U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick was a primary signer of a letter demanding that ACORN be barred from receiving any funds in the upcoming transportation, housing and urban development spending bill.

Minnick was one of 35 Democrats asking their leadership to add "no money for ACORN" language that has already passed the Senate.

It's just one more smack to an organization that's been taking a beating ever since workers were caught on video explaining how actors posing as a pimp and a prostitute could set up what my grandmother would have called "a house of ill repute" with federal funding.

More recently there were allegations that as much as $5 million was embezzled by the brother of ACORN's former chief executive, but replaced and covered up. ACORN sent out a press release this morning saying "nothing could be further from the truth" than the claim of a $5 million embezzlement. That was really the possible maximum total cost of fixing things after the embezzlement, bringing in lawyers and accountants, changing policies and proceedures, ACORN officials said.

The real amount embezzled was $948,607.50, they said.

OK, the dollar amount is wrong. But it seems like zero dollars embezzled would be a truth further from $5 million than $948,607.50.

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