clipped from: www.pittsburghlive.com A former ACORN employee on Friday contended the organization had a quota system requiring canvassers to register 20 to 25 voters a day when she worked for the group during the 2008 election.
Others held for trial yesterday were Eric L. Jones, 20, of East Hills, Alexis Givner, 23, of West Mifflin and Mario Grisom, 28, of North Point Breeze. All face charges of forgery, obstruction and election law violations.
In a news conference held while the hearings were under way, ACORN officials and labor union representatives said the charges were politically motivated and an attempt to stymie the organization's efforts to get low-income and minority residents involved in the political process.
"We helped to get 35,000 people registered to vote," said Hazel Hastings, an ACORN organizer and supervisor during last year's campaign. She labeled the charges of fraud "completely ridiculous."