, We Were Old Friends."


· Obama Taught "Classes For Future Leaders Identified By ACORN"


Obama Was ACORN'S Lawyer
Obama Represented ACORN In A Lawsuit."The latest wave of ACORN investigations has provided Republicans with both an opening to assail an old foe, and a new line of criticism to use against the Democratic presidential nominee, who represented ACORN in a lawsuit in the 1990s." (Alexander Burns, "ACORN Gives GOP New Line Of Attack," Politico, 10/11/08)

· Obama Admits To Being ACORN's Lawyer."Obama called the allegations 'a distraction' and said as a lawyer he had represented ACORN in a 1990s lawsuit." ("Obama: ACORN 'Not Advising' Campaign," United Press International, 10/15/08)

Obama Trained ACORN Staff."At the time, Talbot worked at the social action group ACORN and initially considered Obama a competitor. But she became so impressed with his work that she invited him to help train her staff." (Letta Tayler and Keith Herbert, "Obama Forged Path As Chicago Community Organizer," Los Angeles Times, 3/2/08)

According To Chicago ACORN Leader, Toni Foulkes, Obama Worked With ACORN So Closely That, "By The Time He Ran For U.S. Senate, We Were Old Friends.""Since then, we have invited Obama to our leadership training sessions to run the session on power every year, and, as a result, many of our newly developing leaders got to know him before he ever ran for office. Thus it was natural for many of us to be active volunteers in his first campaign for STate [sic] Senate and then his failed bid for U.S. Congress in 1996. By the time he ran for U.S. Senate, we were old friends." ("Barack Obama's Involvement with ACORN Unearthed, Missing Articles Recovered," The Cleveland Leader, Accessed 10/10/08)

· Obama Taught "Classes For Future Leaders Identified By ACORN.""Obama continues his organizing work largely through classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New Horizons on the south side." (Hank De Zutter, "What Makes Obama Run?" Chicago Reader, 12/8/95)

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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

FIVE DAYS OF THE OBAMA ACORN CONNECTION
Day 3: Obama Funneled Grant Money To ACORN

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign spokesman Ben Porritt released the following statement:

"As the head of a left-wing activist organization, Barack Obama funneled tens of thousands of dollars to ACORN, allowing the group to engage in their controversial voter registration activities. Given ACORN's troubling involvement in the presidential election, Barack Obama owes the American people a complete explanation regarding the true nature of his relationship with the group."

The Facts:

· Barack Obama Funneled Grant Money To ACORN

· While Barack Obama Served On The Board Of Directors Of The Woods Fund, ACORN Received $190,000 In Grants From The Organization

· From 1993 To 2002, Barack Obama Served On The Board Of Directors For The Woods Fund

· The Woods Fund Is Described As Leftist

Barack Obama Funneled Grant Money To ACORN

While Serving On The Board Of Directors Of The Woods Fund, ACORN Received Thousands Of Dollars Of Grants From The Organization:

· Chicago ACORN Received Grants Of $45,000 (2000), $30,000 (2001), $45,000 (2001), $30,000 (2002), And $40,000 (2002) From The Woods Fund. (Donors Forum Website, ifs.donorsforum.org, Accessed 6/10/08)

· NOTE: From 1993 To 2002, Obama Served On The Board Of Directors For The Woods Fund. (Tim Novak and Fran Spielman, "Obama Helped Ex-Boss Get $1 Mil. From Charity," Chicago Sun-Times, 11/29/07)

Barack Obama Served On Boards That Funneled Money To ACORN. "Mr. Obama further expanded his list of allies by joining the boards of two well-known charities: the Woods Fund and the Joyce Foundation. These memberships have allowed him to help direct tens of millions of dollars in grants over the years to groups that championed the environment, campaign finance reform, gun control and other causes supported by the liberal network he was cultivating. Mr. Brazier's group, the Woodlawn Organization, received money, for instance, as did antipoverty groups with ties to organized labor like Chicago Acorn, whose endorsement Mr. Obama sought and won in his State Senate race." (Jo Becker and Christopher Drew, "Pragmatic Politics, Forged on the South Side," The New York Times, 5/11/08)

"The Leftist Woods Fund, A Major ACORN Fertilizer." "One outgrowth of Obama's "community organizer" days in the not-so-leafy urbs of Chicago was serving on the board for the leftist Woods Fund, a major ACORN fertilizer. ACORN is ripe for a pruning, and Obama may have barked up the wrong tree with this group." ("Leaf Mold: Obama's ACORN Tie Points To Seedy Past," The Oklahoman, 10/15/08)

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Thursday, October 23, 2008

FIVE DAYS OF THE OBAMA ACORN CONNECTION
Day 4: Obama Paid ACORN, ACORN Endorsed Obama

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign spokesman Ben Porritt released the following statement:

"During this year's Democrat primaries, Barack Obama's campaign funneled close to a million dollars to ACORN, and then lied to the Federal Election Commission about the nature of the work. ACORN repaid the favor by enthusiastically endorsing Barack Obama for president, citing his longstanding ties' to the organization. Given ACORN's fraudulent activities, the American people deserve to know the full truth about these ties."

