Boehner: ACORN Recieved $31 Million in Federal Funding

Amanda Carpenter | October 16, 2008 4:33 PM

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R.-Ohio) released information showing ACORN has received at least $31 million in federal funding since 1998 hours after the FBI announced they were launching a nationwide investigation against the non-profit.

“ACORN’s free ride on the backs of taxpayers must end immediately," a statement from Boehner's office said. "An initial review of federal records shows ACORN affiliates have received at least $31 million in direct federal funding from American taxpayers over the past 10 years, and millions more indirectly through state and local agencies that receive federal block grants. House Republicans worked together to stop the Majority from using taxpayer dollars to fill a slush fund created just for ACORN, but now we must go further to turn off the spigot of federal grants on which ACORN depends"

Using Federal Register records the GOP found ACORN secured the $31 million to fund affiliates in 11 different states through 54 individual federal grants.

17 of those 54 federal grants went to ACORN causes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The others went to ACORN efforts in Washington DC, Dallas, St. Paul, Albuquerque, New Orleans, Houston, Chicago, Brooklyn and Little Rock.

Boehner's staff noted that one grant to an Albuquerque ACORN affiliate "is notable because it appears to facilitate and encourage the use of risky subprime loans" which is at the root of the current financial crisis. The title of the grant was for “Education and Outreach Initiative/Subprime Lending Component.”

The PDF link to the ACORN federal grant records is available here.