MO GOP launches first political strike, tries to link Carnahan with ACORN
By Matt Grant
Monday, November 02, 2009 at 10:44 p.m.
Read more: Local, Carnahan, ACORN, Robin Carnahan, Missouri, GOP, Republicans, Democrats, Carnahan Ties to ACORN, Cozy, Fact Finder
JEFFERSON CITY -- The Senate race may be a year away but Republicans are coming out swinging, tying Secretary of State Robin Carnahan to ACORN.
"We're calling on the secretary of state to say ACORN is a bad organization," said Lloyd Smith, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party. "And [say] we will no longer do business with 'em here in our state."
In the first attack ad of the race to replace retiring Sen. Kit Bond, Republicans are targeting Robin Carnahan, linking her with the controversial housing group ACORN.
The state GOP released an Internet attack ad calling Carnahan's relationship with ACORN "too close for comfort." Congress recently stripped ACORN's federal funding over fraud allegations.
"Her chief-of-staff and other staff people have had inappropriate connectivity to ACORN," said Smith. "A group that's been shown not just in Missouri but across the nation being involved in illegal voter activity."
Before ACORN's scandals, the GOP filed a Sunshine Law request for all e-mails between Carnahan's staff and ACORN. The Missouri GOP provided KRCG News with 70 pages of e-mails they say shows a "cozy" relationship.
KRCG News checked and found that none of the e-mails are actually to, or from, Carnahan herself - all deal with her staff. The e-mails deal mostly with two things: first the photo ID voter law, opposed by both Carnahan and ACORN.
In one e-mail from March, 2007, ACORN reps ask Carnahan's then chief-of-staff for research help.
"I have a very quick research question," wrote a member of Project Vote, which is affiliated with ACORN. "I presume Republicans beat the drum of voter fraud as a rationale for photo ID law, can you steer me to a source to find a quote providing an example of that.?"
The other frequent topic was ACORN's lawsuit against Missouri for violating a federal law requiring social offices to help low-income people register to vote. ACORN won a $450,000 settlement and praised Carnahan for being helpful.
Ryan Hobart, with the Missouri Democratic Party, says the e-mails are part of routine contact with a number of groups that have a stake in voter issues.
"It's just a normal part of the process of being secretary of state," said Hobart. "[There was] nothing inappropriate. [The e-mails are] completely within the bounds of the role of the secretary of state's office...Other groups, like the Missouri Republican Party, have reached out to the office before for similar guidance."
Internet video shows Carnahan disputing ties to ACORN at a recent event.
"I don't have any ties to ACORN," said Carnahan. "I'm not really sure why they did that, I think just something to talk about...We've had issues in Missouri with them. I've called on law enforcement officials to prosecute anyone who violates election laws, whether it's ACORN or anybody else."
Republicans say Carnahan hasn't publicly distanced herself enough from the group. Democrats are fighting back, launching a Web site accusing Congressman Roy Blunt - Carnahan's main challenger - of voting to fund ACORN in the past.
The state GOP's online ad has generated over 13,000 views on YouTube. There are no plans as of yet to air the ad on TV.
Requests for e-mails and production of the video cost around $10,000, according to Smith.
