Barney Frank, Michele Bachmann Face Off Over ACORN Funding (VIDEO)

Via Talking Points Memo comes this video of Barney Frank and Michele Bachmann going head-to-head over ACORN. Bachmann wants to deny ACORN federal funding by disbarring groups in which a member has been indicted from being eligible to receive money from the government. Frank pointed out that this was absurdly broad and that it provided all types of opportunities for punitive action from prosecutors with an axe to grind since they could shut off funding for a group simply by indicting someone.

Frank also pointed out that ACORN received significant federal funding from the Bush administration. TPM has more details here. Watch the exchange below.

Comments

[Tulka2]

Bachmann is the most dangerous kind of person. She is a "confident incompetent".

Here's what we do. We start a Mars colony. We go to Bachmann and tell her we need the best and brightest to lead the volunteers. It will be the "greatest honor of the generation and all the volunteers should be Christian". We will announce we have chosen Bachmann as the leader and offer the trip out to any who want to follow her. Tell the volunteers they will be that much closer to heaven which, of course, is up in the sky.

Solves several problems and improves the gene pool all at the same time.

[CJWebber]

Whenever Bachman was asked to answer something that Frank asked, Dobbs would talk for a while and give Bachman time to either formulate a response or reply to whatever Dobbs said.

Either Dobbs is a Republican, or he thinks Bachman needs a buffer zone.

[Tulka2]

Lou Dobbs is an extremely wealthy man. His daughters participate in equine dressage. Every other stable shoveler in that sport is an illegal.

[Guitanguran]

Here's what I find curious. Mr. Frank said according to CNN's transcript

"Well I -- we were at the end of a very long mark-up on a very important Bill dealing with stopping predatory lending, and it did not get the attention I should have given it. I looked at it. I thought it was OK. I didn't read it carefully. An hour later, I did get a chance to read it carefully and reversed. "

Mr. Frank may need to get in the habit of reading what he's voting on in committee, carefully.

And this:

"...my question is where were the Republicans when George Bush was giving the ACORN housing counseling entity millions of dollars?"

Good question. A great dodge for that matter. Ms Bachman needs to sharpen her skills and be ready for that tactic.

Why indeed?

But if, as Ms Bachman indicated, ACORN has received some 53 million $s since the early 90's, one might ask what Mr. Clinton's administration was doing. Were there any indictments in 2007? Any particular reason for the Bush Admin to withhold funding at that time? How about it, Mr. Frank?

Slick.

And finally when it comes to funding a non-profit or expanding the government:

"I would be very happy instead to expand the role of the government. "

I would expect that out of a Washington politican, but it begs the question from Mr. Dobbs of 'why do it at all?'

We don't have the money.

[Elephantinroom]

Great post!

[VegasDealer]

I found it hilarious that Bachman got the year wrong when she first entered Congress!

[got2Bkidding]

Dobb's is just a different tool than Bachmann.
They're both still tools.

It's like you don't try to drive a nail with a screwdrive­r... you get a hammer.

But you still go to the toolbox to get it.

Where you keep the tools. All together. In a box.

Sounds like the republican party.

[tryandgetsomecommonsense]

reply to: Turtleposer & jwredd :

Do you people even know what the TRUTH is any more....? Have you listened to your own LIES for so long you can't even reconize the TRUTH when it bites you in the nose?

You "enlightened & liberals" are just an embarassment to the rest of us Americans. You obviously have NO CLUE who and what built this country, who gave their lives definding it (and allows you and me to spew our opinions at will) and what it's going to take to "fix" this mess our country is currently in.

Reading posts like yours makes me wonder why we're not all speaking Chinese...­..(yet.) But stay tuned it's coming!

Obama has NO clue how to fix the mess groups like ACORN helped to create. I don't care who "sliced and diced" the mortgages after they were taken out -- if banks hadn't been FORCED to issue mortgages to people who weren't credit worthy with no down-payment -- the economy wouldn't have collapsed in the first place. Yes, there were other factors -- but when so many facets of an economy were based on people paying their mortgages back -- it was just a matter of time before it happened. The ACORN mess was designed to fail....an­d it took our country and much of the global economy with it. Can you really still sit there and defend ACORN -- or would you rather simply ignore the FACTS and keep calling Michelle Bachman names?