The Facts

· Barack Obama's Campaign Paid Over $800,000 To ACORN For Get-Out-The-Vote Efforts, But "Mistakenly Misrepresented" Their Work To The FEC.

· The Obama Campaign Paid $80,000 Directly To ACORN.

· ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorsed Obama.

· In The Endorsement Announcement ACORN Mentioned Obama's Longstanding Work With The Organization.

Barack Obama Funneled Campaign Cash ACORN

Barack Obama's Campaign "Paid More Than $800,000" To ACORN For Get-Out-The Vote Efforts; The Campaign Originally "Misrepresented" The Group's Work To The FEC. "U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports. An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in get-out-the-vote' projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary." (David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending," Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)

The Obama Campaign Paid $80,000 Directly To ACORN. "The campaign said $80,000 of that money went directly to ACORN." (Steven A. Holmes and Mary Pat Flaherty, "GOP Officials Assail Community Group," Washington Post, 10/14/08)

ACORN's PAC Endorsed Barack Obama
ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorsed Barack Obama. "ACORN's Political Action Committee, ACORN Votes, announced Feb. 21 that it had endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for President." (ACORN, "ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorses Obama," Press Release, 2/21/08)

In The Endorsement Announcement ACORN Mentioned Barack Obama's Longstanding Work With The Organization. "When Sen. Obama met with ACORN Votes leaders in November, he spoke of his history with ACORN and his beginnings in Illinois as an organizer with Project Vote, a nonprofit organization focused on voter rights and education.'... Obama continued to work with ACORN after he was elected to state office in Illinois and then to the U.S. Senate." (ACORN Enews.com, 2/21/08)

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October 24, 2008

FIVE DAYS OF THE OBAMA ACORN CONNECTION
Day 5: Obama's ACORN Connections Summary

ARLINGTON, VA -- Today, McCain-Palin 2008 campaign spokesman Ben Porritt released the following statement:

"Given his deep and longstanding ties to ACORN, Barack Obama must immediately come clean with the American people about his relationship with the left-wing, activist organization. Already under investigation for voter fraud in 14 states, ACORN's illegal activities threaten to undermine the integrity of our democratic process. Barack Obama's association with ACORN demonstrates stunningly bad judgment and troubling blind ambition."

The Facts:

· Barack Obama Started Working With ACORN In 1992

· Barack Obama Was ACORN's Lawyer

· Barack Obama Trained ACORN Staff

· When Barack Obama Was On The Board Of Directors Of The Woods Fund, ACORN Received $190,000 Of Grants From The Organization

· Barack Obama's Campaign Paid Over $800,000 To An ACORN Affiliate For Get-Out-The-Vote Efforts

· ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorsed Barack Obama

Barack Obama Started Working With ACORN In 1992. "What's more, Obama worked as executive director of ACORN's voter-registration arm, Project Vote, in 1992." (Editorial, "Is ACORN Stealing The Election?" Investor's Business Daily, 10/8/08)

Barack Obama Represented ACORN In A Lawsuit. "The latest wave of ACORN investigations has provided Republicans with both an opening to assail an old foe, and a new line of criticism to use against the Democratic presidential nominee, who represented ACORN in a lawsuit in the 1990s." (Alexander Burns, "ACORN Gives GOP New Line Of Attack," Politico, 10/11/08)

Barack Obama Trained ACORN Staff. "At the time, Talbot worked at the social action group ACORN and initially considered Obama a competitor. But she became so impressed with his work that she invited him to help train her staff." (Letta Tayler and Keith Herbert, "Obama Forged Path As Chicago Community Organizer," Los Angeles Times, 3/2/08)

When Barack Obama Was On The Board Of Directors Of The Woods Fund, ACORN Received $190,000 Of Grants From The Organization. (Donors Forum Website, ifs.donorsforum.org, Accessed 6/10/08)

Barack Obama's Campaign "Paid More Than $800,000" To An ACORN Affiliate For Get-Out-The Vote Efforts. "U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports." (David M. Brown, "Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending," Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)

ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorsed Barack Obama. "ACORN's Political Action Committee, ACORN Votes, announced Feb. 21 that it had endorsed Sen. Barack Obama for President." (ACORN, "ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorses Obama," Press Release, 2/21/08)

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