Port Charles (fictional city) and Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now: Difference between pages

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Difference between pages)
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
 
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Copyedit|date=October 2008}}
[[Image:pctowncap.png|right|thumb|320px|'''''Port Charles, New York''''' as seen in the ''[[General Hospital: Night Shift]]'' opening. Notable in the [[skyline]] are General Hospital and the Metro Court Hotel.]]
{{redirect6|ACORN|the fruit of the oak tree|Acorn|the social classification|ACORN (demographics)}}
'''Port Charles, New York''' is the fictional setting of the [[ABC Daytime]] [[soap opera]]s ''[[General Hospital]]'' and its now cancelled [[spin-off (media)|spin-off]] ''[[Port Charles]]''. Port Charles is also the setting for [[SOAPnet|SOAPnet's]] primetime GH spin-off, ''[[General Hospital: Night Shift]]''. Port Charles can also be retroactively considered as the setting of [[The Young Marrieds]], a shortlived series which ran between 1964 and 1966.


{{Infobox Organization
==Location==
|name = Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
Port Charles is a fictional small to midsized city located in [[Upstate New York]], most likely on the shores of [[Lake Ontario]] near the city of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]]. In 1993, the producers of "[[General Hospital]]" filmed several exterior locations in and around the [[Rochester, New York]] area - including [[Letchworth State Park]], and the village of [[Perry, New York]]. Aerial photos of Port Charles occasionally shown on the air are actually shots of the skyline of downtown Rochester.
|image =
|image_border =
|size =
|caption =
|map =
|msize =
|mcaption =
|abbreviation = ACORN
|motto =
|formation = 1970
|extinction =
|type = [[Non-governmental organization]]
|status =
|purpose =
|headquarters = [[New Orleans, Lousiana]]
|location =
|region_served =
|membership =
|language =
|leader_title = President
|leader_name = Maude Hurd (1990-present)
|main_organ =
|parent_organization =
|affiliations =
|num_staff =
|num_volunteers =
|budget =
|website = [http://www.acorn.org www.acorn.org]
|remarks =
}}


'''ACORN''', the '''Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now''', is a community-based organization that advocates for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, health care and other social issues. ACORN has over 350,000 members and more than 850 neighborhood chapters in over 100 cities across the [[United States of America|United States]], as well as in [[Argentina]], [[Canada]], [[Mexico]], and [[Peru]]. ACORN was founded in 1970 by [[Wade Rathke]] and Gary Delgado.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sonoma.edu/users/w/wallsd/community-organizing.shtml |last=Walls |first=David |authorlink =David Walls (academic) |title=Power to the People: Thirty-five Years of Community Organizing |work=The Workbook |month=Summer |year=1994}}</ref> Maude Hurd has been National President of ACORN since 1990.
While the fictional city of Port Charles is currently based on Rochester, Rochester does still exist as a separate location (in much the same way that [[New York City]] exists as a separate location from both [[Gotham City]] and [[Metropolis]] in the [[DC Universe]] despite the fact that both cities are obviously based on New York and have adopted some of New York's landmarks as their own). Port Charles' location in relation to Rochester was further clarified during several episodes aired in 1996 when the characters of [[Laura Spencer]] and [[Stefan Cassadine]] travelled to a house in Rochester to find Laura's long presumed dead mother Lesley Webber. The episodes in which this occurred suggested that Port Charles was within a few miles of Rochester, though no actual distance was given.


ACORN's priorities have included: better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, living wages for low-wage workers, more community development investment from banks and governments, and better public schools.<ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144</ref> ACORN pursues these goals through demonstration, negotiation, legislation, and voter participation.<ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144</ref>
==History==
When the series first began, ''General Hospital'' was set in an unnamed city or town somewhere in the [[United States of America]]. Between 1964 and 1966, Queens Point, the setting of the short-lived soap opera, ''[[The Young Marrieds]]'', was considered to be a suburb of the same (then still unnamed) city that General Hospital was set in (this was part of a plan to feature regular crossovers between the two shows which never materialized due to the cancellation of ''The Young Marrieds''). It wasn't until 1977 that the General Hospital's setting was finally established as being in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York.


ACORN is made up of several legally distinct parts including local non-profits, a national lobbying organization and the ACORN Housing Corporation.<ref name="wsj0731"/><ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/clyne200410311142.asp</ref> ACORN says it is non-partisan though it is often aligned with the Democratic Party on policy.<ref name="wsj0731"/> This political alignment and some of the causes it advocates have made ACORN the subject of partisan conflict.<ref name="cbs"/><ref name="wsj0731"/> Some of ACORN's voter registration programs have been investigated for fraud.<ref>Las Vegas News-Review Oct. 8, 2008 http://www.lvrj.com/news/30613864.html</ref> The group is not tax exempt and says it does not accept government funding, though it has in the past.<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title =Grapes of Rathke | work =[[The Wall Street Journal]] | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =November 8, 2006 | url =http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110009214 | accessdate = }}</ref><ref>http://www.washtimes.com/news/2006/jan/03/20060103-093213-4084r/</ref><ref>http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12342</ref>
Onscreen, Port Charles has had somewhat of an eclectic history. A 1993 storyline saw [[Lucky Spencer]] hiding out in catacombs while hiding from Frank Smith. As a result it was revealed that after the city was first settled, an extensive [[catacomb]] system was built beneath the city. The catacombs were again referenced in 1997 when [[Sonny Corinthos]] and [[Brenda Barrett]] were trapped there. In 2003, an episode of General Hospital depicted the recollections of an elderly woman (played by [[Gloria Stewart]], whose mobster husband ran a speakeasy during the prohibition era, thus establishing that the mob has long had ties to the city. Racial discrimination has unfortunately played a part in the history of Port Charles. A 1985 storyline revealed that at some point in the city's history, a large [[ghetto]] area known as the Asian Quarter was built in order to house the city's Asian population, while a 1994 storyline revealed that one of the city's first African-American council members, [[Bradley Ward II]] faced opposition from his white counterparts in the 1970s and was later murdered. This storyline also made references to people being refused housing and bank loans on account of race.


==Issues and actions==
Port Charles suffered a hurricane in 1977, but quickly recovered from both that and the Lassa Fever [[epidemic]] that followed less than two years later, thus beginning a long tradition of disasters that have plagued the city right up to the modern day. During this time, Mob storylines began being incorperated into the show. In 1979, residents became concerned that Port Charles was being taken over by organized crime. Mob leader Frank Smith was arrested in 1980, thanks to the efforts of [[Luke Spencer|Luke]] and [[Laura Spencer]].
=== Predatory lending and affordable housing ===
ACORN has fought against lending practices that it sees as [[predatory lending|predatory]] by targeting the companies that engage in the practice, working for stricter state laws against predatory practices, organizing against financial scams, and steering individuals toward loan counseling.<ref name="ACORN_2003"/> Following a three-year campaign Household International (now owned by [[HSBC|HSBC Holdings]] and renamed [[HSBC Finance|HSBC Finance Corporation]]), one of the largest [[subprime lending|subprime lenders]] in the country, and ACORN announced on November 25, 2003 a proposed settlement of a 2002 national [[class-action lawsuit]] brought by ACORN. The settlement created a $72 million [[Foreclosure Avoidance Program]] to provide relief to Household borrowers who are at risk of losing their homes.<ref name="ACORN_2003">{{cite web |url=http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8500 |title=ACORN Annual Report 2003 |publisher=ACORN |year=2003 |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref> The settlement came on the heels of an earlier $484 million settlement between Household, Attorneys General, and bank regulators from all 50 US states.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atg.wa.gov/householdfinance/facts.shtml |title=Household Finance Settlement |publisher = Washington State Office of the Attorney General |date=[[2003-12-05]] |accessdate=2007-11-12 |archivedate=2007-09-27 |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20060927065346/http://www.atg.wa.gov/householdfinance/facts.shtml}}</ref>


ACORN and its affiliates advocate for affordable housing by urging the development, rehabilitation and establishment of housing trust funds at the local, state, and federal levels.<ref>ACORN affordable housing statement http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44</ref> The group also pushes for enforcement of affordable-housing requirements for developers and promotes programs to help homeowners repair their homes and organize tenant demands.<ref>ACORN affordable housing statement http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44</ref>
In 1981, Luke and Laura saved the city from being frozen over by [[Mikkos Cassadine|Mikkos Cassadine's]] weather machine. Luke and Laura were hailed as heroes and their wedding was the social event of the year. [[Robert Scorpio]] was quickly appointed as police commissioner. Luke ran and won for [[mayor]], but resigned less then two months later after growing tired of the office.


=== Living wages ===
In 1985, Robert, along with [[Frisco Jones and Felicia Cummings|Frisco Jones]], [[Frisco Jones and Felicia Cummings|Felicia Cummings]], [[Sean Donely]] helped bust an [[extortion]] ring that was operating within the city's Asian Quarter. Soon afterwards, Robert left town, and his ex-wife [[Anna Devane]] was appointed as the new police commissioner in his place. In a storyline twist, the seemingly honest Police chief Bert Ramsey was apparently so embittered at being passed over for promotion in favour of Anna that he became a dirty cop and began operating a money laundering scam known as Operation Tumble Dry. Thanks to the efforts of Anna and a newly returned Robert, the money laundering scam was busted.
[[Living wage]] ordinances require private businesses that do business with the government to pay their workers a wage that enables them to afford basic necessities. ACORN has helped pass local living wage laws in fifteen cities including [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]], [[Oakland, California|Oakland]], [[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], and [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite journal
| author = David Swanson
| date = February 21, 2005
| title = Federal Minimum Wage 44% Below 1968 Level: Fighting for a Living Wage, State by State
| journal = Counterpunch
| url = http://www.counterpunch.org/swanson02212005.html
| accessdate = 2008-07-14
}}</ref> ACORN maintains a website that provides strategic and logistical assistance to organizations nationwide.


ACORN filed a lawsuit in [[California]] seeking to exempt itself from the state's [[minimum wage]] of $4.25 per hour in 1995. ACORN alleged in its complaint that minimum wage laws "were unconstitutional as applied to it, because they restricted its ability to engage in political advocacy by forcing it to hire fewer workers, and that its workers, if paid the minimum wage, would be less empathetic with its low- and moderate-income constituency and would therefore be less effective advocates." The court denied ACORN's petition; the denial was sustained on appeal.<ref>Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now v. Department of Industrial Relations, 41 Cal. App. 4th 298, 301 (Cal. Ct. App. 1995).</ref>
Soon, another crime family, the Jeromes, began to infiltrate the city of Port Charles but by the early 1990's, the influence of the Jeromes had somewhat faded due to the efforts of Robert and Anna. In 1992, Anna and Robert were presumed dead in an explosion. Luke and Laura returned to town, and the Smith Mob began to regroup and once again terrorized the citizens of Port Charles. However, Frank Smith was killed and a much more benevolent crime boss in the form of [[Sonny Corinthos]] took over [[organized crime]] in the city.


=== Katrina relief ===
Environmental issues also became a concern as some of the residents of Port Charles formed the Greenbelts organization and protested against the arrival of the S.S Tracy, a ship carrying toxic materials that later sank in the Port Charles Habor, nearly causing an environmental catastrophe. In 1994, [[Justus Ward]] and [[Laura Spencer]] led protests against a planned incinerator and was successful in stopping the project despite threats to Laura's life and that of her family.
ACORN members across the country, particularly in the [[Gulf Coast|Gulf]] region, have organized fundraising and organizing drives to ensure that victims of [[Hurricane Katrina]] will receive assistance and will be able to return to affected areas. ACORN's Home Cleanout Demonstration Program has gutted and rebuilt over 1,850 homes with the help of volunteers. The ACORN Katrina Survivors Association formed in the aftermath of the storm is the first nationwide organization for Katrina survivors and has been working for equitable treatment for victims. Displaced citizens were bussed into the city for the [[New Orleans]] primary and general elections. ACORN Housing Services have helped more than 2,000 homeowners affected by the storm and is an official planner working with the city on reconstruction.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=9703 |title=Two years after Katrina, still fighting and winning |year=2005 |publisher=ACORN |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref>{{Verify credibility|date=July 2008}}


=== Education ===
In 1996, the Cassadine family returned to Port Charles as the main nemesis of the Spencers for a second time. Soon, Port Charles was on the brink of financial disaster when the city's biggest employer, the local hospital, went bankrupt. The hospital (and indirectly the town) was saved from considerable financial ruin at the last minute by a considerable financial investment from [[Stefan Cassadine]], son of Mikkos. Luke claimed that Stefan only wished to continue the nefarious deeds carried out by his father and had in fact been behind the hospital's bankruptcy so he could perform a swift takeover in order to establish himself as a pillar of the community, though not many people believed Luke at the time. Stefan died in disgrace years later.
ACORN pushes [[education reform]] usually in the form of organizing neighborhood groups and "community" or "ACORN schools". In Chicago, ACORN has advocated for a certified teacher to be in every classroom. In [[California]] ACORN has documented the need for textbooks and school repairs. ACORN works with teachers unions to get money for school construction and more funding for schools.<ref name="ACORN_school_overview">{{cite web |url=http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=2660 |title=School Overview |publisher=ACORN |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref> ACORN also supports school reform and the "creation of alternative public schools" such as [[charter school]]s.<ref name="ACORN_school_overview"/><ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735</ref> ACORN opposed the privatization of some NYC schools, favoring its own Charter School plan.<ref>http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/03/14/26edison.h20.html</ref> The ACORN model for schools emphasizes small classes, parent involvement, qualified teachers and "community oriented curricula".<ref><http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735></ref>


===Gun control===
In the 21st century, Port Charles would be hit by a number of disasters, including the Port Charles Hotel completely gutted by fire, another hurricane hitting the city, a two-way train wreck, a hospital quarantine after a mutant strain of [[encephalitis]] spread through the town, Metro Court Hotel being taken hostage, and [[Anthony Zacchara]] terrorizing residents at [[Nikolas Cassadine|Nikolas Cassadine's]] Black and White Ball.
In 2006, ACORN intervened on behalf of [[Jersey City]], [[New Jersey]] in a lawsuit brought against the city, which challenged a local ordinance that limited handgun purchasers to one gun a month.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1166448999875 |title=N.J. Judge Voids City's Gun Control Law |first=Charles |last=Toutant |publisher=New Jersey Law Journal |date=[[2006-12-20]] |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref> The [[Hudson County]] Superior Court struck down the ordinance on the grounds that it violated the New Jersey Constitution's Equal Protection clause, and a state statute prohibiting towns and municipalities from enacting firearms legislation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1166448999875 |title=N.J. Judge Voids City's Gun Control Law |first=Charles |last=Toutant |publisher=New Jersey Law Journal |date=[[2006-12-20]] |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref>


On September 29, 2008, the [[New Jersey]] Appellate Court denied ACORN's appeal of the [[Hudson County]] Superior Court's decision striking down Jersey City's ordinance.<ref>http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/a4443-06a4708-06.pdf</ref>
== Places of interest ==
=== General Hospital ===
[[Image:generalhospital screencapture.png|left|thumb|208px|An exterior view of GH, as shown on [[General Hospital: Night Shift]], 2007.]]
General Hospital is a major employer in the city.


