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In the Fine Print by David Freddoso on National Review Online

In July, before an overarching Wall Street bailout was part of the national vocabulary, President Bush signed a piece of legislation called the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. This bill provided funds to bail out bad borrowers and grants for states to buy foreclosed homes. It also created a permanent “Affordable Housing Trust Fund” — a large slush fund that conservatives complained would be exploited by such left-wing groups as ACORN, which has its own housing corporation, allowing them to fund political activities.

But that law, which also included a belated and vain attempt to save Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, contains a provision which becomes pertinent in light of the ongoing voter-fraud scandal involving ACORN’s submission of apparently fraudulent voter registrations in several states. An amendment to the housing bill, submitted by Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.), contains the following language:

SEC. 2304. LIMITATION ON DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.
(a) IN GENERAL. — None of the funds made available under this title or title IV shall be distributed to —
(1) an organization which has been indicted for a violation under Federal law relating to an election for Federal office; or
(2) an organization which employs applicable individuals.

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