ACORN

ACORN, an advocacy group being accused of fraudulently registering voters in several states, has not been actively registering voters in Maryland this election cycle, according to The Washington Post.

The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, has come under fire in 21 states after it was discovered the group had been submitting fraudulent voter registration forms to state officials. ACORN mainly operates in low-income areas in its voter registration efforts and Republicans have lambasted the Democratic Party for the Obama campaign's alleged ties to the group during the 2008 presidential primary.

Stuart Katzenberg, head organizer for Maryland ACORN, told the Post that his group has mainly focused on lobbying in Annapolis for protections for homeowners facing foreclosure this election cycle, but has not been involved in any voter registration efforts. He says Republican attacks have been exaggerated.

Steve Hudson, M.D., J.D., Republican Candidate for Congress in Maryland’s Eighth District, issued the following statement concerning the ethics and legality of recent controversial events enveloping Rep. Chris Van Hollen in his role as the Chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

The state Democratic Party says voter registration numbers are soaring in its favor because it's assembled the right team, but the state GOP argues Democrats may be playing the game with an unfair advantage.

For each presidential election since 1992, Democratic registration has remained relatively steady in the 53 percent to 57 percent range according to new figures released by the State Board of Elections. The Republicans' share of registered voters has decreased from 29 percent to 19 percent.  

In 2006, Representative Van Hollen supported ACORN, and his recent legislative activity attempts to prevent state and local election authorities from identifying phantom and illegal voters.

ACORN: Backing EdwardsTomorrow afternoon, the political action committee of ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, will officially announce its endorsement of Donna Edwards in her challenge to incumbent Rep. Al Wynn in the Fourth District Democratic primary.

The event, taking place at ACORN's Prince George's County headquarters, will coincide with the release of the group's second report about the cost of foreclosures in the Washington D.C. corridor, which includes a large portion of the district.

Tying in with a key theme of Edwards' campaign, the group estimates that $550 million dollars will be lost in the recent housing market crisis.