==History==
[[Sonny Corinthos]] built the Stone Cates Memorial AIDS Wing in honor of his friend Stone Cates, who died of [[HIV]].
<!-- The info in this History section are well sourced in the Delgado book -->


=== 1970-1975: Founding ===
The residents of Port Charles frequent the hospital's West Wing. (Characters on ''[[Port Charles]]'' were patients in the East Wing.)
ACORN was founded by [[Wade Rathke]] when he was sent to [[Little Rock, Arkansas]] by the [[National Welfare Rights Organization]] (NWRO) in 1970 as an organizer.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Sol|last=Stern|journal=City Journal|title=ACORN’s Nutty Regime for Cities|url=http://www.city-journal.org/html/13_2_acorns_nutty_regime.html|date=Spring 2003|accessdate=2007-01-24}}</ref> Gary Delgado and George A. Wiley were also instrumental to its founding. ACORN's first campaign was aimed at helping welfare recipients attain their basic needs, such as [[clothing]] and [[furniture]]. This drive, inspired by a clause in the [[Arkansas]] [[Welfare (financial aid)|welfare]] laws, began the effort to create and sustain a movement that would grow to become the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now, the beginnings of ACORN.<ref name=Delgado>{{cite book|last=Delgado|first=Gary|title=Organizing the Movement: The Roots and Growth of ACORN|publisher=Temple University Press|date=1986|isbn=0-87722-393-9|oclc=12134922 59256995}}</ref>


ACORN's goal was to unite welfare recipients with [[working poor|needy working people]] around issues of free school lunches, [[unemployment]] issues, [[Vietnam veteran|Vietnam veterans']] rights, and [[emergency room]] care. The broad range of issues did not stop there as the organization grew throughout Arkansas. ACORN organized [[Agriculture|farmers]] to take on [[Environmentalism|environmental]] issues concerning [[sulfur]] emissions.
=== Port Charles Park ===


=== 1975-1980: Growth beyond Arkansas ===
[[Image:generalhospital pc park.png|right|thumb|208px|Elizabeth, ([[Rebecca Herbst]], Cameron (Braden Walkes), and Lulu ([[Julie Marie Berman]]) at the Port Charles park, 2007.]]
In 1975, ACORN created branches in [[Texas]] and [[South Dakota]]. On December 13, 1975, sixty leaders from the three ACORN states elected the first associate Executive Board and the first ACORN president, Steve McDonald, to deal with matters beyond the scope of the individual city and state boards. Each year thereafter saw three or more states join ACORN, building to a total of twenty states by 1980. This expansion led to multi-state campaigns beginning with a mass meeting of 1,000 members in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]] in 1978. At the end of the conference, ACORN convention delegates marched on the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] conference with the outline of a nine-point "People’s Platform" which would go on to become the foundation of ACORN's platform when it was ratified in 1979.
The Port Charles park is a popular hangout spot, though can be dangerous at times. [[Elizabeth Webber]] was raped here, while [[Michael Corinthos|Michael]] and [[Morgan Corinthos]] were kidnapped by [[Faith Rosco]], [[Jake Spencer]] was kidnapped by [[Maureen Harper]], and [[Georgie Jones]] was strangled by the Text Message Killer.


ACORN was active in the [[U.S. presidential election, 1980|1980 Election]] with the "People's Platform" serving as its standard.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.umsl.edu/~whmc/guides/whm0040.htm |title=WESTERN HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION |publisher=UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS |month=June |year=1980 |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref> It led [[Demonstration (people)|demonstrations]] aimed at both major party candidates; demanded to meet with [[Jimmy Carter|President Jimmy Carter]]; marched on the president's campaign finance committee chair's home; and presented its platform to the [[United States Republican Party|Republican Party]] platform committee.
===The Docks/Waterfront/Pier===
As its name suggests, Port Charles is a major [[port]]. The [[Waterfront]] district has been under the control of [[Sonny Corinthos]] for over a decade, though rival gangs have tried to move in on his territory, such as Lorenzo Alcazar, the Ruiz brothers, and others. Kelly's Diner, a local eatery, is located in this area and the Elm Street Pier is also located here. Majority of the Port Charles waterfront is owned by the Pride-Philips Company, which was given to [[Courtney Matthews]] as a thank you from a woman whose life she saved. Courtney later sold Pride-Philips to [[Lorenzo Alcazar]].
On [[March 17]], [[2008]], one of the warehouses on the docks, an abandoned cannery, exploded. Sonny met with Claudia Zacchara to return Johnny to her. She arrived, and got on the phone with an ally to try and peace with them and Sonny. Meanwhile, Trevor Lansing and sniper stood on a loft in the warehouse, poised to shoot Claudia. [[Ric Lansing]] and Marianna Erosa were in another part of it, trying to cover the dead body of Randy. Carly finally finds Michael, where he confesses to shooting Kate. They began to leave and go home. Meanwhile, a bomb is sloly ticking away. Right as the sniper pulls his trigger, the bomb goes of, and an explosion rips through the building. Everyone survies the event, but Carly miscarries her baby.
The docks are currently the site of a fake drug ring headed up by [[Jerry Jacks]]. The ring produces [[placebos]] that have claimed at least one life; a female heart patient. [[Matt Hunter]] is a prime suspect, but the extent of his involvment is not yet known. Andrei Karpov currently has a cargo ship, the Odyssey, docked in the harbor.


===Jake's===
=== 1980-1988: Reagan era ===
By 1980, ACORN’S staff was stretched thin by the demands of meeting its expansion goals. Much of its resources and energy had been dedicated to the presidential primaries and national party conventions. ACORN launched [[squatting]] campaigns in an attempt to obtain affordable housing, and encouraged [[squatter]]s to refit the premises for comfortable living.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Starjakespromo.png|left|thumb|208px|Carly (then [[Tamara Braun]]) and Steven ([[Shaun Benson]]) at ''Jake's'', 2004.]] -->
Popular bar owned and operated by [[Coleman (GH)|Coleman]]. [[Jason Morgan]] and [[Carly Corinthos]] also first met here over a game of pool. [[Robin Scorpio]], [[Emily Quartermaine]], [[Elizabeth Webber]], [[Kelly Lee]], and [[Lainey Winters]] chose Jake's as the destination for their Girls' Night Out, where they each shared their fantasies about co-worker, [[Patrick Drake]]. A Boys' Night Out also took place soon after, with [[Max Giambetti]], [[Ric Lansing]], [[Patrick Drake]], [[Lucky Spencer]], and [[Nikolas Cassadine]], where they each shared fantasies about Carly Corinthos. While unconcious after the cannery explosion, Carly hallucinated that she was there playing pool with Jason, the same way that they first met.


In June 1982 ACORN sponsored "[[Ronald Reagan|Reagan]] Ranches" in over 35 cities believing the president's focus to be on military as opposed to social spending. These [[tent city|tent cities]] were erected for two days and were met with resistance from the [[National Park Service]], which tried repeatedly to evict the tenters. The protesters remained and then marched on the [[White House]] and testified before a [[United States Congress|Congressional committee]] about what they described as the housing crisis in America. The last Reagan Ranch was held at the Republican Convention in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]] in 1984.
===Kelly's Diner===
[[Waterfront]] [[diner]] and [[boarding house]] originally owned and operated by [[Rose Kelly (General Hospital)|Rose Kelly]], whose late husband Paddy, had been killed by the Mob.


In addition to protesting, ACORN also developed and strengthened its [[political action committee]]s and encouraged its members to run for office. For the [[U.S. presidential election, 1984|1984 Election]] ACORN wanted to endorse a candidate, setting a 75% support in polls among members as its requirement. No candidate reached that level, though there was strong support for [[Jesse Jackson]]. ACORN also established a legislative office that year in [[Washington, DC]]. During this period ACORN also focused on local election reform in a number of cities, including [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]], [[Columbia, South Carolina]], and [[Sioux Falls, South Dakota]], encouraging the change of at-large legislative bodies to district representation.
Almost everyone in town has been to Kelly’s at least once over the years. The diner itself has been a popular gathering place of many of Port Charles’ citizens. Many newcomers to the city have found their way to Kelly’s, where they have rented the rooms above. [[Edward Quartermaine]] worked here briefly.


ACORN grew to twenty-seven states, adding chapters in [[New York City]], Washington, DC, and [[Chicago, Illinois]] by the end of Reagan's first term.<ref name=Delgado />
[[Ruby Anderson]] stepped in as owner when Rose decided to leave town to work with her stepson Joe in 1984, offering homespun advice—and the best damned chowder and chili in New York State. She was a staple of the diner until her death in 1999.


During the [[U.S. presidential election, 1988|1988 Election]] ACORN held its National Convention in the same city as the Democratic Convention &mdash; [[Atlanta, Georgia]]. During the preceding four years ACORN had strengthened its ties with [[Jesse Jackson]] and accounted for thirty Jackson delegates. It also sponsored a march at the convention.
The establishment was left to [[Luke Spencer|Luke]] and [[Bobbie Spencer]], formerly managed by [[Tammy Hansen]]. In [[February 2004]], Bobbie asked [[Mike Corbin]] to run the diner. Being a family-owned business, [[Lucky Spencer]], [[Nikolas Cassadine]], [[Emily Quartermaine]], and [[Elizabeth Webber]] occasionally had private “Kelly’s-closed dinners” which consisted of traditional potluck dinners.


ACORN's membership grew to 70,000 plus in twenty-eight states during this time. It increased its legislative lobbying efforts in Washington and strengthened its [[Politcal Action Committee]]s (PACs). It also developed what it called the [[Affiliated Media Foundation Movement]] (AM/FM). Starting with station [[KNON]] in Dallas, AM/FM moved on to establish radio stations, [[UHF]] television and [[cable television]] programming. It also sought and received appointments to the [[Resolution Trust Corporation]] (RTC) which was formed to dissolve the assets of failed [[Savings and loan|Savings and Loans]] resulting from the [[Savings and Loan crisis]].
Characters on the now canceled [[Port Charles]] also frequented Kelly's from time to time.


===1988-1998: Focus on housing===
Residents have included [[Holly Sutton]], [[Jimmy Lee Holt]], [[Celia Quartermaine]], [[Felicia Cummings|Felicia Jones]], [[Edward Quartermaine|Edward]] and [[Lila Quartermaine]], Colton Shore, Charlie Prince, Lily Rivera, [[Brenda Barrett]], [[Miguel Morez]], [[Juan Santiago]], [[Courtney Matthews]], [[Emily Quartermaine]], [[Keesha Ward]], [[Ric Lansing]], [[Lucky Spencer]], [[Diego Alcazar]], Brian Beck, Heather Webber, [[Javier Ruiz]], [[Elizabeth Webber]], [[Lucky Spencer]], [[Maxie Jones]], [[Dillon Quartermaine]], [[Georgie Jones]], [[Coop Barrett]], and [[Tammy Hansen]].
[[Image:Acorn pred lend.jpg|thumbnail|ACORN member demonstrating against predatory lending]]
While some of ACORN’s most notable efforts were in the area of housing, it has counted health, public safety, education, representation, work and workers’ rights and communications concerns among its victories.


The 1990 ACORN convention in Chicago focused on the fast-breaking housing campaign. It featured a squatting demonstration at an RTC house. Later, ACORN members demanded cooperation from banks about providing loan data on low- and moderate-income communities and compliance with the 1977 [[Community Reinvestment Act]] (CRA).
===Elm Street Pier===
[[Image:Mgdpierabc.png|left|thumb|208px|Maxie ([[Kirsten Storms]]), Georgie ([[Lindze Letherman]]), and Dillon ([[Scott Clifton]]) on the ''Elm Street Pier'', July 2005.]]Elm Street is a poorer district within the city and is located near the Waterfront. It is notable for being the place where one of the city's most famous and flamboyant residents, [[Luke Spencer]] grew up. Luke's sister, Bobbie, owns a restored [[Brownstone]] here, which became the residence of several Port Charles Residents. [[Alan Quartermaine]] and [[Mike Corbin]] used this district of Port Charles to meet up with prostitutes while fighting addictions. [[Maxie Jones]] was almost raped here buying [[hydrocodone]] for [[Lucky Spencer]]. [[Robert Scorpio]] was beaten up by [[Lorenzo Alcazar|Lorenzo Alcazar's]] enforcers for not revealing the location of [[Skye Quartermaine]], who was pregnant with his child at the time.
This is also where launch for Spoon Island is located.
Many high level Port Charles citizens meet on the Elm St. Pier daily.


ACORN fought weakening of the CRA in 1991, staging a two-day takeover of the [[House Banking Committee]] hearing room. It also established ACORN Housing Corporation to service people moving into homes under the housing campaign, rehabilitated hundreds of houses addressed by CRA.
===Wyndemere Castle/Spoon Island===
[[Image:Gh wyndemere screencapture.png|right|thumb|208px|''Wyndemere Castle'' as seen from the outside, 2007.]][[Cassadine]] family home. This island is a popular place for family outings. It is also home to a grand old [[mansion]] called Wyndemere, where many noteworthy residents have resided, including [[Ned Ashton]], Cesar Faison, and most currently the Cassadines. Unfortunately, Wyndemere may not be all that safe; it contains many secret passages and underground tunnels, making it an easy target for intruders - [[Luke Spencer]], in particular. This location is above several cliffs. [[Helena Cassadine]] pushed [[Katherine Bell]] off the parapet, causing her death. Darius, a man hired by Stefan Cassadine pushed [[Summer Halloway|Summer Holloway]] to her death who Darius had mistaken for Emily Quartermaine. Luke Spencer pushed [[Stefan Cassadine]] to his death as well. In 2007, madman [[Anthony Zacchara]] crashed a masquerade ball being held at Wyndemere and stalked the guests, in the process injuring [[Ric Lansing]] with a sword and killing a servant with an ice pick. To make matters even worse, a storm has stranded the guests on the island and caused a power failure. During the night of terror, [[Emily Quartermaine]] was strangled. Wyndemere is considered a castle by many, but Nikolas is quick to defend that is a 'mansion'.


