It seems that conservative media attacks on ACORN are never-ending. In yet another outrageous attempt to tie the Obama Administration to the purported “criminal activities” of the community organizing group, Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller is forwarding claims that an “FBI document dump” related to the agency's 2007 investigation into ACORN workers in Missouri is evidence that ACORN requires a “national criminal investigation” which is being halted by the Obama administration.

The Daily Caller cited handwritten notes made in an FBI investigation of ACORN's employees and claimed that they are evidence of widespread election fraud and ties to the Democratic Party, and forwards conservative claims that only the group's purported ties to Obama that are preventing a criminal investigation:

“These documents show the need for a national criminal investigation by the Obama Justice Department into ACORN,” said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch.

“Is Attorney General [Eric] Holder doing nothing because of Obama's close connections to ACORN and Project Vote? The information in these new documents has national implications that cry out for further investigation,” Fitton said.

President Obama's ties to ACORN go back to the 1980s.

“ACORN noticed him when he was organizing on the far south side of the city with the Developing Communities Project,” according to Toni Foulkes, a former member of ACORN's national board. From 1985 to 1988 Obama ran the Developing Communities Project from an office located in Chicago's Holy Rosary Church.

The Daily Caller implies that all that stands between ACORN and a federal investigation of what they suggest is clearly illegal activity is the Obama administration. However, the very documents they reference prove otherwise. Contained in the newly released documents is the conclusion issued by the FBI in which they recommend “that this matter be closed” and state that “no investigative work remains.” The document is dated July 9, 2008, while the FBI was still operating under President Bush.

So it wasn't the Obama administration that decided to limit the investigation of ACORN's work in Missouri to a few workers who broke the law. It was the Bush administration who did so. The FBI, under the leadership of Bush appointee Louis Freeh, analyzed the evidence and recommended closing the case after the ACORN employees in question had been found guilty. It was the Bush administration's FBI who apparently decided that a “national criminal investigation” was unnecessary.

It is clear that the FBI conducted a thorough investigation of the organization, and yes, found that a few employees broke the law. That's why eight people were prosecuted. But the assertion promoted by The Daily Caller suggesting that the actions of a few workers in one regional ACORN* office are evidence that the organization as a whole broke the law is unsubstantiated. Further, the FBI's conclusion makes the notion that the Obama Administration is not investigating ACORN because of the President's connections just as, if not more far-fetched.

*Text Corrected