The Government Accountability Office is expected to investigate ACORN's use of federal funds. In a Dec. 7 letter to the House Judiciary Committee's ranking Republican, Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's ranking Republican, Rep. Darrell Issa of California, the GAO said it will provide Congress with a report on how ACORN has used taxpayer dollars.
The embattled community organization has been at the center of controversy for months -- first over allegations of voter fraud during the 2008 presidential election and again this year, when a series of undercover videos were released showing some of the group's employees offering advice on how to skirt tax laws and avoid detection by authorities while operating a brothel.
One of the biggest alleged acts of criminality by ACORN is the comingling of funds, both government and private. This investigation would look into that among other allegations. That's a broad description. For instance, it's alleged that ACORN routinely used money earmarked for one purpose and used for something entirely different. So, money earmarked for helping the poor get health care in the inner city would actually be used to build up one of ACORN's radio station.
This would be one of things that the GAO would investigate. As such, this is a very important development and one to watch.
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