The ACORN convention in New York in 1992, called the "ACORN-Bank Summit", was organized to make deals with giant banks. When [[Citibank]], the nation’s largest bank, did not participate conventioneers protested at its downtown [[Manhattan]] headquarters, and won a meeting to negotiate for similar programs.
===Quartermaine Mansion===
The home of the wealthy [[Quartermaine]] family, it features living quarters for several members of the extended family, as well as staff such as [[Alice]] the maid. Some scenes have taken place in the Quartermaine [[boathouse]], and there is also a garage with luxury vehicles such as a [[Bentley]]. Sage Alcazar froze to death in the kitchen's freezer in 2004, and Tracy Quartermaine was tied up in the pantry by Alice in 2005. The address is 66 Harborview Road.<ref>Episode on May 12, 2008</ref>


ACORN supported and lobbied for the [[National Voter Registration Act of 1993|"Motor Voter" Act]]. After its passage, ACORN members attended [[Bill Clinton|President Clinton’s]] signing ceremony. ACORN then pursued new registration laws in Arkansas and [[Massachusetts]] and filed suit in [[Illinois]], [[Louisiana]], [[Michigan]], [[Missouri]], [[New Jersey]], and [[Pennsylvania]] as a result of the act.
===The Emily Bowen Quartermaine Clinic===
After [[Emily Quartermaine]]'s death, fiancee [[Nikolas Cassadine]] carried on Emily's passion for helping the needy by opening a free clinic in her name. He had it established in it in the warehouse district in a formerly condemed building. Early on, it encountered issues when Mayor Floyd tried to have it shut down. Then came Matt Hunter. With him he brought a counterfeit drug scandal. He bought fake meds from Logan Hayes' employer, switched them with the real ones, and re-sold the true drugs. Nadine is now trying to get him to confess. On [[September 15]], [[2008]], [[Jerry Jacks]] set fire to the place in order to cover the illegal drugs. Matt, Nikolas, and Nadine were all trapped, but escaped safely. Employees include owner [[Nikolas Cassadine]], [[Nadine Crowell]], [[Leyla Mir]], and [[Matt Hunter]]. It is on Venice Street, in the warehouse district. On [[September 15]], Jerry Jacks detonated a set of explosives that went off, causing a raging fire. Nadine and Matt were hospitalized, and Nikolas received minor injuries. It is currently being rebuilt.


In 1993, ACORN also began a national campaign to fight [[insurance]] [[redlining]], a practice that put the gains made in other housing campaigns at risk. The campaign targeted [[Allstate]], hitting sales offices in fourteen cities and a stockholders meeting. Allstate agreed to negotiate and signed an agreement in 1994 for a $10 million partnership with ACORN and [[NationsBank]] for below-market mortgages to low-income homebuyers. [[Travelers Insurance]] agreed to a Neighborhood and Home Safety Program, linking access to insurance and lower rates to public safety programs.
===Shadybrooke Sanitarium===
Shadybrooke is a psychiatric facility located in a small country area in Port Charles. It has been home to many patients, including [[Carly Corinthos]], [[Tracy Quartermaine]], [[Laura Spencer]], and [[Lulu Spencer]]. [[Lainey Winters]] has an office in the building, and it has become the permanent home to Laura Spencer after her [[2002]] breakdown, followed by a slip into [[catatonia]]. In 2005, Carly stood on the building's ledge, threating to jump after hearing [[Sonny Corinthos]] tell [[Jason Morgan]] that her life is over. She came down, and eventually recovered from the breakdown. Laura and Lulu's were both caused by haunting murders: Lulu stabbed [[Logan Hayes]], and Laura thought that she killed [[Rick Webber]] after hitting him with a candlestick. Lulu is currently staying there.


In 1994, the group improperly used a $1.1 million grant from AmeriCorps for political purposes and the grant was terminated.<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | coauthors = | title =Grapes of Rathke | work =[[The Wall Street Journal]] | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =November 8, 2006 | url =http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110009214 | accessdate = }}</ref><ref>http://www.washtimes.com/news/2006/jan/03/20060103-093213-4084r/</ref>. Acorn says it does not now accept direct government funding and is not tax exempt.<ref>http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12342</ref>
===Lookout Point/Vista Point===
The Point, as it's often reffered to, is a high vantage point that sits steeply in the woods of Port Charles. It's been the spot of many outings and events in the past. This is where [[Maxie Jones]] and [[Damian Spinelli]] often go to think. In May of 2002, an upset and foggy minded [[Carly Corinthos]] drove her car off of one the steep cliffs, causing it plunged into the lake. In early 2003, Carly pushed [[Courtney Matthews]]' car off of the same cliff in order to cover up her involvment in [[Elizabeth Webber]]'s hit-and-run. In August 2007, [[Logan Hayes]] took [[Lulu Spencer]] on a picnic date here. In winter 2007, [[Lorenzo Alcazar]] kidnapped Lulu, and ordered her exchange to take place at The Point.


===The Haunted Star===
===1998-2004: Building capacity===
ACORN's subsequent activities have included its "Living Wage" programs, voter registration, and [[Grassroots democracy|grassroots political organization]].
[[Image:Hspromoabc.png|left|thumb|208px|Sonny ([[Maurice Benard]]), Carly ([[Laura Wright]]), and Jax ([[Ingo Rademacher]]) at ''The Haunted Star'', 2006.]]
This ship was a wedding gift to [[Luke and Laura Spencer]]. Luke sold it in early 1983 but reaquired it in [[December 2003]]. Today, Luke's name remains on the deed, and it now serves as a casino. In 2006, Luke hired [[Diego Alcazar]] to pretend to rob the Haunted Star, so he could take the money from his wife and co-owner, [[Tracy Quartermaine]]. A previous heist occurred, in 2003 (during the Grand Opening), by [[Lorenzo Alcazar]]. Luke's previous partners in the casino also include, [[Faith Rosco]] and [[Skye Quartermaine]]. [[Dillon Quartermaine]] briefly lived on the ship. The ship originally belonged to the aristocratic [[Cassadine]] family. Luke later took possession after he defeated [[Mikkos Cassadine]] and his plot to freeze the world with a weather machine. His most recent investors were the Zaccharas. Johnny only invested to get close to [[Lulu Spencer]].


In 1998 ACORN helped form the [[Working Families Party]] in [[New York]] which counts increasing the minimum wage as its centerpiece issue.
===Metro Court Hotel===
[[Image:Ghmchcpromo.png|right|thumb|208px|The Metro Court hostage crisis, 2007.]]


Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN's founder Wade Rathke, was found to have [[embezzlement|embezzled]] $948,607.50 from the group and affiliated charitable organizations in 1999 and 2000. ACORN executives did not inform the board or law enforcement, but signed an enforceable restitution agreement with the Rathke family to repay the amount of the embezzlement. Wade Rathke stated to the [[New York Times]] that "the decision to keep the matter secret was not made to protect his brother but because word of the embezzlement would have put a “weapon” into the hands of [...] conservatives who object to [ACORN]'s often strident advocacy on behalf of low- and moderate-income families and workers." A [[whistleblower]] revealed the fraud in 2008, leading to the departure of both Dale and Wade Rathke.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/us/09embezzle.html?ex=1373342400&en=d2ad71953fd2c157&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink |title=Funds Misappropriated at 2 Nonprofit Groups |publisher=The New York Times |date=[[2008-08-09]] |first=Stephanie |last=Strom |accessdate=2008-08-09}}</ref>
It was built by [[billionaire]] [[Jasper Jacks]] on the site where the Port Charles Hotel once occupied until it was destroyed in a [[February 2004]] fire caused by [[Edward Quartermaine]] and is now the town's most popular hotel. The Hotel was named after [[Courtney Matthews]], who was engaged to Jax at the time. The Metro Court is home to many businesses and people, including Crimson, [[Kate Howard|Kate Howard's]] fashion company and magazine with [[Jasper Jacks]].
In 2006, Manny Ruiz attempted to shoot [[Jason Morgan]]. Manny shot at him while on the terrace with [[Samantha McCall]], who ended up being hit.


A March 27, 2003 decision of the [[National Labor Relations Board]] found that ACORN attempted to thwart [[Labor union|union organizing]] efforts within its own organization by laying off two workers who were attempting to organize.<ref name=nlrb>{{cite web| title = Decisions of the NLRB, 338-129| publisher = National Labor Relations Board| date = [[2003-03-27]]| url = http://www.nlrb.gov/shared_files/Board%20Decisions/338/338-129.pdf| format = pdf| accessdate = 2006-10-12 }}</ref> The two workers, both field organizers with ACORN, began discussions with the [[Service Employees International Union]] and later sought to organize under [[Industrial Workers of the World]] in response to their $16,000 annual salary for a 54-hour work week.{{Fact|date=July 2008}} The NLRB ordered the two employees be reinstated in their former jobs and ACORN cease from interrogating employees about organizing activity.<ref name=nlrb />. ACORN has since strengthened its ties with the Service Employees International Union, which donates over two million dollars to ACORN each year,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116113323291895978-search.html?KEYWORDS=ACORN+%2B+union&COLLECTION=wsjie/6month |title=The Wal-Mart Posse |publisher=[[Wall Street Journal]] |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref> often working collaboratively on issues (including health insurance costs and the minimum wage) and sharing office space.
Its lobby was recently the site of an explosion where it sustained extensive damage during the final minutes of a twelve hour hostage crisis. Employees and residents were held in the lobby by [[Jerry Jacks]], (then known as James Craig) who was after the contents of a briefcase locked in the hotel vault. This siege lasted. [[Robin Scorpio]] was shot in her stomach within the first hour. She was operated on by [[Emily Quartermaine]] and [[Carly Corinthos]]. [[Max Giambetti]] was shot in the shoulder. [[Mateo Ruiz|Father Mateo Ruiz]] was shot for killing one of the mercenaries.The crisis culminated when explosives were detonated in the lobby as the police stormed in. In the aftermath, the Hotel continued to be a major set, as the search for survivors continued, and a gun battle as [[Jason Morgan]] pursued Craig through the rubble. It was rebuilt quickly, with more security.


In 2004, Florida ACORN helped to raise Florida's minimum wage by $1.00 an hour by lobbying for a minimum wage amendment to be placed on the ballot. Over 1 million Florida employees were affected by the raise, which is adjusted annually for [[inflation]].
In July 2008, [[Logan Hayes]] attacked [[Maxie Jones]] in [[Kate Howard]]'s office, pushing her to the floor. As he went to kill her, he caught [[Lulu Spencer]] looking through the window of her office from Johnny's balcony on the other section of the Metro Court. He ran up to the penthouse, and broke down the door with a fire axe. He tried to talk Lulu into getting back together, and when she refused, Logan tried to ripe her. She grabbed an butcher knife from the kitchenette and plundged it onto his stomach. Logan died, and Johnny took the fall for her. Claudia and Johnny dumped his body at Nikolas' clinic.
esidents include [[Jerry Jacks]], [[Diane Miller]], Andre Karpov, and Sasha Donev. It has several sister hotels, including one named the Belle Mason. It also has sister hotels in [[Paris]], other parts of [[Europe]] and [[Montreal]], including one in [[Hawaii]]. It is a rival hotel to the Cosmopolitan. The address (when the Port Charles Hotel stood there) was 1420 Courts Lane.


2004 saw ACORN become an international organization, opening offices in [[Canada]], [[Peru]], and beginning work in [[Dominican Republic]]. Since then offices have opened in [[Mexico]] and [[Argentina]].
===The Courthouse===
The Port Charles City/County Courthouse is located in the heart of downtown, apparently very close to the PCPD. It consists of courtrooms and offices, which house officials such as [[Alexis Davis]] and [[Scott Baldwin]], the District Attorney and Special Prosecutor. [[Jason Morgan]] and [[Amelia Joffe]] came under fire outside of the building in 2007, and it has been the sight of many life changing court battles.


=== ACORN employees and voter registration fraud ===
===The PCPD===
One of the best known establishments in Port Charles in the Port Charles Police Department. It has handled several crimes in the city, but not always well. It has several officers that are informants to the mob, most notabely the late [[Logan Hayes]] and [[Cooper Barrett]]. Current employees include commissioner [[Mac Scorpio]], and officers [[Lucky Spencer]], [[Cruz Rodriguez]], and Detective Harper. [[Scott Baldwin]] has an office here. In July 2008, it was the sight of a hostage sistuation. [[Lulu Spencer]] smuggled in a gun of [[Edward Quartermaine]]'s to [[Johnny Zacchara]]. He took the fall for Lulu's killing of [[Logan Hayes]]. He took the gun, and pretended to take hostage. They ran outside, and took Mayor Floyd's car. They dumped it in the warehouse district, and fled to [[New York City]]. They were eventually caught back in Port Charles, and Johnny was taken back into custody.


In some locations, ACORN employees have submitted [[Election fraud|false voter registration forms]] rather than obtaining registrations from actual eligible voters.
===Pentonville Penitentiary===
This is considered the "state" jail where convicted felons go. The real [[Pentonville Prison]] has had few references, the most recent being the summer of 2007. [[Jason Morgan]] was on trial for the murder of [[Lorenzo Alcazar]]. Former inmates have included Diego Alcazar, for the drugging and rape of women in Port Charles, and [[Nikolas Cassadine]], for the murder of [[Helena Cassadine]], his insane grandmother. She turned up alive, and Nikolas was released. [[Scott Baldwin]] is currently petitioning the judge to have [[Johnny Zacchara]] sent there for [[Logan Hayes]]' murder.


