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MRP requests all communications between Carnahan and ACORN

April 2, 2009

JEFFERSON CITY – This afternoon, the Missouri Republican Party submitted an Open Records Request seeking documents pertaining to ACORN or its affiliated organizations and all contacts between Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s office and members of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).

“Our request will shed light on why ACORN’s ongoing and well-documented voter registration fraud merited no response in her 205 page analysis of the 2008 elections,” said Lloyd Smith, Executive Director of the Missouri Republican Party. “We believe it is important to determine if Secretary of State Carnahan’s cozy relationship with ACORN has clouded her judgment.”

This request comes as the national spotlight has been turned towards ACORN’s underhanded activities and tactics.  Even Congressman John Conyers, Democrat from Michigan, has indicated that he may pursue hearings in the U.S. House Judiciary Committee.  According to the Washington Times, Conyers will investigate crimes “ranging from voter fraud to a mob-style ‘protection’ racket.”  ( Washington Times, 4/1/09)

“Robin Carnahan obviously hasn’t gotten the memo,” said Smith.  “Despite the mounting pile of evidence pointing to the organized fraud orchestrated by ACORN, Carnahan continues to whitewash the existence of voter fraud in Missouri.  After four years in office, she has yet to clean up the state’s election system.”

ACORN has come under fire from federal law enforcement agencies for illegal practices in 11 states.  Over the past several years, more than a dozen ACORN workers have been charged and convicted with election fraud in Missouri alone, and thousands of questionable registrations have been submitted.

In the past, Carnahan’s office has obstructed Open Records requests, demanding $91,000 in fees to process a similar request from the MRP.