ACORN chief responds to videotape scandal

In an exclusive interview with ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis, ESSENCE.com talks about the scandal, accountability, and why she says the group has been unfairly persecuted.

TheGrio Staff

Oct 2, 2009

An exclusive from our friends at essence.com:
The Association of Community Organization or Reform Now (ACORN) describes itself as a national organizing group for the poor, providing services like helping low-income people find jobs and advocating for affordable housing. The group drew notoriety during the 2008 campaign when it registered over a million people to vote, but submitted thousands of registration cards with phony names. Although ACORN workers flagged and reported the suspicious cards themselves, the organization was beset with accusations of voter registration fraud—and became an increasingly sore subject for Republicans, who have painted ACORN as a criminal enterprise.

The group is back in the news after conservative activists went to various offices posing as a pimp and prostitute in need of housing help. As depicted in shocking online videos, some of the officers complied, leading to a Congressional vote to cut off federal funding to the organization. ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis talks to ESSENCE.com about the scandal, accountability, and why she says the group has been unfairly persecuted.

ESSENCE.COM: When did you first see the videos that have circulated, and how do you respond to the conduct of the ACORN workers featured in them?
BERTHA LEWIS: We saw these videos the same time as the rest of America. We were shocked, disgusted, embarrassed and outraged by what you saw on those tapes, edited or not. It was indefensible. We’ve apologized to our membership and the folks in our neighborhoods. We immediately terminated those employees and pulled together an independent investigation and review of our management, training and hiring. We want people to understand that this was not acceptable.

ESSENCE.COM: One of the staffers on the video has defended her behavior by saying she was just playing along with what was clearly a prank, and purposely gave over-the-top answers. Have the others tried to explain themselves?
LEWIS: We asked all of those employees, “Why didn’t you get a supervisor or something?” We do know that these folks tricked their way into the offices by using another employee’s name, or saying that they had nowhere to turn for help, and they just wanted a conversation. It is kind of funny that this guy didn’t show the tapes of other employees who said, “No, we can’t help you.” In some instances, they even called the police. None of our employees filled out one scrap of paper or application, or proceeded to assist these folks. We have a ten-step process, and they didn’t even get past step one. Unfortunately, these employees didn’t use common sense and thought that they were being helpful by not being judgmental.