Patrick Gaspard, considered one of the most powerful figures in the Obama White House, is a "longtime ACORN operative" and former union official, according to a report posted Monday on the American Spectator's online blog.
Gaspard's name recently surfaced as the official President Obama dispatched to urge beleaguered New York Gov. David Paterson not to run for another term. Paterson insists he'll continue to run for governor even without Obama's support.
Gaspard has extensive ties to organized labor and community-organizing groups. One measure of his influence in the White House: He holds the same "political affairs director" title that belonged to Karl Rove during the Bush administration.
The Spectator's Matthew Vadum, a senior editor at the Capital Research Center think tank, reported that Gaspard was the New York political director for top ACORN official Bertha Lewis before 2003. Lewis is the CEO and "chief organizer" for ACORN, which is the subject of more than a dozen investigations for vote-registration fraud nationwide.
The House and Senate recently moved to cut off ACORN funding after a series of videos revealed the willingness of its staff to help establish a reputed child-prostitution ring based in San Salvador. Obama refused to support ending federal funding for ACORN, however, telling ABC: "It's not something I'm paying a lot of attention to."
Vadum cited the blog maintained by ACORN founder Wade Rathke, ChiefOrganizer.org, as his source for the Gaspard-ACORN link.
In May, Rathke described how officials of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) teamed up with HealthCare Reform Czar Nancy-Ann DeParle to pry big price concessions from private health firms.
Speaking of the advantage that comes from having powerful friends in high places, Rathke wrote: "Tell me that (Local) 1199s former political director, Patrick Gaspard (who was ACORN New Yorks political director before that) didnt reach out from the White House and help make that happen, and Ill tell you to take some remedial classes in 'politics 101.'"
The Spectator described Gaspard "ACORN's Man in the White House." It also reported that he was national field director in 2004 for American Coming Together (ACT), a get-out-the-vote organization.
The FEC hit ACT with a $775,000 fine for campaign-finance violations one of the largest FEC fines ever and it reportedly ceased operations in 2005.
Gaspard also worked for eight years for SEIU Local 1199, a hospital workers local, according to the Village Voice.
The Spectator report detailed what it calls the "fuzzy" line between the SEIU and ACORN.
Vadum reported that SEIU Local 880 and the SEIU Local 100 that Rathke heads are "part of the ACORN network of organizations."
He reported that the locals were listed as such on ACORN's Web site, buts the references recently were removed.
Evelyn
This message has been edited by evelyn-glover on Sep 30, 2009 12:36 AM
That's what happens when you elect someone through the democratic process, they get to appoint people who are going to further their agenda. You didn't know that?
I covered New York politics at the time, and that was news to me; the also White House denies it. But just to be sure, I checked checked just now with Gaspard's former boss, whom he ultimately replaced as the political director of the giant New York SEIU local, 1199, Jennifer Cunningham. Cunningham confirmed to me that he'd worked for her starting in 1999; that he'd worked for a City Council member before that; and before that, for the Dinkins Administration.
Gaspard has extensive ties to organized labor and community-organizing groups. One measure of his influence in the White House: He holds the same "political affairs director" title that belonged to Karl Rove during the Bush administration.
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OMG! Hanging's too good for them! And anyone else who has ties to ACORN.... people like, Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), Mitt Romney(R), John McCain(R), Tom Pawlenty(R), Mel Martinez(R), Charlie Crist(R), Rick Perry(R), Chris Shays(R), Mitt Romney(R). Life in prison without parole for all who have ties to ACORN!
LOL! and you expected him to have Capitalists in the White House...damn! He's a socialist Democrat and it's to be expected he'd surround himself with like minded people!
The language of priorities is the religion of Socialism.....Aneurin Bevan
"There are none so blind as those who will not see."
Evelyn
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Bet you hear that alot.
S C O R E one for CJ.
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I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
maw:
(Login mawsword) Re: Top aide tied to ACORN October 2 2009, 1:43 PM
"There are none so blind as those who will not see."
Evelyn
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Bet you hear that alot.
'S C O R E one for CJ.'
MAW, you're a strange person. The above comment is all you can contribute as a rebuttal to my post. No wonder this country is going to the socialist's.........it's full of non-thinkers like you.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
The only point you have Evil lyn is the one on top of your head.
Now, move along....
***********************************
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
I've learned that the people you care most about in life are taken from you too soon and
all the less important ones just never go away.
And the real pains in the ass are permanent.
"When asked about the ACORN scandal, Obama said he wasn't paying much attention to it. Hard to believe, but possible. He also said he had more important things to worry about."
Bill O'Reilly
more important things?
like the arrest of a black professor who broke into his own home?
real important stuff...not like the trivial corruuption scandal at an organization of which he was an instrumental member prior to his election
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