* In [[Ohio]] in 2004, four ACORN employees were indicted by a federal grand jury for submitting false voter registration forms.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Acorn Indictments: A union-backed outfit faces charges of election fraud| publisher = The Wall Street Journal | date = [[2006-11-03]]| url = http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009189}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = New Registration Rules Stir Voter Debate in Ohio | publisher = The New York Times | date = [[2006-08-06]]| url = http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/06/us/06ohio.html}}</ref>
=== Sonny's Coffee Shop ===
*In January 2005 two [[Colorado]] ACORN workers were sentenced to [[community service]] for submitting false voter registrations.<ref>"Briefing," Rocky Mountain News, 1/4/05, cited at http://discoverthenetwork.org/Articles/acornbackgro.html</ref> ACORN's regional director said, "we find it abhorrent and do everything we can to prevent it from happening."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/10/28/absentee_ballots_may_be_missing/ |title=2 accused of fraud in voter registration |date=[[2004-10-28]] |publisher=Boston Globe |accessdate=2008-07-14}}</ref>
[[Image:Ll3coffeehousepromo.png|left|thumb|208px|Lulu ([[Julie Marie Berman]]) and Logan ([[Josh Duhon]]) at Sonny's coffeehouse, 2007.]]
* On November 1, 2006, four part-time ACORN employees were indicted in [[Kansas City, Missouri]] for voter registration fraud. Prosecutors said the indictments are part of a national investigation.<ref name="kcindictments">{{cite news | title = ACORN Workers Indicted For Alleged Voter Fraud| publisher = KMBC-TV| date = [[2006-11-01]]| url = http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/politics/10214492/detail.html| accessdate = 2006-11-02 }}</ref> ACORN said in a press release that it is in part responsible in these individuals being caught, has fired them, and has cooperated and publicly supported efforts to look into the validity of the allegations.<ref> {{cite web |url=http://www.pubdef.net/2006/11/4-acorn-workers-indicted-in-kc.html |title=4 ACORN Workers Indicted in KC |first=Antonio D. |last=French |date=[[2006-11-01]] |publisher=PubDef.net |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref>
This coffee shop was opened in [[December 2006]] by [[Sonny Corinthos]] to serve as a front for his illegal activity. Sonny frequently worked out of an office in the building. [[Carly Corinthos]] took over decorating and added a coffee cart. This is where [[Max Giambetti]] was demoted to working when he helped Carly. This is where [[Lorenzo Alcazar]] had a [[hit woman]] hide a gun. Alcazar retrieved the gun, went into Sonny's back office, and held him at gunpoint. Carly walked in and was able to distract Alcazar from shooting Sonny. Sonny took this chance and shot Alcazar in the head.
* ACORN was investigated in 2006 for submitting false voter registrations in [[St. Louis, Missouri]]. 1,492 fraudulent voter registrations were identified.<ref>[http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/795117FA8146E4F08625741F006D15C0?OpenDocument Voter registration workers admit fraud]</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ksdk.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=105234 |title=St. Louis Election Board Investigating Voter Fraud |date=[[2006-10-11]] |first=Ann |last=Rubin |publisher=[[KSDK]] TV |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref>
*In 2007, five [[Washington]] state ACORN workers were sentenced to jail time.<ref>{{cite web | title = Voter Fraud Watch: Could ACORN Scandal in Washington Have Been Avoided With Photo ID? | publisher = FOX News | date = [[2008-05-02]]| url = http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/02/voter-fraud-watch-could-acorn-scandal-in-washington-have-been-avoided-with-photo-id/}}</ref> ACORN agreed to pay [[King County]] $25 000 for its investigative costs and acknowledged that the national organization could be subject to criminal prosecution if fraud occurs again. According to King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, the misconduct was done "as an easy way to get paid [by ACORN], not as an attempt to influence the outcome of elections."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003806904_webvotefraud26m.html |title=Felony charges filed against 7 in state's biggest case of voter-registration fraud |publisher=The Seattle Times |date=[[2007-07-28]] |first=Keith |last=Ervin |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/304877_acorn23.html |title=Reform group turned in 2000 suspicious voter registrations |publisher=Seattle Post Intelligencer |date=[[2007-02-23]] |first=Rachel last=La Corte |accessdate=2007-11-12}}</ref>
*In 2008, the [[Michigan Secretary of State]] office told the [[Detroit Free Press]] that ACORN had been submitting a sizeable number of duplicate and fraudulent applications to vote.<ref>[http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008809140383 Bad voter applications found, September 14, 2008]</ref> Oak Park town clerk Sandra Gadd said they have been seeing "lots of duplication from ACORN in recent months [...] They've been very cooperative [...] and they're willing to go door-to-door to do whatever they have to do to take care of this."
*State authorities in Nevada raided ACORN's offices in Las Vegas in 2008, alleging that its canvassers produced forms with false names, fictional addresses, or famous personalities. Neither ACORN nor any employees, however, have been charged with fraud or other crimes.<ref name="vegas-raid-fox">{{cite news|url=http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/07/acorn-vegas-office-raided-voter-fraud-investigation/|title=ACORN Vegas Office Raided in Voter Fraud Investigation|date=2008-10-07|publisher=Fox News|accessdate=2008-10-07}}</ref><ref>Oct. 8, 2008 News-Journal http://www.lvrj.com/news/30613864.html</ref>
*October 8, 2008, Missouri officials announced an investigation into alleged voter fraud concerning some ACORN registered names. Some names were listed multiple times, had fake/missing addresses, no drivers licenses, bad social security numbers, etc. <ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_ge/voter_fraud_6</ref>
*As of October 9, 2008 the [[Cuyahoga County, Ohio|Cuyahoga County]] Board of Elections has subpoenaed several individuals as part of a larger investigation into possible voter fraud by ACORN in Ohio.<ref>http://www.nypost.com/seven/10092008/news/politics/nuts__132771.htm NUTS! HOW ACORN GOT ME INTO VOTE SCAM</ref>
*In [[Lake County, Indiana]], ACORN submitted over 7,000 voter registration forms before the October 6 deadline. All of the first 2,100 forms processed were frauds and the remaining 5,000 have been placed aside for later processing to sort out the bogus forms from the legitimate ones. Sally LaSota, a Democratic member of the Election Board said that whoever filed the forms broke the law.<ref name="cnn-indiana">http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/09/acorn.fraud.claims/index.html Thousands of voter registration forms faked, officials say</ref>


===ACORN and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008===
===Harborview Towers===
During the debate on the bailout bill (the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008), some conservative commentators claimed that a plan to give money to funds run by the [[US Department of the Treasury]], contained in Sen. Chris Dodd's draft version of the Act<ref>http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_ayo08b28.html</ref>, could potentially lead to money flowing to groups like ACORN. Many Republicans object to ACORN receiving any government money, because, they say, it registers democratic-leaning voters at the same time it works on housing issues, with taxpayer money being used "to subsidize political activism." <ref name=wsj0731>{{cite news | last =Williamson | first =Elizabeth | coauthors =Mullins, Brody | title =Democratic Ally Mobilizes In Housing Crunch | work =[[The Wall Street Journal]] | pages = | language = | publisher = | date =July 31, 2008 | url =http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121745181676698197.html | accessdate = }}</ref> This portion of the Dodd proposal never made it into the final bill and there were no specific earmarks for ACORN in any version of it (including the amendments to HR. 3997, which failed in the House on Sep. 29, 2008). When asked how much money ACORN or other community groups would get, Steven Adamske, spokesman for Rep. [[Barney Frank]] (D-Mass.), chairman of the Financial Services Committee said, "None. Absolutely none. All funds would go to state and local governments."<ref name=cbs>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/09/27/politics/politico/thecrypt/main4483168.shtml |title=ACORN Issue Fueling Bailout Opposition |accessdate= |author=Ryan Grim |date=September 27, 2008 |work=CBS News |publisher=}}</ref>
This is an upperend apartment complex in downtown Port Charles. It has a view of the lake, and can clearly be seen in the Port Charles skyline. It includes [[Jason Morgan]]'s [[penthouse]] with [[Damian Spinelli]], and the previous residence of retired mob boss, [[Sonny Corinthos]]. Damian Spinelli's room is "regretably pink." He stays in the room that Brenda Barrett lived in while she and Jason were in a marriage of convenience. Jason leaves it pink. [[Reese Marshall]] (when dating Sonny) took residence in Sonny's old penthouse. When Reese Marshall was living there, [[Carly Corinthos]] broke in and vandalized the entire apartment due to a mental breakdown. [[Samantha McCall]] was attacked there by Nico, where Carly helped fight him off. In 2007, Ric Lansing bugged Jason's apartment in order to obtain a guilty plea in the murder or Lorenzo Alcazar. In 2006, a would-be assasin shot a bullet through the window of Jason's apartment. He leaves the bullet hole in the glass to remind him of the choices he's made. The address is 122 Harbor View Drive.


== Partisan dispute over ACORN ==
=== Greystone Mansion===
This is the large estate of [[Sonny Corinthos]], and bodygaurds [[Max]] and [[Milo]]. Not visible from the road, it is gaurded by Sonny's men. It has a large [[terrace]], beautiful gardens, and a statley guest house. The large garage stores a [[Maserati Quattroporte]]. In 2005, a mobster shot up the mansion's living room with a machine gun while Carly, Sam, Ric and Sonny met inside. In 2007, [[Kate Howard]] built her house right next door to Sonny's home. Angry about Kate flying her helicopter over his home his home, Sonny had [[Jason Morgan]] shoot a wire that was attached to her helicopter. It suspended a statue over Kate's house, and was headed to drop it in her garden. After he shot, the statue fell through all three floors of the house, destroying the roof, floors, and walls. Former residents include [[Carly Jacks]], [[Emily Quartermaine]], [[Sam McCall]], [[Morgan Corinthos]],and [[Michael Corinthos]]. The address is 120 Shoreline Road, and Kate Howard's is 124 Shoreline Road.


Some Democrats have championed ACORN's work in organizing and supporting the causes of people with low and moderate incomes, including its voter registration initiatives, support for lending to people with low incomes and advocacy for other community development assistance.<ref>http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=289192</ref> But the group has also been the focus of partisan controversy from Republicans over its support for Democratic candidates, voter outreach to persons who tend to favor Democrats, and over some of its advocacy work including on housing policies that some Republicans have blamed for contributing to the financial crisis.<ref name="wsj0731"/>
===ELQ Industries===
ElQ Industries, or Edward Louis Quartermaine Industries is a multinational conglomerate headquartered on Port Charles. Owned by the wealthy Quartermaine's, it is the one of the largest businesses in the region. Since 1978, [[Edward Quartermaine]] has been the sole owner, but other employees have included [[Emily Quartermaine]], [[Lorenzo Alcazar]], [[Carly Corinthos]], [[Tracy Quartermaine]], [[Alan Quartermaine]], [[Monica Quartermaine]], [[Justus Ward]], [[Jasper Jacks]], [[Laura Spencer]], and [[Luke Spencer]]. Current shareholders include [[Edward Quartermaine]], [[Monica Quartermaine]], [[Tracy Quartermaine]], [[Jasper Jacks]], and [[Carly Jacks]], who owns 30%. It is a rival company with nearby [[Chandler Enterprises]] and [[Buchanan Enterprises]].


ACORN's political committees have sometimes endorsed Democratic candidates.<ref>{{cite press release|title=ACORN’s Political Action Committee Endorses Obama |url=https://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8539&tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=4&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=21759&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=8538&cHash=ff99d11068}}</ref> ACORN has a history of involvement at the Democratic party convention going back to the Carter and Kennedy nominations.<ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730</ref> Its members have participated as delegates at the convention, in caucuses and primaries.<ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730</ref> At past conventions ACORN has had a contingent of forty-two delegates and alternates.<ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730</ref> ACORN has sought to empower low and moderate-income power in the Democratic party, but has also testified at the Republican Convention where a far smaller number of ACORN delegates have also been present.<ref>http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730</ref>
* [[Edward Quartermaine]] - founder,Controlling shareholder, Owner, CEO (on-and-off)
* [[Tracy Quartermaine]] - CEO; Board member; stockholder
* [[Jasper "Jax" Jacks]] - Stockholder
* [[Carly Jacks]] - Stockholder (30%)
* [[Monica Quartermaine]] - Stockholder
* [[Laura Spencer]] - Employee
* [[Justus Ward]] - former Board member
* [[Lorenzo Alcazar]] - former Owner of 30% of ELQ stock
* [[Dr. Alan Quartermaine]] - former Stockholder
* [[Lila Quartermaine]] - former Stockholder
* [[Ned Ashton]] - former CEO; former Stockholder
* [[Skye Chandler Quartermaine]] -former CEO, former Board member
* [[AJ Quartermaine]] - former CEO (On-and-off)


House of Representatives Republican leader [[John Boehner]] called for ACORN to be barred from receiving federal monies, and for a ban on ACORN contracting with candidates for federal office. He said, "ACORN spent decades promoting the housing policies that brought America's economy to the brink, and similarly over the years has committed fraud on our system of elections"<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/1008/Boehner_escalates_war_on_ACORN.html |author=Politico|title=Boehner escalates war on ACORN|work=[[Politico]]|date=9 October 2008}}</ref>
=== '''Crimson Magazine''' ===
Crimson is a fashion magazine ran by [[Kate Howard]], and the biggest inivestor is [[Jasper Jacks]]. Her offices are at the [[Metro Court Hotel]], which happens to be across the street from [[Johnny Zacchara]]'s penthouse. Kate hired [[Maxie Jones]] as her first assistant, and [[Lulu Spencer]] her second assistant. In 2008, Maxie was almost raped here by [[Logan Hayes]], but he saw Lulu watching from Johnny's penthouse (which is formerly the home of Jasper Jax). Lulu then accidentally killed him, which has put her in Shadybrooke. As of recent, Jax has threatend to find someonoe else to run the magazine if Kate doesn't stop trying to ruin Carly.


In contrast, [[John Atlas]] writes in a [[Huffington Post]] editorial that ACORN has "accumulated many enemies" and has been "subjected to vicious attacks from business [[lobbyist]]s, conservative politicians, and right-wing media." This same source alleges that the [[George W. Bush]] administration has sought to harass ACORN with accusation of voter fraud.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-atlas/acorn-under-the-microscop_b_112503.html |author=John Atlas|title=ACORN Under The Microscope|work=[[The Huffington Post]]|date=July 14, 2008}}</ref>
==Former places of interest==
In a report released October 2008 the [[US Department of Justice]] Inspector General found that former U.S. Attorney [[David Iglesias]] was wrongfully fired by Attorney General [[Alberto Gonzales]] after Iglesias declined to indict over alleged voter fraud at an ACORN affiliate in New Mexico, citing insufficient evidence.<ref>[http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/s0809a/final.pdf |author=US Department of Justice Inspector General|title= An Investigation into the Removal of Nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006, pgs 156-167 and 190]</ref>
===Asian Quarter===
The Asian Quarter is a ghetto district located within Port Charles and is home to a large Asian population. The residents of this part of the city once lived in fear of an extortion ring that dominated the area, but thanks to the efforts of then police commissioner [[Robert Scorpio]], the extortion ring was busted.


== ACORN's association with Barack Obama ==
===Barney's Place===
A downtown bar where in 1976, [[Jeff Webber]] attempted to commit suicide after finding out his wife, [[Monica Bard]], had been having an affair with his brother, Rick.


