Complete Archive
Ideas for Reforming Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Government-run insurer needs changes, but wrong reforms could make things worse
City Employees on a Roll with Taxpayer-Paid Cars
Click here to read latest vehicle report
Mayoral Candidates Differ on Approach to Watchdog
Forum finds differing levels of trust and reliance on city’s inspector general
Questions Raised By Flawed Stimulus Job Figures
Hundreds of Louisiana Jobs Listed as “Saved or Created” May Be Incorrect or Exaggerated.
Photo by Rasmus Thomson/freedigitalphotos.net
Click on graph to view stimulus money sent to Louisiana
New Orleans Council Reverses Position, Votes to Double Attorney Contract
Despite Budget Woes, Outside Firm Handling E-mail Controversy Gets Another $125K
Federal Grand Jury Seeks Information from ACORN
Attorney General’s move also prompted by report of former employees taking computers from office
BREAKING NEWS: Acorn Headquarters being searched.
Story by Steve Beatty
Investigators for state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell plan to execute a search warrant at ACORN headquarters in New Orleans this afternoon, a spokeswoman for the office said today.
Caldwell’s office has been investigating the national activist groups since June on allegations of payroll tax fraud, covering up an embezzlement, mismanaging a retirement fund, among other things.
His office has already served subpoenas on the former head of ACORN, Wade Rathke, whose brother is alleged to have improperly charged at least $1 million to ACORN-related credit cards. Whitney Bank and ACORN’s outside accounting firm of Duplantier, Hrapmann Hogan & Maher have also been hit with subpoenas.
Check back for updates.
Another Subpoena and Another Lien for ACORN
Attorney General Investigates Group for Fraud Involving Long-Unpaid Taxes
Pay and Pay Again
Caddo Panel Wants Voters to Cover Misspending with New Fee
Inadequate Record Keeping Cost Acorn Housing $130K
State Money Witheld for Failure to Explain Billings
This chart was part of the state's evaluation of the contract with Acorn Housing, which was designed to help low-income residents learn about and apply to the Road Home hurricane-assistance program.
This flier was the last in a five-page handout from Acorn Housing. It was included in the state files to show the work the agency was doing under contract with the state. The preceding pages offered advice on finding a contractor and listed helpful numbers for negotiating post-hurricane bureaucracies. Such solicitations are not permitted by groups whose work is financed by federal funds, as this one was.
- See the flyer included in the supporting documentation by the Acorn Community Land Association, which had a contract with the state attorney general's office to inform hurricane evacuees of their housing rights under federal law. Such solicitations are not permitted by groups whose work is financed by federal funds, as this one was.
- See the original $1.5 million contract Acorn Housing had with the state's Office of Community Development. It was later amended to run until Sept.
- See the $53,000 contract Acorn Community Land Association had with the Louisiana attorney general's office.
