Posted on 11/24/2009 4:56:38 AM PST by Puppage
A former field director for the political advocacy organization ACORN was sentenced today in district court to up to three years of probation.
Christopher Edwards, who in August pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit a crime of compensation for registration of voters, a gross misdemeanor, received a suspended jail sentence and a $500 fine. He has agreed to testify against ACORN and one of its former regional directors, Amy Busefink.
The Nevada attorney general’s office has accused ACORN and Busefink of operating an illegal bonus system. Tying money to or setting quotas for collecting voter registration cards is illegal under Nevada law.
“I take responsibility for what I did,” Edwards told the court. “I’m sorry, I truly am.”
Busefink and ACORN pleaded not guilty on Oct. 27. A trial date is set for April 19.
If convicted, Busefink likely would face probation or less than one year in jail. ACORN could see a $5,000 fine.
The attorney general’s office said Edwards organized and operated a quota system called “blackjack” or “21+” through which the group paid canvassers based on the number of voter registration cards they collected each day. The canvassers were to gather at least 20 completed cards daily and anyone who turned in 21 or more would be given an extra $5.
Busefink, as a manager, is said to have approved the “blackjack” program. But ACORN officials have said Edwards acted alone in developing and carrying it out.
In handing down his sentence, Judge Donald Mosley said he wasn’t pleased with the negotiations but cited Edwards’ agreement to testify in giving him probation. Edwards is also required to complete community service.
Nevada Chief Deputy Attorney General Conrad Hafen is the lead prosecutor in the case. He wasn’t present in court today; David Rickert, a prosecutor in the attorney general’s office, declined comment after the hearing. Edwards and his attorney, Dan Silverstein, declined to speak with the media.
An election task force last year began to investigate ACORN over questionable voter registration tactics. The charges against Edwards, ACORN and Busefink stemmed from information obtained during that investigation.
WE’LL MOST LIKELY READ ABOUT HIS “SUICIDE” VERY SOON.
6 self-inflicted shots to the head.
Exactly what I was thinking.....How close to the Chicago River? "BUS a fink" being thrown under the bus?
Love to see an Obama footsoldier ‘taxed’ $500 - perhaps he will understand the financial implications of the election to the producers in our society.
Knocking down pawn after pawn makes for good copy but the bishops, knights and yes the queen Bertha Lewis (the king is in the White House) should be the targets. The pattern is crystal clear in city after city, state after state....it’s a new kind of ballot-box stuffing that has all the appearances of legitimacy on election day....that’s because all the fraud was engineered long before the election.
“WE’LL MOST LIKELY READ ABOUT HIS “SUICIDE” VERY SOON.”
For the slap on the wrist they just got — $500 and probation? The maximum will be $5000 and probation? A group of kids out playing mailbox baseball would get a more harsh sentence.
Something about this tells me that Edwards is in ecstasy over this part of the sentence.
Yes, justice should require something more. But the charges are petty ante. The crime, paying for performance, was not an evil in itself, just illegal. I want to see them nailed on the fraud. Registering illegals, registering dead people, ballot box stuffing etc.
Typical. Are we tired of the corruption at all levels of government, now??? Do we still believe that next November all of the problems in America will magically disappear???
Or, are we ready to re-take control of our government, bounce these corrupt criminals out of office and into jail, and get people elected who actually have read and understand the Constitution!!???
The FBI sleeps while ACORN steals another election.
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