Griffin on ACORN's Lewis: CNN 10/16/08

Drew Griffin on ACORN's Bertha Lewis
"Situation Room" 5:40pm
Commentary

TRANSCRIPT:
DREW GRIFFEN: [] The voter application forms turned in by ACORN are being investigated in many local jurisdictions across the country. Now were learning the FBI is taking at least a bigger look at the picture. Republicans have called for a national investigation, what were hearing is that the FBI and JUSTICE are reviewing the material thats been sent to them to determine if a broader investigation, or even a criminal investigation, will begin, were just not there yet. Now, today, I spoke with ACORNs chief organizer, her name is Bertha Lewis. She maintains what ACORN has been saying all along, that they are being targeted by right-wing groups, right-wing media, including CNN, in a politically motivated smear campaign against their work.

BERTHA LEWIS: My concern is, that despite us registering 1.3 million people, having 13 thousand workers, actually turning in every single card that we collected, as well as turning in folks that we might have suspected of bad behavior. Year after year, time after time, these allegations continue to be visited upon us. Especially at a time when it is political season, and we just think that theres never been a time where its been proven that we have ever committed registration or a voter fraud. And I just think that its very peculiar that the Republicans are attacking us like this.

GRIFFEN: Did you say that no one in ACORN has ever been found to have committed registration fraud? No worker for ACORN?

LEWIS: No, ACORN, the accusations are against my organization.

GRIFFEN: [] And people who fill out voter registrations for ACORN, you admit, have been in trouble in the past for committing fraud, correct?

LEWIS: We actually turned those people in and helped to prosecute individuals that commit voter registration fraud. So, theres never been any case, period, even the RNC General Counsel that says, theres never been one single case where someone has voted fraudulently because of an organized voter registration effort.

GRIFFEN: We learned about the FBI involvement after that interview, ACORN told us they have had no contact with the FBI, but have had rumors of a Federal investigation. The ACORN board meets tomorrow, actually, in New Orleans.

WOLF BLITZER: As you know, on the other side, there are accusations that the right wing or conservative groups or republican orientated groups are trying to suppress voter turnout on African Americans, poor people, some are inclined in greater numbers, potentially, to vote for the Democrats and Barack Obama. And theres investigations going forward on that front as well, in Ohio, and elsewhere.

LABEL: DG BL CNN 10-16-08 17.40 (RAD#295) BbEe

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ACORN
• voter
• fraud
• FBI
• investigation
• Bertha
• Lewis

[MrIceCreamMan2113]

22/f/single/cam! ne1 want to see? 1