The Republican Party of Virginia has called on the Democratic candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Attorney General to give back any and all contributions from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) due to their ties with ACORN. SEIU President Andy Stern sits on ACORN’s Advisory Council, and the SEIU has donated a combined $450,000 to the Democratic candidates and the Democratic Party committees in 2008 and 2009.
ACORN has been in some trouble lately with promoting criminal behaviors, like tax evasion, abetting prostitution, and sex trafficking for minors. Both the House and Senate have voted to cut off funding for ACORN. Additionally, SEIU gave ACORN more than $4 million since 2006-2007, and SEIU locals 100 and 880 are allied organizations to ACORN. Better yet, ACORN Founder S. Wade Rathke referred to SEIU 880 as “one of the pillars of the ACORN Family.” Rathke was also handpicked by Stern to direct SEIU’s nationwide organizing projects.
With all of this corruption from both SEIU and ACORN, Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner, and Steve Shannon should do what’s right and return the contributions. Pat Mullins, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, called on the democratic candidates to give back the money. Mullins said:
“It’s pretty clear how intermingled ACORN is with SEIU,” said Chairman Mullins. “They have become a focus of attention in Congress for these recent disgusting scandals involving everything from under-aged prostitution to tax fraud. Throw in what we already know about their bogus voter registration efforts and the information is pretty condemning. That Democrats would gleefully take money from a closely tied organization tells you what you want to know – they’ll check principles at the door, so long as the check clears. Deeds, Wagner, Shannon and the rest of the Democrats should give it all back.”
Attorney General candidate Ken Cuccinelli made a statement asking Shannon to return the funds:
“Steve Shannon has received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from the SEIU – whose link and close working relationship with the renegade organization ACORN is well documented” said Senator Ken Cuccinelli. “SEIU’s long standing financial support and its affiliation as an allied organization of ACORN across the country requires a repudiation of the relationship” added Cuccinelli.
“I applaud the United States Congress for moving to de-fund ACORN of any tax payer dollars, a move that should have occurred years ago. ACORN’s well documented illegal activities, including voter fraud, should give all Americans pause. Voters have a right to know that ACORN affiliated and allied organizations are funding Democrat campaigns this year in Virginia, and what do they expect in return?” concluded Cuccinelli.”
VASocialConservative has a great post featuring a web video released by Cuccinelli.