ACORN endorsed the candidacy of [[Barack Obama]] during the [[2008 Democratic Presidential Primary]].<ref>{{cite press release|title=ACORN’s Political Action Committee Endorses Obama |url=https://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=8539&tx_ttnews%5Bpointer%5D=4&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=21759&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=8538&cHash=ff99d11068}}</ref> Obama paid an ACORN affiliate, [[Citizens Services Inc.]] $800,000 for "get-out-the-vote" projects for his 2008 presidential primary campaign.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/election/s_584284.html | title=Obama to amend report on $800,000 in spending | first=David | last=Brown | publisher=Pittsburgh Tribune-Review | date=August 22, 2008 | accessdate=2008-10-09}}</ref> Obama's campaign has stated that it "is committed to protecting the integrity of the voting process" and is not working with ACORN for the general presidential election.<ref name="cnn-indiana" />
===The Campus Disco===
This popular establishment was run by [[Luke Spencer]] from 1979 - 1980. It closed in 1981 as [[Disco]] music went out of style. This is also where [[Luke Spencer]] raped his future wife [[Laura Spencer|Laura Webber Baldwin]].

===The Cellar===

<!--image removed [[Image:Cellarpromogh.png|right|thumb|208px|Sonny ([[Maurice Benard]]) and Jason ([[Steve Burton]]) at ''The Cellar'', 2007.]]-->
Located at 324 Wharf Street, Port Charles, NY– [[Carly Corinthos]], proprietor. Opened [[February 14]] [[2003]]. Rekindled night club created from the remnants of “The Flynn’s Club”, a speakeasy that originally opened [[New Years Eve]] 1926. Flynn’s was owned by Catherine Flynn, the grandmother of [[Faith Rosco]].
On New Years Eve 2002, Carly and [[Ric Lansing]] discovered the speakeasy bricked off in the basement of Kelly’s Diner when they were scouting for a location for her club. The original owner, Catherine Flynn, who had been living in an apartment across the street, told Carly and Ric the club’s history when she observed them breaking through the brick wall. Employees have included [[Courtney Matthews]] as hostess.
In [[November 2003]], Faith Rosco claimed ownership of the club stating that though Kelly’s Diner and The Cellar occupied the same building, they always had split deeds and while [[Luke Spencer|Luke]] and [[Bobbie Spencer]] owned Kelly’s, The Cellar was rightfully Faith’s property by way of inheritance from Catherine. In [[May 2004]], Carly regained control of the club when [[Justus Ward]] discovered that Faith’s claim on the property was invalid.

In [[April 2007]], Sonny and Jason begin to consider using The Cellar as a place to hide their shipments, as The Cellar was vacant at the time. Sonny and Jason were soon ambushed by [[Lorenzo Alcazar|Lorenzo Alcazar's]] hired thugs.

===Club 101===
Elegant night club opened in 2002 by [[Carly Corinthos]] with [[Jasper Jacks|Jasper “Jax” Jacks]]. The club was converted from an old abandoned warehouse on the “bad side of town” under Carly’s supervision. Jax forced Carly out of the partnership due to what Carly because he believed she was embezzling funds, though she believed it was because of her relationship with [[Sonny Corinthos]]. He then brought [[Skye Chandler Quartermaine]] in as a partner. Employees have included [[Courtney Matthews]].

===Delafield's===
Club owned and operated by classical pianist Katherine Delafield. Katherine regularly performed as well as did [[Frisco Jones]]. This same club had belonged to [[Duke Lavery]] and was purchased after his death in 1990.

===Duke's Club===
Run by Duke Lavery and [[Felicia Jones]], this club was a popular hangout for Port Charles residents in the late 1980s. [[Frisco Jones]] and Terri O'Connor regularly performed. After Duke's death, the club was purchased in 1990 by classical pianist Katherine Delafield and reopened under the name Delafield's.

===The Floating Rib===
This restaurant, located across the street from General Hospital, was another popular establishment in the early 1980s. Closed during the late 1980’s. On February 23, 2006, [[Holly Sutton Scorpio|Holly Sutton]] (not knowing that the restaurant was long out of business) demanded that [[Luke Spencer]] and [[Robert Scorpio]] meet her outside the restaurant with two million dollars for each vial of antidote for the mutant encephalitis virus that had gripped the city that month. A popular massage parlor is now located on this site.

===Flynn's Club===
A speakeasy that opened on [[New Years Eve]] 1926 beneath what is now Kelly’s Diner. The club was owned by Catherine Flynn, wife of [[mobster]] Marco Flynn. It was only open for a few hours because at 12:01 A.M. on opening night, a close friend and associate was killed in the club in a mob hit. Marco retaliated that night, but was arrested. He spent the rest of his life in prison. Catherine never had the heart to reopen, and had it boarded up. The club was discovered in 2002 when [[Carly Corinthos]] was looking for a location to open a club of her own. She refurbished this speakeasy and reopened it as “The Cellar”.

===Luke's Club===
This blues club, run by [[Luke Spencer]] and [[Lucy Coe]] was a popular place to hangout and socialise during the late 1990s. [[Lily Rivera Corinthos|Lily Corinthos]] was blown up in a car bomb outside the premises in 1996.

===Luke's Place===
Port Charles' first casino opened by [[Luke Spencer]] and [[D. L. Brock]] in 1983. This is notable because according to the city charter, only one casino was allowed to operate. After closing the casino when he was elected mayor later that year, he retained the casino rights. Port Charles did not have another casino until he converted his recently reacquired ''Haunted Star'' into a casino on December 26, 2003.

===The No Name===
Local Mobster [[Sonny Corinthos]] took his then-wife [[Carly Corinthos Jacks]] there.

===The Oasis===
Strip club owned by [[Coleman (GH)|Coleman]] where [[Courtney Matthews]] secretly worked under the name “Daisy” to pay for damages caused by her then husband, [[A.J. Quartermaine]]. A.J. destroyed the club in an [[arson]] fire after he found out about Courtney’s job August 28, 2002.

===The Outback===
Popular club once owned and operated by [[Mac Scorpio]]. Opened in 1991, Connor Olivera managed the club and worked as a singer. In 1992, Bill Eckert became co-owner. [[Felicia Jones]] later bought half ownership of the club, and the two married in 1998, making the club a family business. Employees have included [[Holly Scorpio]], [[Miguel Morez]] and [[Robin Scorpio]].

===The Paradise Lounge===
Strip club once owned by [[Sonny Corinthos]]. [[Karen Wexler]] and [[Tammy Hansen]] once worked there as strippers. The club was closed by the PCPD in 1993 for working underage strippers.

===The Recovery Room===
Bar & Grill located across the street from General Hospital. Managed by the Scanlon family and Mary Scanlon's husband [[Victor Collins]]. Previously managed by [[Mike Corbin]]. Popular establishment in the late 1990s.

===The Ward House===
Orphanage started by [[Mary Mae Ward]], named for her son Bradley, a community leader who had died 20 years earlier. Pediatrician [[Simone Ravelle Hardy|Simone Hardy]] was a volunteer at the home and introduced Mary Mae to [[Laura Spencer]]. In 1996, Laura Spencer purchased and operated the orphanage after Mary Mae’s death. Destroyed in an arson fire started by mobster [[Damian Smith (General Hospital)|Damian Smith]] who wanted the land to build a toxic waste incinerator.
===Cosmetics: Jacks/Deception===
'''Jax Cosmetics''': Original founder: Jasper Jacks; Former CEO: Lucy Coe; Other Known Employees: Brenda Barrett (Former Model)

'''Deception Cosmetics''': Former CEO-Laura Spencer; Partner-Carly Corinthos; Former models-Brenda Barrett, Elizabeth Webber & Gia Campbell

==Port Charles Society==
===The Nurses Ball===
[[Image:Nursesball1996abc.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Katherine ([[Mary Beth Evans]]), Mac ([[John J. York]]) and Robin ([[Kimberly McCullough]]) at The Nurses Ball, 1996.]]From 1994 - 2001, the Nurses Ball was the social event of the year in the Port Charles calendar and is most notable for being a charity event dedicated to raising funds for various [[HIV]]/[[AIDS]] organizations, both on the show and in reality. The Nurses Ball was held in the Port Charles Hotel (which burned down in 2004). Notably from 1997 until the last ball in 2001, the Nurses ball was usually a major [[fictional crossover|crossover]] where characters from both ''[[Port Charles]]'' and ''[[General Hospital]]'' got a chance to interact with one another. A train/bus collision interrupted the 2001 event. The event has since been discontinued. The onscreen reasons for this have not been explained, but it is known that rising expenses and budget cuts in the real world, along with the revamp that was made to ''Port Charles'' in 2001 were the reasons why the producers of both ''General Hospital'' and ''Port Charles'' decided to end the annual event. But in 2006, [[Carly Corinthos]] held a similar event in which she auctioned off men to have dinner with women, and all of the money was donated to the hospital.

===General Hospital Pediatric Ward Christmas party===
[[Image:Ghxmas06.png|left|thumb|250px|[[Alan Quartermaine]] ([[Stuart Damon]]) reads a Christmas story, 2006.]]For many years, the Pediatric Ward [[Christmas]] party has been the focus of General Hospital episodes that have aired just before Christmas (usually on the December 24 episode of General Hospital, but sometimes on December 23 or December 22 if December 24 falls during a weekend). It is traditional for the current chief of staff to read the Christmas story to the children during the party. The chief is also accompanied by the General Hospital volunteers dressed up as Mr. and Mrs. Clause, as well as elves. The children of various cast members from the show are often featured as extras in the party scenes playing the sick children from the ward.

==Notable residents==
===The Webbers & Hardys===
Steve Hardy was the chief of Staff at General Hospital from the mid 1970s until his death in 1996. Perhaps one of Dr Hardy's biggest achievements was finding a cure to the Lassa Fever epidemic of 1979. He was married to [[Audrey Hardy]] for many years, and adopted her son [[Tom Hardy]], who would also become a doctor. His other son, [[Jeff Webber]], is a doctor as well. Jeff's eldest children, Steven and Sarah, are also doctors, while his youngest daughter, [[Elizabeth Webber]], is a nurse. Elizabeth has two children, [[Cameron Webber]] and [[Jake Spencer]].

===The Quartermaines===
One of the most distinguished families in Port Charles is the [[Quartermaine]] family, who moved to the area in 1978 and are best known for running E.L.Q. Industries. The Quartermaines have had a long-standing rivalry with [[Sonny Corinthos]] that began when Sonny married [[Carly Corinthos Jacks|Carly Roberts]], the former wife of [[A.J. Quartermaine]] and forced A.J. to give up parental rights to his and Carly's son [[Michael Corinthos III|Michael]]. [[Dr. Alan Quartermaine]] was the chief of staff at General Hospital, while his wife [[Monica Quartermaine|Monica]] is a renowned [[Cardiac surgeon|heart surgeon]]. Rock star [[Ned Ashton|Eddie Maine]] is also a prominent member of this family. Other Quartermaine's include [[Emily Quartermaine]], [[Skye Quartermaine]],[[Dillon Quartermaine]], [[Jason Morgan]], and the newest member of the family is [[Jake Spencer]].

===The Spencers: Luke and Laura Webber Spencer ===
<!--This use of this image has no rationale on the image's page[[Image:Lnlwedding.jpg|left|thumb|300px| Luke ([[Anthony Geary]]) and Laura ([[Genie Francis]]), 1981.]]-->
Laura Webber first gained notoriety in the infamous David Hamilton murder case in 1978. Only sixteen at the time, she had began an affair with the much older David Hamilton only to murder him when she found out he was using her to get back at her mother. Laura escaped a jail sentence due to the extenuating circumstances of the crime, but her reputation as a murderess was notorious throughout the town. Later though, Laura would gain fame in a more positive way when she helped her future husband [[Luke Spencer]] defeat the evil schemes of both Frank Smith and Mikkos Cassadine. The two would then marry in a ceremony held on the lawn of the mayor's mansion. Sadly, Luke and Laura would later divorce and Laura suffered a mental breakdown in 2002, leading to her incarceration in a psychiatric facility. Laura was given and experimental drug "LS49" in October 2006. The drug brought her out of her catatonic state, but sadly the drug's effects were only temporary. While Laura was back with her family she and Luke were married again on their 25th anniversary, November 16, 2006.

Luke Spencer is possibly the most famous resident of Port Charles (and also one of its most flamboyant). Luke Spencer first gained notoriety when he, along with his future wife Laura Webber, helped bust the [[Frank Smith]] mafia gang in 1980. The following year, Luke was instrumental (again along with his wife Laura and future police commissioner [[Robert Scorpio]]) in foiling the plans of [[Mikkos Cassadine]], a madman who had frozen [[Port Charles]] in order to showcase his weather machine. [[Luke and Laura]] married on the lawn of the mayors mansion in November 1981 in what was possibly the biggest wedding Port Charles has ever seen. Luke later ran for mayor of Port Charles in 1983 and won, but resigned less than two months into his tenure in order so that he and Laura could leave town to travel the world. Luke and Laura later returned to Port Charles in 1993.

Luke and Laura have two children together, [[Lucky Spencer]] and [[Lulu Spencer]]. Laura also has a son with [[Stavros Cassadine]], [[Nikolas Cassadine]].

===The Cassadines===
The [[Cassadine]] brothers, [[Mikkos Cassadine|Mikkos]], [[Tony Cassadine|Tony]] and Victor first made their presence in Port Charles felt in 1981, when they caused the infamous [[blizzard]] through the use of carbonic snow. Mikkos' younger son [[Stefan Cassadine|Stefan]] eventually took control of the family and in 1996, he and his nephew [[Nikolas Cassadine|Nikolas]] moved to Port Charles permanently, joined by distant Cassadine cousin [[Alexis Davis]] who was later revealed to be Mikkos' illegitimate daughter (Natasha Cassadine) with opera singer Kristen Bergmen. For a time, Stefan owned General Hospital. In 2001, the family received another addition when Alexis' long lost sister, [[Kristina Cassadine]] (originally Kristina Carter), was brought to town to reunite with her sister by [[Jasper Jacks]]. Stefan later died in 2003, but Nikolas remains in the city. From time to time, Nikolas' [[grandparent|grandmother]] [[Helena Cassadine|Helena]], the [[widow]] of Mikkos shows up to terrorise various residents of the city. Alexis has given birth to three daughters, [[Sam McCall]], [[Kristina Davis]], and [[Molly Lansing]], fathered by unknown man, [[Sonny Corinthos]], and [[Ric Lansing]] respectively. Nikolas now has a child, [[Spencer Cassadine]], with the late [[Courtney Matthews]].

===The Scorpios===
Australian ex-pat Robert was Police Commissioner of Port Charles for many years (1982 - 1985, 1987 - 1992), and solved numerous mysteries and crimes. Robert was presumed dead in 1992, but later returned to town in 2006 to track down Luke Spencer who had brought the encephalitis outbreak to Port Charles. Now trying to mend his relationship with his daughter and his wife, [[Robin Scorpio|Robin]] and [[Anna Devane|Anna]].

