Voter registration fraud is a serious problem that endangers the security of our elections and puts legitimate voters at risk of having their ballots devalued or stolen.

To combat this issue, Congress made such fraud a serious federal crime. It is therefore deeply troubling to read continued reports of alleged voter registration fraud in many of the states that are considered to be "battleground states" and where the margin of victory or loss could be small.

On Friday, the Republican National Committee (RNC) launched a new Web Site, ObamaAcornTree.com. The Web site highlights Barack Obama's connection to ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, a so-called nonpartisan group that is being investigated in widespread voter-registration fraud in states throughout the country.

Obama's ties to the group include training ACORN employees, providing legal representation to the group, receiving their endorsement for his presidential bid, and compensating a known subsidiary. One story being investigated by some reporters is the $800,000.00 donation to ACORN by the Obama campaign. Obama spokespersons have told reporters that the donation was a bookkeeping error.

According to a Pittsburgh reporter, the campaign originally 'misrepresented' the group's work to the FEC.

'U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports.

An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in 'get-out-the-vote' projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary.' (David M. Brown, 'Obama To Amend Report On $800,000 In Spending,' Pittsburgh Tribune Review, 8/22/08)

As Obama once said, "The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree," and in this case, he's exactly right.

Obama's spokespersons also claims he had a limited relationship with ACORN. However, the record shows that "[Obama] says he is drawn to politics, despite its superficialities, as a means to advance his real passion and calling: community organization. ' In 1992 Obama took time off to direct Project Vote, the most successful grass-roots voter-registration campaign in recent city history."

"Credited with helping elect Carol Moseley-Braun to the U.S. Senate, the registration drive, aimed primarily at African-Americans, added an estimated 125,000 voters to the voter rolls--even more than were registered during Harold Washington's mayoral campaigns. 'It's a power thing,' said the brochures and radio commercials. ' Obama continues his organizing work largely through classes for future leaders identified by ACORN and the Centers for New Horizons on the south side.' (Hank De Zutter, Op-Ed, 'What Makes Obama Run?' Chicago Reader, 12/8/95)."

This week alone, ACORN officials admitted to submitting fraudulent voter registration forms in Ohio and press reports confirmed that ACORN submitted hundreds of fraudulent voter registration forms in Kansas City, Mo., forcing local officials to wade through fraudulent voter registrations, potentially disenfranchising legitimate voters.

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