Jindal halts funding of ACORN
Jay Vise Reporting
Thursday, 17 September 2009
wwl.com
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal today cut off state funding for the community activist group ACORN.
Jindal has also blocked any state agency for entering into contracts with the organization.
The executive order also cuts off any future state funding of ACORN, on the heels of a series of embarrassing incidents for the organization.
The governor's action follows a subpoena of documents from the group's national headquarter office in New Orleans.
According to Jindal's executive order, "ACORN's actions make clear that financial involvement with ACORN is contrary to the public policy of the State of Louisiana and the best interests of its citizens."
The Associated Press reports that the only state contracts that could be found with ACORN or its affiliates expired two years ago.
But a spokeswoman for the governor says Jindal wants his cabinet secretaries and all state departments, boards, commissions and agencies to scour its contracts and subcontracts to ensure no such funding exists, or was planned.
The full text of Governor Jindal's executive order is as follows:
Executive Order on HALTING STATE FUNDING TO ACORN:
WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of public officials in the State of Louisiana to protect the public and ensure that taxpayer funds are being responsibly, ethically, and properly spent;
WHEREAS ACORN maintains a national headquarters office in New Orleans and has conducted financial activities in the state;
WHEREAS upon my request for an investigation into the organization's activities in the State, the Louisiana Attorney General's Office subpoenaed documents of ACORN's national headquarters in New Orleans;
WHEREAS 70 employees of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now ("ACORN") have been convicted of crimes committed in the course of their work for the organization, to date;
WHEREAS on September 11, 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau ended its relationship with ACORN;
WHEREAS up to 20 states are investigating charges related to voting regularities and fraud into the current and past operations of ACORN;
WHEREAS the United States Senate and House of Representatives recently voted in a bipartisan manner to cut off federal funds to ACORN;
WHEREAS FBI Director Robert Mueller has stated his department will look into allegations of misconduct relating to ACORN;
WHEREAS the Internal Revenue Service is aware of the current allegations facing ACORN and is conducting a " "thorough review" of their relationship with the organization;
WHEREAS ACORN's actions make clear that financial involvement with ACORN is contrary to the public policy of the State of Louisiana and the best interests of its citizens, and therefore should be quickly terminated if it is found to exist.
NOW THEREFORE, I, BOBBY JINDAL, Governor of the State of Louisiana, by virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Louisiana, do hereby order and direct as follows:
SECTION 1: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are hereby prohibited from entering into any future contracts with ACORN or its subsidiaries or affiliates and that other political subdivisions consider issuing a similar directive;
SECTION 2: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are directed to cease all existing funding for ACORN or its subsidiaries or affiliates unless such funding is legally obligated. If a department, commission, board, office, entity, agency, or officer of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof determines that such funding is legally obligated, it is directed to inform the Executive Counsel to the Governor of its determination.
SECTION 3: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are hereby directed to provide to the Executive Counsel to the Governor no later than October 2, 2009 a copy of any existing contracts or other agreements between the agency and ACORN or its subsidiaries for an immediate review.
SECTION 4: All departments, commissions, boards, offices, entities, agencies, and officers of the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, are authorized and directed to assist and cooperate in implementing the provisions of this Order.
SECTION 5: This Order is effective upon signature and shall continue in effect until amended, modified, terminated, or rescinded by the Governor, or terminated by operation of law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand officially and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of Louisiana, at the Capitol, in the City of Baton Rouge, on this 17TH day of September, 2009. |