===The Mob: Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan===
[[Sonny Corinthos]] arrived in Port Charles in 1993, and owned and operated a [[strip club]] before becoming Port Charles' most powerful [[mobster]] in the power struggles that followed Frank Smith's death. Sonny has become known for his relative benevolence compared to other mafia gangs and his donation of several million dollars was instrumental in setting up the Stone Cates Memorial Wing at General Hospital.

Everybody in Port Charles knows who [[Jason Morgan]] is. He was born into wealth as Jason Quartermaine, the son of [[Dr. Alan Quartermaine]] and his mistress Susan Moore, he was later adopted by [[Monica Quartermaine]]. He was well liked, smart, and basically one of the only sane things ever to come out of the Quartermaine family. He was medical student, to follow in the foot steps of his parents, but one fateful night changed all of that. One night when he was trying to stop his brother AJ from driving drunk he got in the car with him and they crashed leaving Jason permanently brain damaged with no memory of his life. He broke away from his family, changed his last name to Morgan (in honor of his paternal grandmother Lila Morgan Quartermaine), and started working for mobster [[Sonny Corinthos]]. Over time Jason has gotten closer to his family, especially adopted-sister Emily, and while establishing a life for himself, including starting a relationship with [[Elizabeth Webber]] and has a son with her, [[Jake Spencer]]. He is now the mob kingpin.

===The Zaccharas===
Insane mob boss, [[Anthony Zacchara]] came to Port Charles in September 2007. He brought his son, [[Johnny Zacchara]] and his lawyer, [[Trevor Lansing]]. It turned out that Trevor was the real mob boss. When Anthony jumped off the roof of Wyndemere Castle, he was paralyzed from the neck down and his son Johnny became the new mob boss. Johnny has plans to take down a manipulative Trevor. [[Claudia Antonia Zacchara]] who is Johnny's sister arrived in Port Charles on January 31.

==Notable Residences==

*'''Quartermaine Mansion (66 Harbor View Road)''' - [[Edward Quartermaine]], [[Tracy Quartermaine]], [[Monica Quartermaine]], [[Luke Spencer]], [[Lulu Spencer]], [[Alice Gunderson]]
*'''Greystone Manor (120 Shoreline Road)''' - [[Sonny Corinthos]], [[Max Giambetti]], [[Milo Giambetti]]
*'''Wyndemere Castle (Spoon Island)''' - [[Nikolas Cassadine]], [[Spencer Cassadine]], [[Alfred (GH)| Alfred]]
*'''Spencer Home (24 Royal Street)''' - [[Luke Spencer]], [[Lucky Spencer]], [[Lesley Webber]]
*'''Jacks Home (607 Braidwood Trace)''' - [[Jasper Jacks]], [[Carly Corinthos|Carly Corinthos Jax]], [[Morgan Corinthos]]
*'''Zacchara Mansion (257 Cardinal Drive)''' - [[Anthony Zacchara]], [[Johnny Zacchara]], [[Claudia Zacchara]]
*'''The Lake House (55 Cherry Lane)''' - [[Alexis Davis]], [[Kristina Corinthos]], [[Molly Lansing]]
*'''Howard Estate (124 Shoreline Road)''' - [[Kate Howard]]
*'''Harborview Tower (122 Harbor View Drive), Penthouse #2''' - [[Jason Morgan]], [[Damian Spinelli]]
*'''1020 North Yale''' - [[Mac Scorpio]], [[Maxie Jones]], [[Matt Hunter]]
*'''The Art Studio''' - [[Elizabeth Webber]], [[Cameron Webber]], [[Jake Spencer]]
*'''Kelly's Diner (324 Wharf Street)''' - [[Mike Corbin]]
*'''Metro Court Hotel (1420 Courts Lane)''' - [[Jerry Jacks]], Sasha Donev, [[Anna Devane]] Andrei Karpov, [[Carly Corinthos]], [[Jasper Jacks]], [[Morgan Corinthos]]
*'''The Brownstone (1224 Elm Street)''' - [[Bobbie Spencer]]
*'''Shadybrooke Sanitarium''' - [[Laura Spencer]]
*'''453 Maple Avenue''' - [[Audrey Hardy]]
*'''Sam's Loft''' - [[Samantha McCall]]
*'''Patrick's Studio''' - [[Patrick Drake]]
*'''Diane'e Apartment''' - [[Diane Miller]]
*'''The Island (The Bahamas)''' - Frequent vacation home of [[Sonny Corinthos]]

==Former Notable Residences==
*'''The Brownstone (1242 Elm Street)''' -[[Felicia Jones]], [[Bobbie Spencer]] (destroyed by a hurricane in 1991; rebuilt)
*'''Port Charles Hotel (1420 Courts Lane)''' - [[Frisco Jones]], [[Skye Chandler]] (suite 915),[[Justus Ward]], [[Mike Corbin]], [[Faith Rosco]], [[Luis Alcazar]] (destroyed in a 2004 fire)
*'''Brenda's Cottage (860 Birch Tree Lane)''' - [[Brenda Barrett]], [[Jason Morgan]]
*'''Lazarus Yacht II''' -[[Sam McCall]]
*'''Quartermaine Mansion Gatehouse (312 Harbor View Road)''' - [[Ned Ashton]], [[Lois Cerullo]]
*'''Alcazar Mansion (On Harborview Road)''' - [[Lorenzo Alcazar]], [[Skye Chandler]], [[Lila Rae Alcazar]],[[Carly Corinthos]],[[Sage Alcazar]], [[Diego Alcazar]]
*'''243 Skycliff Road''' - [[Carly Corinthos]]
*'''Courtney's Loft''' - [[Courtney Matthews]], [[Nikolas Cassadine]], [[Jason Morgan]], [[Rachel Adair]], [[Jasper Jacks]]
*'''Scorpio Home (1020 North Yale)''' - [[Rachel Adair]]
*'''The Firehouse (777 Douglas Street) ''' - [[Scott Baldwin]], [[Serena Baldwin]]

==Important people==
{{Cleanup-laundry|date=July 2008}}
===Local Politics===
'''Mayors'''
* Quinn Waser (1969-1974)
* Bruce Jennings (1974-1979)
* John Everett (1979-1980)
* [[Luke Spencer]] (1983)
* [[Lee Baldwin]] (1983-1985)
* Ken Morgan (1985-1989)
* Earl Richmond (1989-1993)
* Tom McClintock (1997-2001)
* Riley Dowd (2001-2006)
* Garrett Floyd (2006-present)

'''Council Members'''

*Casslyn Verga (1986-1991)
* Dover (1992)
* Jerry Perez (1994-1996)
* Blake (1994)
* [[Bradley Ward II]] (1994)
* Clemens (1995)
* [[A.J. Quartermaine|AJ Quartermaine]] (1997)

===Law and Order===
====Police Department====
*Captain Patterson (1963-1974)
*Captain Wendell (1974-1979)
* Police Captain Burt Ramsey (1979-1983)
* Police Commissioner [[Robert Scorpio]] (1983-1985, 1988-1992)
* Co-Chief of Police [[Anna Devane]] (1985-1986)
* Co-Chief of Police Burt Ramsey (1985-1986)
* Chief of Police [[Anna Devane]] (1986-1987)
* Chief of Police Guy Lewis (1987-1992)
* Police Commissioner [[Sean Donely (General Hospital)|Sean Donely]] (1992-1995)
* Police Commissioner [[Mac Scorpio]] (1996-2000, 2000-present)
* Detective [[Joe Kelly (General Hospital)|Joe Kelly]]
* Detective [[Frisco Jones (General Hospital)|Frisco Jones]]
* Detective Andy Garcia
* Detective [[Lucky Spencer]] (2003-present)
* Detective [[Andy Capelli]] (2001-2004)
* Detective Jesse Beaudry (2005-2006)
* Detective [[Cruz Rodriguez]] (2005-present)
* Detective David Harper (2007-present)
* Police Cadet [[Cooper Barrett]] (2007-2008)
* Police Officer Byron Murphy (2004-2005)
* Special Prosecutor [[Scott Baldwin]] (2007-present)

====District Attorneys====
* Chase Murdoch (1966-1971, 1973-1979)
* Bill Richardson (1982-1983)
* Mick Boyer (1984)
* Ken Morgan (1984-1985)
* Brett Madison (1986)
* Lombardi (1986)
* Michael Shultz (1990)
* Abbey Mitchell (1993)
* [[Justus Ward]] (1998)
* [[Scott Baldwin]] (2002-2004)
* [[Ric Lansing]] (2004-2005, 2006-2008)
* [[John Durant]] (2005-2006)
* [[Alexis Davis]] (2005-2006, 2008-Present)

====Assistant District Attorneys====
*Xavier Coons (1967-1973)
* Ross Jenelle (1974)
* [[Mitch Williams (General Hospital)|Mitch Williams]] (1978-1980)
* [[Scott Baldwin]] (1988)
* [[Jessica Holmes]] (1992)
* [[Dara Jensen]] (1996-2003)
* [[Ric Lansing]] (2004)
* [[Alexis Davis]] (2006)

====Education====

* Winston School
* Queen of Angels
* Port Charles High School
* Port Charles University (PCU)

====Religion====

* St. Timothy's

===General Hospital===
====Chief Of Staff====
* Dr. Bryant Nemer (1966-1971)
* Dr. Anderson Valey (1971-1976)
* [[Steve Hardy|Dr. Steve Hardy]] (1976-1996)
* [[Alan Quartermaine|Dr. Alan Quartermaine]] (1996-1998, 1999-2007)
* [[Monica Quartermaine|Dr. Monica Quartermaine]] (1998-1999)
* [[Russell Ford (GH)|Dr. Russell Ford]] (2007-08)
* [[Patrick Drake| Dr. Patrick Drake]] 2008-present
====Assistant Chief of Staff====
* Dr. Perry Masil (1966-1970)
* Dr. Wendel Eltoz (1970-1975)
* Dr. Buzz Stryker (1985-1987)
* [[Monica Quartermaine|Dr. Monica Quartermaine]] (1987-1988)
* [[Alan Quartermaine|Dr. Alan Quartermaine]] (1988-1990)
* [[Tom Hardy Sr.|Dr. Tom Hardy]] (1990)
====Head Nurse====
* [[Lucille March]] (1963-1976)
* [[Audrey Hardy]] (1976-2006)
* [[Epiphany Johnson]] (2006-present)
==Deaths==
* Peggy Nelson - Murdered by ex-husband Arnold (1971)
* [[Bradley Ward II]] - Murdered by Jack Boland (1970s; Revealed in 1994)
* [[Phil Brewer]] - Murdered by Augusta McLeod (1974)
* David Hamilton - Accidentally killed by [[Laura Webber]] (1978)
* Theresa Carter - Hit over the head with a camera by [[Laura Webber]] (1978; Revealed in 2002)
* [[Diana Taylor (General Hospital)|Diana Taylor]] - Accidentally killed by Alice Grant (1981)
* James Duvall - Killed by [[Alexandria Quartermaine]] (1981)
* O'Reilly - Shot by [[Victor Cassadine]] (1981)
* Alexandria Quartermaine - Murdered by [[Mikkos Cassadine]] (1981)
* [[Susan Moore (General Hospital)|Susan Moore]] - Murdered by [[Crane Tolliver]] (1983)
* [[Crane Tolliver]] - Shot by [[Robert Scorpio]] (1983)
* [[Beatrice LeSeur]] - Accidental drug overdose (1983)
* [[D.L. Brock]] - Murdered by [[Virginia Blake|Ginny Blake]] (1985)
* Jennifer Talbot - Murdered by [[Kevin O'Connor]] (1986)
* Herbert Quartermaine - Murdered by Betsy Quartermaine (1987)
* [[Filomena Soltini]] - Shot by [[Cesar Faison]] (1988)
* [[Duke Lavery]] - Killed in a shootout with [[Julian Jerome]] (1990)
* [[Dawn Winthrop]] - Bludgeoned with lead pipe by Edge Jerome (1991)
* [[Bill Eckert]] - Shot by [[Frank Smith|Frank Smith's]] men (1993)
* [[Jessica Holmes]] - Murdered by [[Ryan Chamberlain]] (1993)
* [[Ray Conway]] - Died of a broken neck after being thrown against a wall by [[Alan Quartermaine]] (1993)
* [[Frank Smith]] - Shot by [[Luke Spencer]] (1994)
* [[Damian Smith (General Hospital)|Damian Smith]] - Died in a fire (1996)
* [[Lily Rivera Corinthos]] - Died in a car bombing meant for [[Sonny Corinthos]] ([[June 1996]])
* [[Pierce Dorman]] - Murdered by Hernando Rivera (1997)
* Jake Marshak - First victim of the General Homicide Killer, Greg Cooper (1998)
* Grace Sullivan - Second victim of the General Homicide Killer, Greg Cooper (1998)
* [[Katherine Bell]] - Pushed from a [[parapet]] by [[Helena Cassadine]] ([[May 1999]])
* [[Chloe Morgan]] - Strangled by [[Stavros Cassadine]] ([[September 2001]])
* [[Stavros Cassadine]] - Jumped down a bottomless pit during a fight with [[Luke Spencer]] ([[November 2001]])
* [[Kristina Cassadine]] - Caught in an explosion in Sonny's warehouse; died in ICU ([[August 2002]])
* [[Rick Webber]] - Hit over the head with a candle stick by [[Laura Spencer]]; actually killed by [[Scott Baldwin]] ([[August 2002]])
* [[Luis Alcazar]] - Stabbed; pushed off balcony by [[Alexis Davis]] ([[November 2002]])
* Catherine Flynn - Poisoned by [[Faith Rosco]] ([[February 28]] [[2003]])
* [[Summer Halloway|Summer Holloway]] - Pushed off cliff by Darius ([[June 2003]])
* [[Stefan Cassadine]] - Stabbed; pushed off parapet by [[Luke Spencer]] ([[October 2003]])
* [[Cameron Lewis|Dr. Cameron Lewis]] - Caught under falling debris in Port Charles Hotel fire ([[February 19]] [[2004]])
* Brian Beck - Shot by [[Andy Capelli]] ([[February 2004]])
* [[Andy Capelli]] - Shot in a struggle with [[Jason Morgan]] ([[February 2004]])
* [[Zander Smith]] - Shot to death by the [[S.W.A.T]] Team ([[March 2004]])
* [[Ross Duncan]] - Murdered by Heather Webber ([[April 2004]])
* [[Sage Alcazar]] - Stabbed by [[Mary Bishop]] ([[August 2004]])
* Trent Parker - Stabbed with a garden harrow by [[Mary Bishop]] ([[August 2004]])
* [[Mary Bishop]] - Medication tampered with by [[Lorenzo Alcazar]] ([[September 2004]])
* [[Connor Bishop]] - Shot by [[Emily Quartermaine]] in self defense ([[January 2005]])
* [[Faith Rosco]] - Shot; later died in General Hospital ([[March 2005]])
* [[A.J. Quartermaine|AJ Quartermaine]] - Suffocated by Dr. Thomas ([[April 2005]])
* Evan Tucker - Killed in a fight with [[Reese Marshall]] ([[June 17]] [[2005]])
* [[Rachel Adair]] - Injected with a poison by Dr. Thomas ([[July 27]] [[2005]])
* Dr. Asher Thomas - Shot by [[Jason Morgan]] ([[August 2005]])
* Andrew Domman - Shot by [[Jason Morgan]] ([[August 2005]])
* [[Javier Ruiz]] - Shot by [[Jason Morgan]] ([[October 2005]])
* [[Reese Marshall]] - Died from a punctured lung ([[November 14]] [[2005]])
* [[Jesse Beaudry]] - Shot in the line of duty; later taken off life support ([[March 31]] [[2006]])
* Miguel Escobar - Shot by Jason Morgan ([[March 31]] [[2006]])
* [[John Durant]] - Shot by Manny Ruiz ([[May 5]] [[2006]])
* [[Justus Ward]] - Shot by Manny Ruiz ([[June 16]] [[2006]])
* Manny Ruiz - Shot and pushed off General Hospital roof by [[Jason Morgan]] ([[July 4]] [[2006]])
* [[Lorenzo Alcazar]] - Shot by [[Jason Morgan]] ([[May 22]] [[2007]])
* [[Leticia Juarez]] - First victim of Text Message Killer ([[September 4]] [[2007]])
* [[Emily Quartermaine]] - Second victim of Text Message Killer ([[October 31]] [[2007]])
* [[Georgie Jones]] - Third victim of Text Message Killer ([[December 17]] [[2007]])
* [[Coop Barrett]] - Fourth victim of Text Message Killer ([[January 25]] [[2008]])
* [[Diego Alcazar]] - Accidential Hanging ([[March 6]] [[2008]])
* [[Ian Devlin|Dr. Ian Devlin]] - Shot by [[Jason Morgan]] ([[May 5]] [[2008]])
* [[Logan Hayes]] - Stabbed by [[Lulu Spencer]] ([[July 8]] [[2008]])
* [[Russell Ford (GH)|Dr. Russell Ford]] - Killed by a car that crashed into the ER ([[July 22]] [[2008]])

