"Abortion Alternative" is one of the  hundreds if not thousands, of phony names registered in Curt Weldon's district, garnered by the union—sponsored ACORN operation and under investigation by the  District Attorney's Office.

According to its Web site, ACORN is "the nationт£Щs largest community organization of low and moderate—income families, working for social justice and stronger communities." It is a pro—labor, pro—union, liberal group. And one of the ways it attempts to fulfill its mission is by influencing elections.

In recent years, its voter registration effort has been spectacular, though increasingly under criminal investigation.

Just last week, four ACORN workers were indicted by a federal grand jury for submitting false voter registration forms in Kansas City, Mo. ACORN people have already been convicted in Colorado and Wisconsin and more are under investigation here and in Ohio.

Aside from facilitating fraud, these operations overwhelm  election workers, interfere with their operations and cost tax—payers tens of thousands of dollars.
 
ACORN merits federal investigation at this point. In the meantime, states should consider laws forbidding payment to those who garner registrations and litigation to recover the additional costs these stunts engender.
 
Call me suspicious, but I am beginning to think this operation is resembling the practice runs by terrorists on our airlines. By simply scaring us into greater security measures, interfering with travel, and increasing travelers' burdens, the terrorists achieve a substantial victory without ever carrying out an attack.
 
In the same way, by overwhelming poll workers, creating the possibility of increased fraud and undermining the public's faith in the legitimacy of the vote, democracy is put at risk.
 
Add to this the failure of local officials to purge the lists of dead and ineligible voters, the persistent——often successful efforts—— to preclude voter IDs and to permit  same day registration, the left is undercutting the legitimacy of our elections in every way possible.

Clarice Feldman   11 5 06