McCain Campaign Press Release - 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)