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For the last few months, Peter Roskam, together with Mark Kirk and other Republicans in Congress, has been engaged in a smear campaign against the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Roskam’s baseless attacks, focused on SEIU/ACORN participation in the upcoming census, are part of a long-time Republican strategy to seek political advantage by disenfranchising poor and minority voters and attempting to underrepresent them in census counts. The GOP has engaged in such tactics because its legislative program, which has worked against the interests of low-income and minority voters, has left the party unable to attract voters from these groups by legitimate means. By engaging in this behavior, Roskam has not only unfairly disparaged two fine organizations but has abused and debased the office that has been entrusted to him. He owes an apology to all concerned, including all voters in the 6th Congressional District.

On Tuesday this week, the non-partisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) released a report, requested by Representative John Conyers of Michigan, that found no evidence that ACORN had broken any laws over the past 5 years, that no voters improperly registered by ACORN had attempted to cast ballots in an election, and that ACORN had used funds received from the federal government for housing programs in accordance with funding guidelines.

A previous investigation, by former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger, also found no evidence of illegal activity by employees depicted in widely-publicized highly-edited videos produced by a conservative film maker as part of an effort to discredit ACORN. CRS found that, in fact, the film maker may have violated state laws.

Using a news conference and media appearances, Peter Roskam, has attempted to perpetuate the myth of a criminal conspiracy on the behalf of ACORN without offering any real evidence and has tried to spread that taint to SEIU with no basis whatsover. Here you can hear him at work on WLS-AM’s vile Don Wade & Roma Show:

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Roskam’s conduct is reprehensible and unbecoming a member of Congress.

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