Yorkville…State Representative Kay Hatcher today is calling for a full investigation by the Illinois Attorney General into questionable and potentially illegal practices by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).
“I believe we were all shocked and appalled by the undercover video showing ACORN representatives on several different occasions allegedly counseling individuals about how to run an underage prostitution ring,” Hatcher said. “This is an organization that has received taxpayer funding. Any allegation that that funding is being misused in any way either at the state or federal level needs to be instantly and thoroughly investigated.”
In an open letter to Governor Quinn, Rep. Hatcher and several of her House Republican colleagues state: “If such alleged acts have been perpetrated, then families across Illinois have been defrauded of much needed state resources and services in today’s troubled economy. We cannot, and will not, condone such egregious behaviors in our state.
We urge all state resources and contracts with ACORN be immediately suspended until a thorough investigation and its finding by the Illinois Attorney General is reported to the General Assembly.”
“The United State’s Congress overwhelmingly passed measures to halt federal housing funds that were going to ACORN. We need to do the same here in Illinois. Preliminary research has found at least one state allocation of $100,000 from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. Any and all state funds going to Acorn need to be halted immediately while the Attorney General conducts her investigation and I and other members of the General Assembly review her findings,” Hatcher said.
“This is another unfortunate example of why better transparency in government is so important. Taxpayers have a right to know how their tax dollars are being spent,” Hatcher concluded. “The new ‘accountability portal’ law we passed this spring is a good first step, but we need to continue work to open up the process to the families back home who are paying the bills.”