[bolivare]

You obviously have no clue do you. Exactly what is it that ACORN was supposed to have done? Before you spout off, you might want to actually look at some facts yourself.

[got2Bkidding]

How much money was given away by the Department of Faith Based Initiatives?

How much of that money was given to conservative christians? To churches?
How much of that money do you reckon was used to fight against the rights of women to choose?
How much of that money was used to "convert" people who (if they voted their interests) would be either democrat or at least more moderate?
After doing so, how much money was spent to ensure they were registered republicans and voting the republican way?

Look into ACORN all you like. That doesn't bother me.
It's the billions given away through "faith based" initiatives that concern me.
I think someone needs to look into that.

I'll take an organization that is "community based" over one which is "faith based" any time.

[R8RBOB]

You are aware Bush was funded ACORN right? I understand Republicans want to slam ACORN because Obama is connected to them, but the gov't under Bush gave them millions.

[KYlawyer]

That old rightwingnut canard about "forcing banks to make loans" has been repudiated time and time again. It doesn't float, anymore than your belief that "Obama isn't a citizen and can't be president.­"

By the tone of your posts, I am quite certain you have no knowledge of economics, law, or politics that isn't fed to you by Rush or Beck. Therefore, your comments do not rise to the level which even requires a response. It's stu.pidity speaks for itself.

[KYlawyer]

That tired old right wing canard of "banks were forced to laon to unqualified minorities" has been repudiated time and again. Only those, like you I would imagine, who believe that "Obama is not a citizen and can't be president" conspiracy parrot this idi0cy.

It is readily apparent you have absolutely no knowledge of economics. law or politics except that which Rush spews daily, as your comment clearly demonstrates.

[AmbientDiscord]

he made good points but i was a bit disappointed after the giant build up by people of how badly he destroyed her.

[tryandgetsomecommonsense]

wagthedog1001 -- do you really even see how biased you are?

Do you really think issuing personal attacks like calling Bachman a "witch" is a productive and helpful thing to do....(not­!) Since you can't debate this on the facts -- I have to assume you like wearing blinders and ignoring them.

For you to say an indictment is "just an accusation" forgets the fact that these are not issued as willy-nilly as a simple arrest and then go gather evidence. No -- I would think that even you are smart enough to know that this type of indictment is ONLY issued after enough evidence has been presented to issue one.

None of the readers of Huff post are dumb enough to fall for that one. Not even you (but you knew that didn't you?) Stop trying to mislead people and attack personalities -- and try sticking to the facts.

But then I know you liberals just hate being bothered by those pesky facts!

[wagthedog1001]

I don't think Dobbs and this witch understand that an indictment is nothing more than an accusation. In a nutshell that is all Barney Frank was arguing. The bar was being set way too high, discontinuing funding because of a simple accusation of wrong doing. Beyond that neither Dobbs nor the witch answered any of his facts.

Like the Salem witch trials only the witches are doing the accusations now.

[saltpeter]

I love how neocons like to overlook the VERY MANY FACETS of what ACORN does (and no they didn't single-handedly bring about the collapse of the housing market because a) the CRA loans that looney neo-cons like to use as they reason for that collapse didn't even effect half of the lenders who gave out mortgages including those with the largest foreclosure rates and b) because the federal government has systematically allowed private non-profits do for the poor and less self-sufficient what they are unwilling to fully do themselves. Neocons need to realize that it hasn't been HUD who has been helping the poor with housing concerns, it hasn't been the Department of Health that has been helping the poor, disabled, and elderly with their medical concerns and it hasn;t been the Department of Education that has been helping under-privileged students. It has, very often, been private non-profits who are facilitating the needs of those who struggle and finding people the funds and services the government (on all levels from the federal to the local) refuses to fund themselves. Bachman, once again, is being disingenuis when she agrees with Dobbs assertion that the government should wholly fund these services when she would be the first of many neocons to then whine about the amount of tax money it would take to successfully do so. Neocons can't have it both ways. Stop paying lip service to Ron Paul but taking talking points from corporatist masters.