==Crime==
===Rapes===

*[[Jessie Brewer]] - by Phil Brewer (1965)
*[[Audrey March Hardy]] - by Tom Baldwin (1969)
*[[Diana Taylor (General Hospital)|Diana Taylor]] - by Phil Brewer (1973)
*[[Monica Quartermaine]] - (offscreen by an unknown assailant)
*[[Lesley Webber]] (1976)
*[[Laura Spencer]] - by [[Luke Spencer]] (1979)
*[[Elizabeth Webber]] - by Tom Baker (1998)
*[[Emily Quartermaine]] - by Connor Bishop (2005)
*[[Jasper Jacks]] - by Irina (2007)

===Notable Trials===

*Eddie Weeks (reckless driving causing injury, 1963)
*[[Jessie Brewer]] and Tom Baldwin (murder of John Prentice, 1968)
*[[Audrey March Hardy]] (murder of Peggy Nelson, 1971)
*[[Diana Taylor (General Hospital)|Diana Taylor]] (murder of Phil Brewer, 1975)
*[[Lesley Webber]] (murder of David Hamilton, 1978)
*[[Anna Devane]] (attempted murder of Olivia St. John, 1988)
*[[Felicia Jones]] (attempted murder of Ryan Chamberlain, 1993)
*[[Laura Spencer]] (murder of Damian Smith, 1996)
*[[Monica Quartermaine]] (sexual harassment of [[Pierce Dorman]], 1997)
*[[Tony Jones]] (kidnapping of Michael Benson, 1998)
*[[Stefan Cassadine]] (murder of Katherine Bell, 1998)
*Tom Yergin (blackmail of [[Emily Quartermaine]], 1998)
*[[Luke Spencer]] (murder of [[Stefan Cassadine]], 2000)
*[[Jason Morgan]] and [[Brenda Barrett]] (murder of [[Luis Alcazar]], 2003)
*[[Alexis Davis]] (murder of [[Luis Alcazar]], 2003)
*[[Nikolas Cassadine]] (murder of [[Helena Cassadine]], 2004)
*[[Sonny Corinthos]] (murder of [[A.J. Quartermaine]], 2005)
*[[Jason Morgan]] (murder of [[Lorenzo Alcazar]], 2007)
*[[Monica Quartermaine]] (reckless driving causing injury, 2008; sent to [[rehab]])
* [[Johnny Zacchara]] (murder of [[Logan Hayes]], 2008; not guilty)

==Disasters==
*In 1979, further disaster struck the city, when it was hit by an epidemic of Lassa Fever. General Hospital was quarantined for several weeks until a cure was found.
*In August 1981 the town experienced a blizzard in the midst of [[summer]]. The cause of this [[blizzard]] was determined to be [[Mikkos Cassadine]]'s weather machine.
*In June 1983, General Hospital was taken hostage.
*In 1987, a DVX hitman holds several GH staff hostage in the Hospital Cafeteria, threatening to unleash the MOX-36 virus. [[Bobbie Spencer]] is stabbed with a syringe filled with the virus and ends up paralyzed from the waist down but eventually recovers.
*In 1988, a bomb explodes in the main exhibition tent of the Port Charles Art Festival.
*In 1990, a blackout hit the city when [[Cesar Faison]] joined together the alien crystals from the planet Lumina.
*In February 1991, the Quartermaine S.S Tracy sank in the middle of Port Charles Harbor, unleashing toxic chemicals and causing an environmental disaster.
*In 1991, the town experienced an [[earthquake]], which destroyed many homes and caused a lot of damage.
*In June 2001, a [[bus]] collided head on with a [[train]] near the city, interrupting the Nurses Ball, the social event of the year in Port Charles.
*In February 2004, the Port Charles Hotel burned down. The hotel was completely destroyed, but later rebuilt by Australian billionaire, [[Jasper Jacks]], who renamed it the Metro Court after his now deceased wife, [[Courtney Matthews]].
*In August 2004, many were trapped at the Quartermaine Mansion while a serial killer was on the loose, killing [[Sage Alcazar]] and Trent Parker. This person was [[Mary Bishop]], who also tried to stab [[Emily Quartermaine]].
*In 2005 Another hurricane struck the city of Port Charles, but fatalities and damage was light compared to the 1977 hurricane.
*In November 2005, two trains collided in the Glencoe tunnel which is located near the city.
*In February 2006, a deadly mutant strain of [[encephalitis]] had the hospital quarantined for a month and there were several fatalities.
*In August 2006, another blackout swept through Port Charles. As a result, Alexis, Sonny, and Kristina were stuck in the Metro Court restaurant, while Jason and Elizabeth were stuck at Jason's penthouse.
*In February 2007, the Metro Court Hotel's lobby was taken hostage and eventually, destroyed by an explosion. This hostage situation lasted for 12 hours.
*In October 2007, [[Nikolas Cassadine]] decided to throw a Black and White Ball for Emily and in honor of the late Dr. [[Alan Quartermaine]]. Soon enough, disaster struck in the form of [[Anthony Zacchara]]. But it later turned out that there was actually a second intruder - [[Diego Alcazar]], who was the Text Message Killer (TMK). Diego strangled Emily to death.
*In [[January]] [[2008]], a man named Joe Smith strapped a bomb to himself, threatening to blow up the ER unless his wife Angie was given medical attention for her pregnancy.

==Further reading==
{{cite book
| last = Tropiano
| first = Stephen
| year = 2000
| title = TV Towns
| publisher = TV Books L.L.C.
| location = New York, NY
| id = ISBN 1-57500-127-6
}}


==References==
[http://soapoperadigest.com/features/gh/features/ghtoptencatastrophes/ |General Hospital Top Ten Catastrophes]
{{reflist|2}}


==Bibliography==
{{ General Hospital}}
*{{cite book |first=Gary |last=Delgado |title=Organizing the Movement: The Roots and Growth of ACORN |location=Philadelphia |publisher=[[Temple University Press]] |year=1986 |isbn=0-87722-393-9 |oclc=12134922 59256995}}


== External links ==
{{FictionalSoapOperaCities}}
*[http://www.acorn.org ACORN]
*[http://www.livingwagecampaign.org/ ACORN Living Wage Resource Center]


[[Category:Fictional cities and towns in New York]]
[[Category:Civil rights organizations]]
[[Category:General Hospital]]
[[Category:Consumer organizations]]
[[Category:Community-building organizations]]
[[Category:United States political action committees]]
[[Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Affordable housing advocacy organizations]]
[[Category:Gun control advocacy groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Immigration political advocacy groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Industrial Workers of the World]]

Revision as of 00:40, 11 October 2008

Template:Redirect6

Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
AbbreviationACORN
Formation1970
TypeNon-governmental organization
HeadquartersNew Orleans, Lousiana
President
Maude Hurd (1990-present)
Websitewww.acorn.org

ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, is a community-based organization that advocates for low- and moderate-income families by working on neighborhood safety, health care and other social issues. ACORN has over 350,000 members and more than 850 neighborhood chapters in over 100 cities across the United States, as well as in Argentina, Canada, Mexico, and Peru. ACORN was founded in 1970 by Wade Rathke and Gary Delgado.[1] Maude Hurd has been National President of ACORN since 1990.

ACORN's priorities have included: better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, living wages for low-wage workers, more community development investment from banks and governments, and better public schools.[2] ACORN pursues these goals through demonstration, negotiation, legislation, and voter participation.[3]

ACORN is made up of several legally distinct parts including local non-profits, a national lobbying organization and the ACORN Housing Corporation.[4][5] ACORN says it is non-partisan though it is often aligned with the Democratic Party on policy.[4] This political alignment and some of the causes it advocates have made ACORN the subject of partisan conflict.[6][4] Some of ACORN's voter registration programs have been investigated for fraud.[7] The group is not tax exempt and says it does not accept government funding, though it has in the past.[8][9][10]

Issues and actions

Predatory lending and affordable housing

ACORN has fought against lending practices that it sees as predatory by targeting the companies that engage in the practice, working for stricter state laws against predatory practices, organizing against financial scams, and steering individuals toward loan counseling.[11] Following a three-year campaign Household International (now owned by HSBC Holdings and renamed HSBC Finance Corporation), one of the largest subprime lenders in the country, and ACORN announced on November 25, 2003 a proposed settlement of a 2002 national class-action lawsuit brought by ACORN. The settlement created a $72 million Foreclosure Avoidance Program to provide relief to Household borrowers who are at risk of losing their homes.[11] The settlement came on the heels of an earlier $484 million settlement between Household, Attorneys General, and bank regulators from all 50 US states.[12]

ACORN and its affiliates advocate for affordable housing by urging the development, rehabilitation and establishment of housing trust funds at the local, state, and federal levels.[13] The group also pushes for enforcement of affordable-housing requirements for developers and promotes programs to help homeowners repair their homes and organize tenant demands.[14]

Living wages

Living wage ordinances require private businesses that do business with the government to pay their workers a wage that enables them to afford basic necessities. ACORN has helped pass local living wage laws in fifteen cities including Chicago, Oakland, Denver, and New York City.[15] ACORN maintains a website that provides strategic and logistical assistance to organizations nationwide.

ACORN filed a lawsuit in California seeking to exempt itself from the state's minimum wage of $4.25 per hour in 1995. ACORN alleged in its complaint that minimum wage laws "were unconstitutional as applied to it, because they restricted its ability to engage in political advocacy by forcing it to hire fewer workers, and that its workers, if paid the minimum wage, would be less empathetic with its low- and moderate-income constituency and would therefore be less effective advocates." The court denied ACORN's petition; the denial was sustained on appeal.[16]

Katrina relief

ACORN members across the country, particularly in the Gulf region, have organized fundraising and organizing drives to ensure that victims of Hurricane Katrina will receive assistance and will be able to return to affected areas. ACORN's Home Cleanout Demonstration Program has gutted and rebuilt over 1,850 homes with the help of volunteers. The ACORN Katrina Survivors Association formed in the aftermath of the storm is the first nationwide organization for Katrina survivors and has been working for equitable treatment for victims. Displaced citizens were bussed into the city for the New Orleans primary and general elections. ACORN Housing Services have helped more than 2,000 homeowners affected by the storm and is an official planner working with the city on reconstruction.[17][unreliable source?]

Education

ACORN pushes education reform usually in the form of organizing neighborhood groups and "community" or "ACORN schools". In Chicago, ACORN has advocated for a certified teacher to be in every classroom. In California ACORN has documented the need for textbooks and school repairs. ACORN works with teachers unions to get money for school construction and more funding for schools.[18] ACORN also supports school reform and the "creation of alternative public schools" such as charter schools.[18][19] ACORN opposed the privatization of some NYC schools, favoring its own Charter School plan.[20] The ACORN model for schools emphasizes small classes, parent involvement, qualified teachers and "community oriented curricula".[21]

Gun control

In 2006, ACORN intervened on behalf of Jersey City, New Jersey in a lawsuit brought against the city, which challenged a local ordinance that limited handgun purchasers to one gun a month.[22] The Hudson County Superior Court struck down the ordinance on the grounds that it violated the New Jersey Constitution's Equal Protection clause, and a state statute prohibiting towns and municipalities from enacting firearms legislation.[23]

On September 29, 2008, the New Jersey Appellate Court denied ACORN's appeal of the Hudson County Superior Court's decision striking down Jersey City's ordinance.[24]

History

1970-1975: Founding

ACORN was founded by Wade Rathke when he was sent to Little Rock, Arkansas by the National Welfare Rights Organization (NWRO) in 1970 as an organizer.[25] Gary Delgado and George A. Wiley were also instrumental to its founding. ACORN's first campaign was aimed at helping welfare recipients attain their basic needs, such as clothing and furniture. This drive, inspired by a clause in the Arkansas welfare laws, began the effort to create and sustain a movement that would grow to become the Arkansas Community Organizations for Reform Now, the beginnings of ACORN.[26]

ACORN's goal was to unite welfare recipients with needy working people around issues of free school lunches, unemployment issues, Vietnam veterans' rights, and emergency room care. The broad range of issues did not stop there as the organization grew throughout Arkansas. ACORN organized farmers to take on environmental issues concerning sulfur emissions.

