ACORN Funded Political For-Profit Efforts Data Show
Grassley
ACORN's tax-exempt groups and allied organizations  long a target of conservative ire  used more than half their charitable and public money in 2006 to pay other ACORN affiliates  according to an analysis by the tax staff of Sen. Charles Grassley  R-Iowa.
 On Thursday  Grassley called the transactions a "big shell game" and said ACORN donors may be surprised by how the liberal group known for helping the poor obtain housing and health care was spending their money. He urged the Internal Revenue Service to take a closer look.
 According to the Grassley report  charities "are being used to raise monies which are then funneled to other charities or to other organizations for purposes other than what the donor may have intended. ... Dollars raised for charitable (purposes) appear to be used for impermissible lobbing and political activity."
 "Senator Grassley made up his mind  and he didn't bother about the facts " Lewis said in an interview. "He's dealing with a lot of outdated information and decided to frame it with a predetermined conclusion. Yes  we had problems under Wade Rathke. ... And we have been overhauling how we do things ever since."
 Also on Thursday  Grassley requested that ACORN  which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now  be taken off a list of approved charities for federal employees to donate to in an annual giving campaign.
ACORN's tax-exempt groups and allied organizations  long a target of conservative ire  used more than half their charitable and public money in 2006 to pay other ACORN affiliates  according to an analysis by the tax staff of [TGT]R-Iowa.
 On Thursday  [TGT] called the transactions a "big shell game" and said ACORN donors may be surprised by how the liberal group known for helping the poor obtain housing and health care was spending their money. [TGT] urged the Internal Revenue Service to take a closer look.
 According to the [TGT] report  charities "are being used to raise monies which are then funneled to other charities or to other organizations for purposes other than what the donor may have intended. ... Dollars raised for charitable (purposes) appear to be used for impermissible lobbing and political activity."
 "[TGT] made up [TGT] mind  and [TGT] didn't bother about the facts " Lewis said in an interview. "He's dealing with a lot of outdated information and decided to frame it with a predetermined conclusion. Yes  we had problems under Wade Rathke. ... And we have been overhauling how we do things ever since."
 Also on Thursday  [TGT] requested that ACORN  which stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now  be taken off a list of approved charities for federal employees to donate to in an annual giving campaign.