[floridalib]

I know, when the tea parties happened, I was looking for one to protest, and the local organizers told everybody to "be on the lookout for ACORN". I sent the lead organizer an email, asking what it is ACORN does. Apparently they are a "liberal, government funded organization that undermines conservative values". I asked for proof but never got a response. I guess she was too busy gluing teabags to her hat. And we are the "crazy" ones......­..........­.

[kepary]

there goes barney blame everybody but himself and his party... there are so many indictments coming against ACORN they should immediately STOP funding until everthing is cleaned up. ACORN is also at the center of the housing debacle because they forced banks to make loans to people who were using welfare and unemployment as their income

[Turtleposer]

The only time Republicans were worried about Acorn was when there was a link to Democrats. They didn't make a peep when Bush was funding them. It would be great to get rid of Acorn, however, this could've been done under Bush.

[PC Contrarian]

The President doesn't fund anything, the House of Representatives does.
The President can submit a budget, but the House comes up with it's own version.
In the process both Dems and GOP slip in earmarks.
I suspect Acorn got funded during the Bush years by such an earmark, probably by a Dem.
A President signs a lot of bills, that doesn't mean he knows everything in them.
Think of all the surprises for Obama when he finds out everything he has signed.

Your analysis is seriously flawed.

[Boneszy]

fair point so can we get rid of them now?

[jwredd]

ACORN "forced" banks to make loans?
It's the poor people's fault and has nothing to do with the financial geniuses that sliced up those risky loans into a million little pieces and re-bundled them into unrecognizable "products" that turned into poison due to bad structuring. BTW all of those aforementioned geniuses made enough money during that process that they don't ever have to worry about the fact that they can't find a job even if they wanted one.

[LDnearthesea]

And for that mess we can "thank" Phil Gramm, ex-Repug Senator from Texas who got Glass-Steagall repealed in 2000.

[LDnearthesea]

ACORN isn't at the center of the mortgage meltdown: crooked mortgage brokers are, and going back nine years, Repugnantcan ex-Senator Phil Gramm's repealing of Glass-Steagal is the other reason.

[wandajbrn]

Yea, and there goes michelle bachmann, the biggest fool in congress giving an opinion on everything without a grain of sense to back it up. whether ACORN is wrong or not she is the last person anybody should listen too. Thank God she is in the republican party. She makes me ill!!!!


Wanda
Mississippi

[Mildmannered]

Fault with the credit crisis lies with the Fed Res Bd (Greenspan and Bernanke), SEC (Cox) and Treasury Department (Paulsen) for allowing the creation and sale of the toxic financial instruments. These are our regulators and they failed to regulate.

[greenriverkate]

Barney, why are you arguing with the unarmed. She doesn't have enough sense to get out of a wet paper bag!

[LDnearthesea]

Why is this woman who called the Smoot Hawley Act the Hoot Smalley Act, and didn't even address that law correctly, allowed to go on the TV to spout off her propaganda?

[take10]

All you have to do is take a good look at who is inviting her! Lou Dobbs happens to agree with her asinine rants! He is a star bigot who uses dingbats like Michelle to espouse his views, giving him shelter from ridicule. Michelle's batteries only last about half a sentence. Yet, she is a leading spokesperson for the republican party. Need their be any further questions about why the rethugs are heading for the abyss?

[QB2626]

Shhhh! She and Pelosi are cousins. The messenger might be confused but ACORN is crooked and Barney backed corrupt Fannie/Freddie to the end.

Clean house in 2010 & 2012.

[Lulubelle1]

Frank's surly expression at the beginning cracks me up, because he's such a "character­." Michelle Bachmann, on the other hand... is it just me, or is the "crazy" actually readily visible behind her glassy eyes and superficial smile?

I'm not a huge Frank fan, but sheesh... Bachmann is a whackjob.

[gonbald]

What would she look like without her bowtox.

Ugggly broad with a big big mouth.

[mafina]

Acorn was brought to light during the Obama campaign, do we need to guess where Bachmann is going with this B.S.

[LDnearthesea]

Notice how she smiled while Frank took her to the woodshed? That's a sign of either not understanding what Frank was pointing out, the hypocrisy, or that she wants the public to think she's not taking him seriously.