In a case that has riled the state of Nevada, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Secretary of State Ross Miller announced Monday May 4, 2009 that voter registration fraud charges have been filed against an organization that works with low-income people and two of its employees in its Las Vegas office.

The complaint includes 26 counts of voter fraud and 13 counts for compensating those registering voters.

The Association of Community Organization for Reform Now, Inc., also known as ACORN, operated a Las Vegas office that helped register low-income voters last year.

Throughout 2008, ACORN employed canvassers to register people to vote in Nevada, the complaint said. ACORN paid the canvassers between $8 and $9 an hour, but made continued employment compensation based on the canvasser registering 20 voters per shift. Those who failed to sign up 20 voters per shift were terminated, the complaint said.

From July 27 through Oct. 2 ACORN also provided additional compensation under a bonus program called “Blackjack” or “21+” that was based on the total number of voters a person registered. Any canvasser who brought in 21 or more completed voter registration forms per shift would be paid a bonus of $5.

The Blackjack program was created by employee Christopher Edwards, field director for the Las Vegas office. ACORN time sheets indicate that corporate officers of ACORN were aware of the Blackjack bonus program and failed to take immediate action to stop it.

Amy Busefink was ACORN’s deputy regional director, and was also aware of the Blackjack program and aided and abetted the scheme by approving Edwards’ bonus program.

Las Vegas lawyers and Nevada law firms are readily available for adequate defense against charges of fraud of all kinds. Look for Las Vegas lawyers on Justia.com or other online directories.

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