ACORN Offices Burglarized, Computers Stolen

The McCain campaign’s war on ACORN has taken an ugly new turn. Two of the community organizations’ offices have recently been broken into, After Downing Street reports:

Velvet Revolution, an organization dedicated to fair elections, is offering $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for break-ins at the ACORN offices in Dorchester, MA and Burien, WA.,

The timing of the break-ins coincide with the Republican attacks on the organization. The Washington break-in occurred on Tuesday and the Boston break-in occurred in the evening after Senator McCain made accusations against ACORN in the final presidential debate, where he said the group was “destroying the fabric of democracy”. In recent days the organization has been the target of threatening calls and e-mails, including at least one death threat. “Voter suppression is their goal but we will not allow the actions of political hacks and zealots to intimidate us or keep us from exercising our most fundamental right – the right to vote” – Mimi Ramos, Head Organizer, Massachusetts ACORN.

In Dorchester five computers were stolen from the ACORN office and the phone system and internet network were ripped out. Computer records were also stolen from ACORN Housing which does foreclosure prevention counseling. If you have any information regarding break-ins or want to make a donation the number to call is (617) 436-7100.

An ACORN official confirmed to me that the offices had been broken into.

The Massachusetts office had its phones and internet connections ripped out of the wall. Computers were stolen. The space was trashed so thoroughly that the staff had to temporarily relocate to another office. The Washington break-in hasn’t been definitely established as a political crime, it may have been a petty cash robbery, but the timing is suspicious. There’s overwhelming circumstantial evidence that the Massachusetts break-in was politically motivated. 

The FBI has been notified.