CNN Omits ACORN’s Name From Brief on Voter Fraud Raid in Vegas

On Thursday’s American Morning program on CNN, co-anchor Kiran Chetry failed to mention ACORN’s name during a news brief about the law enforcement raid on the liberal organization’s local headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of an investigation into allegations of voter fraud. Chetry called ACORN a “non-profit group” that was “disputing claims it committed voter registration fraud.” She also referred to the group, which is linked to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, as a “community organization that helps organize voter outreach.” The only indication that the brief was about ACORN was a file video that was displayed for 5 seconds that showed the organization’s name written on a form.

During the 28-second brief, which aired at the bottom-half of the 6 am Eastern hour of the CNN program, Chetry also stated how the raid occurred after authorities in Sin City noticed “some names did not match addresses” with some of the voter registration forms submitted by ACORN. She then continued that “[t]hey [local authorities] also say some of the forms included names of Dallas Cowboys players. The group's regional director claims they were the ones who tipped off election officials about fake or duplicate forms.”

An article by Molly Ball in Thursday’s Las Vegas Review-Journal expanded on the story surrounding ACORN and this raid. “A community activist group under fire for fraudulent voter registration defended itself Wednesday, saying it tried in vain to work with officials to get rogue canvassers prosecuted months before Tuesday's surprise raid on its office by state authorities.... Secretary of State Ross Miller, whose office is spearheading the probe, said it was necessary to collect evidence about serious problems that could prompt felony charges. ‘It's very disappointing to think ACORN would minimize the importance of maintaining integrity in the (election) system,’ he said.” Ball later mentioned Miller’s party affiliation: “The investigation into potential registration fraud should not diminish Nevada voters' confidence that only eligible voters will be able to cast ballots on November 4th," Miller, a Democrat, said.”

Ball’s article also accurately reported on ACORN's liberal background and ties to Obama: “ACORN is a nonpartisan organization, but it has a liberal political agenda and ties to Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. The low-income people it seeks to enfranchise are a group that tends to vote Democratic.” Chetry didn’t mention any of this during her brief.

The full transcript of Kiran Chety’s brief from Thursday’s American Morning:

CHETRY: A non-profit group is disputing claims it committed voter registration fraud. Authorities in Las Vegas raided a community organization that helps organize voter outreach, Tuesday, after noticing some names did not match addresses. They also say some of the forms included names of Dallas Cowboys players. The group's regional director claims they were the ones who tipped off election officials about fake or duplicate forms.