IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 911 

Requesting the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate 

allegations regarding the organization ACORN. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 

Mr. EHLERS submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Requesting the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel 

to investigate allegations regarding the organization ACORN. 

Whereas the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has received taxpayer money 

through executive agencies; 

Whereas ACORN is under investigation by several States attorneys general and Inspector Generals at the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury for 

allegations including, but not limited to, voter fraud, the 

illegal use of Federal funds for political activities, tax 

fraud and/or tax evasion, and promotion of criminal activity; 

Whereas, as elected officials, Members of the House of Representatives and the Senate have a responsibility to ensure taxpayer monies are spent honestly and legally; 


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•HRES 911 IH 

Whereas, on October 30, 2009, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Appropriations Act, 2010 

(Public Law 111–88), banned Federal funding of 

ACORN until December 18, 2009; 

Whereas if Congress does not specifically act to continue the 

ban to deny Federal monies to ACORN, this entity could 

be eligible for additional Federal monies; 

Whereas if Federal monies are being spent dishonestly and 

illegally, additional Federal funds should not be awarded 

or distributed to ACORN; 

Whereas there has not been a cohesive approach to investigating these allegations; 

Whereas a special counsel should be appointed to investigate, 

in a cohesive manner, the allegations that Federal monies 

are possibly being used illegally by ACORN or any of its 

affiliates, both formal and informal, including all subsidiaries and entities controlled by ACORN; 

Whereas a special counsel should also investigate ACORN’s 

relationship with all allied organizations and any individual or organization that has been complicit in the 

criminal activity of ACORN and its employees; 

Whereas President Obama and the Department of Justice 

have not appointed a special counsel to investigate these 

allegations; 

Whereas under regulations promulgated by the Department 

of Justice in June 1999, the Attorney General may name 

such a counsel when it would be ‘‘in the public interest’’ 

to name such a counsel; and 

Whereas it is in the public interest for the American people 

to know if their taxpayer money is being spent in accordance with the law: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HRES 911 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives requests 

2 the United States Attorney General— 

3 (1) to appoint a Special Counsel to— 

4 (A) investigate the Association of Commu5 nity Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) 

6 and all of its affiliates, both formal and infor7 mal, including all subsidiaries and entities con8 trolled by ACORN; and 

9 (B) investigate ACORN’s relationship with 

10 all allied organizations and any individual or or11 ganization that has been complicit in the crimi12 nal activity of ACORN and its employees; and 

13 (2) to report to Congress on the results of that 

14 investigation. 

Æ 


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