1975-1980: Growth beyond Arkansas

In 1975, ACORN created branches in Texas and South Dakota. On December 13, 1975, sixty leaders from the three ACORN states elected the first associate Executive Board and the first ACORN president, Steve McDonald, to deal with matters beyond the scope of the individual city and state boards. Each year thereafter saw three or more states join ACORN, building to a total of twenty states by 1980. This expansion led to multi-state campaigns beginning with a mass meeting of 1,000 members in Memphis in 1978. At the end of the conference, ACORN convention delegates marched on the Democratic Party conference with the outline of a nine-point "People’s Platform" which would go on to become the foundation of ACORN's platform when it was ratified in 1979.

ACORN was active in the 1980 Election with the "People's Platform" serving as its standard.[27] It led demonstrations aimed at both major party candidates; demanded to meet with President Jimmy Carter; marched on the president's campaign finance committee chair's home; and presented its platform to the Republican Party platform committee.

1980-1988: Reagan era

By 1980, ACORN’S staff was stretched thin by the demands of meeting its expansion goals. Much of its resources and energy had been dedicated to the presidential primaries and national party conventions. ACORN launched squatting campaigns in an attempt to obtain affordable housing, and encouraged squatters to refit the premises for comfortable living.

In June 1982 ACORN sponsored "Reagan Ranches" in over 35 cities believing the president's focus to be on military as opposed to social spending. These tent cities were erected for two days and were met with resistance from the National Park Service, which tried repeatedly to evict the tenters. The protesters remained and then marched on the White House and testified before a Congressional committee about what they described as the housing crisis in America. The last Reagan Ranch was held at the Republican Convention in Dallas in 1984.

In addition to protesting, ACORN also developed and strengthened its political action committees and encouraged its members to run for office. For the 1984 Election ACORN wanted to endorse a candidate, setting a 75% support in polls among members as its requirement. No candidate reached that level, though there was strong support for Jesse Jackson. ACORN also established a legislative office that year in Washington, DC. During this period ACORN also focused on local election reform in a number of cities, including Pittsburgh, Columbia, South Carolina, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota, encouraging the change of at-large legislative bodies to district representation.

ACORN grew to twenty-seven states, adding chapters in New York City, Washington, DC, and Chicago, Illinois by the end of Reagan's first term.[26]

During the 1988 Election ACORN held its National Convention in the same city as the Democratic Convention — Atlanta, Georgia. During the preceding four years ACORN had strengthened its ties with Jesse Jackson and accounted for thirty Jackson delegates. It also sponsored a march at the convention.

ACORN's membership grew to 70,000 plus in twenty-eight states during this time. It increased its legislative lobbying efforts in Washington and strengthened its Politcal Action Committees (PACs). It also developed what it called the Affiliated Media Foundation Movement (AM/FM). Starting with station KNON in Dallas, AM/FM moved on to establish radio stations, UHF television and cable television programming. It also sought and received appointments to the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) which was formed to dissolve the assets of failed Savings and Loans resulting from the Savings and Loan crisis.

1988-1998: Focus on housing

ACORN member demonstrating against predatory lending

While some of ACORN’s most notable efforts were in the area of housing, it has counted health, public safety, education, representation, work and workers’ rights and communications concerns among its victories.

The 1990 ACORN convention in Chicago focused on the fast-breaking housing campaign. It featured a squatting demonstration at an RTC house. Later, ACORN members demanded cooperation from banks about providing loan data on low- and moderate-income communities and compliance with the 1977 Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

ACORN fought weakening of the CRA in 1991, staging a two-day takeover of the House Banking Committee hearing room. It also established ACORN Housing Corporation to service people moving into homes under the housing campaign, rehabilitated hundreds of houses addressed by CRA.

The ACORN convention in New York in 1992, called the "ACORN-Bank Summit", was organized to make deals with giant banks. When Citibank, the nation’s largest bank, did not participate conventioneers protested at its downtown Manhattan headquarters, and won a meeting to negotiate for similar programs.

ACORN supported and lobbied for the "Motor Voter" Act. After its passage, ACORN members attended President Clinton’s signing ceremony. ACORN then pursued new registration laws in Arkansas and Massachusetts and filed suit in Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania as a result of the act.

In 1993, ACORN also began a national campaign to fight insurance redlining, a practice that put the gains made in other housing campaigns at risk. The campaign targeted Allstate, hitting sales offices in fourteen cities and a stockholders meeting. Allstate agreed to negotiate and signed an agreement in 1994 for a $10 million partnership with ACORN and NationsBank for below-market mortgages to low-income homebuyers. Travelers Insurance agreed to a Neighborhood and Home Safety Program, linking access to insurance and lower rates to public safety programs.

In 1994, the group improperly used a $1.1 million grant from AmeriCorps for political purposes and the grant was terminated.[28][29]. Acorn says it does not now accept direct government funding and is not tax exempt.[30]

1998-2004: Building capacity

ACORN's subsequent activities have included its "Living Wage" programs, voter registration, and grassroots political organization.

In 1998 ACORN helped form the Working Families Party in New York which counts increasing the minimum wage as its centerpiece issue.

Dale Rathke, the brother of ACORN's founder Wade Rathke, was found to have embezzled $948,607.50 from the group and affiliated charitable organizations in 1999 and 2000. ACORN executives did not inform the board or law enforcement, but signed an enforceable restitution agreement with the Rathke family to repay the amount of the embezzlement. Wade Rathke stated to the New York Times that "the decision to keep the matter secret was not made to protect his brother but because word of the embezzlement would have put a “weapon” into the hands of [...] conservatives who object to [ACORN]'s often strident advocacy on behalf of low- and moderate-income families and workers." A whistleblower revealed the fraud in 2008, leading to the departure of both Dale and Wade Rathke.[31]

A March 27, 2003 decision of the National Labor Relations Board found that ACORN attempted to thwart union organizing efforts within its own organization by laying off two workers who were attempting to organize.[32] The two workers, both field organizers with ACORN, began discussions with the Service Employees International Union and later sought to organize under Industrial Workers of the World in response to their $16,000 annual salary for a 54-hour work week.[citation needed] The NLRB ordered the two employees be reinstated in their former jobs and ACORN cease from interrogating employees about organizing activity.[32]. ACORN has since strengthened its ties with the Service Employees International Union, which donates over two million dollars to ACORN each year,[33] often working collaboratively on issues (including health insurance costs and the minimum wage) and sharing office space.

In 2004, Florida ACORN helped to raise Florida's minimum wage by $1.00 an hour by lobbying for a minimum wage amendment to be placed on the ballot. Over 1 million Florida employees were affected by the raise, which is adjusted annually for inflation.

2004 saw ACORN become an international organization, opening offices in Canada, Peru, and beginning work in Dominican Republic. Since then offices have opened in Mexico and Argentina.

ACORN employees and voter registration fraud

In some locations, ACORN employees have submitted false voter registration forms rather than obtaining registrations from actual eligible voters.

  • In Ohio in 2004, four ACORN employees were indicted by a federal grand jury for submitting false voter registration forms.[34][35]
  • In January 2005 two Colorado ACORN workers were sentenced to community service for submitting false voter registrations.[36] ACORN's regional director said, "we find it abhorrent and do everything we can to prevent it from happening."[37]
  • On November 1, 2006, four part-time ACORN employees were indicted in Kansas City, Missouri for voter registration fraud. Prosecutors said the indictments are part of a national investigation.[38] ACORN said in a press release that it is in part responsible in these individuals being caught, has fired them, and has cooperated and publicly supported efforts to look into the validity of the allegations.[39]
  • ACORN was investigated in 2006 for submitting false voter registrations in St. Louis, Missouri. 1,492 fraudulent voter registrations were identified.[40][41]
  • In 2007, five Washington state ACORN workers were sentenced to jail time.[42] ACORN agreed to pay King County $25 000 for its investigative costs and acknowledged that the national organization could be subject to criminal prosecution if fraud occurs again. According to King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg, the misconduct was done "as an easy way to get paid [by ACORN], not as an attempt to influence the outcome of elections."[43][44]
  • In 2008, the Michigan Secretary of State office told the Detroit Free Press that ACORN had been submitting a sizeable number of duplicate and fraudulent applications to vote.[45] Oak Park town clerk Sandra Gadd said they have been seeing "lots of duplication from ACORN in recent months [...] They've been very cooperative [...] and they're willing to go door-to-door to do whatever they have to do to take care of this."
  • State authorities in Nevada raided ACORN's offices in Las Vegas in 2008, alleging that its canvassers produced forms with false names, fictional addresses, or famous personalities. Neither ACORN nor any employees, however, have been charged with fraud or other crimes.[46][47]
  • October 8, 2008, Missouri officials announced an investigation into alleged voter fraud concerning some ACORN registered names. Some names were listed multiple times, had fake/missing addresses, no drivers licenses, bad social security numbers, etc. [48]
  • As of October 9, 2008 the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has subpoenaed several individuals as part of a larger investigation into possible voter fraud by ACORN in Ohio.[49]
  • In Lake County, Indiana, ACORN submitted over 7,000 voter registration forms before the October 6 deadline. All of the first 2,100 forms processed were frauds and the remaining 5,000 have been placed aside for later processing to sort out the bogus forms from the legitimate ones. Sally LaSota, a Democratic member of the Election Board said that whoever filed the forms broke the law.[50]

ACORN and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008

During the debate on the bailout bill (the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008), some conservative commentators claimed that a plan to give money to funds run by the US Department of the Treasury, contained in Sen. Chris Dodd's draft version of the Act[51], could potentially lead to money flowing to groups like ACORN. Many Republicans object to ACORN receiving any government money, because, they say, it registers democratic-leaning voters at the same time it works on housing issues, with taxpayer money being used "to subsidize political activism." [4] This portion of the Dodd proposal never made it into the final bill and there were no specific earmarks for ACORN in any version of it (including the amendments to HR. 3997, which failed in the House on Sep. 29, 2008). When asked how much money ACORN or other community groups would get, Steven Adamske, spokesman for Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the Financial Services Committee said, "None. Absolutely none. All funds would go to state and local governments."[6]

Partisan dispute over ACORN

Some Democrats have championed ACORN's work in organizing and supporting the causes of people with low and moderate incomes, including its voter registration initiatives, support for lending to people with low incomes and advocacy for other community development assistance.[52] But the group has also been the focus of partisan controversy from Republicans over its support for Democratic candidates, voter outreach to persons who tend to favor Democrats, and over some of its advocacy work including on housing policies that some Republicans have blamed for contributing to the financial crisis.[4]

ACORN's political committees have sometimes endorsed Democratic candidates.[53] ACORN has a history of involvement at the Democratic party convention going back to the Carter and Kennedy nominations.[54] Its members have participated as delegates at the convention, in caucuses and primaries.[55] At past conventions ACORN has had a contingent of forty-two delegates and alternates.[56] ACORN has sought to empower low and moderate-income power in the Democratic party, but has also testified at the Republican Convention where a far smaller number of ACORN delegates have also been present.[57]

House of Representatives Republican leader John Boehner called for ACORN to be barred from receiving federal monies, and for a ban on ACORN contracting with candidates for federal office. He said, "ACORN spent decades promoting the housing policies that brought America's economy to the brink, and similarly over the years has committed fraud on our system of elections"[58]

In contrast, John Atlas writes in a Huffington Post editorial that ACORN has "accumulated many enemies" and has been "subjected to vicious attacks from business lobbyists, conservative politicians, and right-wing media." This same source alleges that the George W. Bush administration has sought to harass ACORN with accusation of voter fraud.[59] In a report released October 2008 the US Department of Justice Inspector General found that former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was wrongfully fired by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales after Iglesias declined to indict over alleged voter fraud at an ACORN affiliate in New Mexico, citing insufficient evidence.[60]

ACORN's association with Barack Obama

ACORN endorsed the candidacy of Barack Obama during the 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary.[61] Obama paid an ACORN affiliate, Citizens Services Inc. $800,000 for "get-out-the-vote" projects for his 2008 presidential primary campaign.[62] Obama's campaign has stated that it "is committed to protecting the integrity of the voting process" and is not working with ACORN for the general presidential election.[50]

References

  1. ^ Walls, David (1994). "Power to the People: Thirty-five Years of Community Organizing". The Workbook. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144
  3. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=1139&L=0%3Fid%3D8144
  4. ^ a b c d e Williamson, Elizabeth (July 31, 2008). "Democratic Ally Mobilizes In Housing Crunch". The Wall Street Journal. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/clyne200410311142.asp
  6. ^ a b Ryan Grim (September 27, 2008). "ACORN Issue Fueling Bailout Opposition". CBS News.
  7. ^ Las Vegas News-Review Oct. 8, 2008 http://www.lvrj.com/news/30613864.html
  8. ^ "Grapes of Rathke". The Wall Street Journal. November 8, 2006. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  9. ^ http://www.washtimes.com/news/2006/jan/03/20060103-093213-4084r/
  10. ^ http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12342
  11. ^ a b "ACORN Annual Report 2003". ACORN. 2003. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  12. ^ "Household Finance Settlement". Washington State Office of the Attorney General. 2003-12-05. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ ACORN affordable housing statement http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44
  14. ^ ACORN affordable housing statement http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=44
  15. ^ David Swanson (February 21, 2005). "Federal Minimum Wage 44% Below 1968 Level: Fighting for a Living Wage, State by State". Counterpunch. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
  16. ^ Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now v. Department of Industrial Relations, 41 Cal. App. 4th 298, 301 (Cal. Ct. App. 1995).
  17. ^ "Two years after Katrina, still fighting and winning". ACORN. 2005. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  18. ^ a b "School Overview". ACORN. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  19. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735
  20. ^ http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2001/03/14/26edison.h20.html
  21. ^ <http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=735>
  22. ^ Toutant, Charles (2006-12-20). "N.J. Judge Voids City's Gun Control Law". New Jersey Law Journal. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ Toutant, Charles (2006-12-20). "N.J. Judge Voids City's Gun Control Law". New Jersey Law Journal. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/opinions/a4443-06a4708-06.pdf
  25. ^ Stern, Sol (Spring 2003). "ACORN's Nutty Regime for Cities". City Journal. Retrieved 2007-01-24.
  26. ^ a b Delgado, Gary (1986). Organizing the Movement: The Roots and Growth of ACORN. Temple University Press. ISBN 0-87722-393-9. OCLC 12134922 59256995. {{cite book}}: Check |oclc= value (help)
  27. ^ "WESTERN HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION". UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS. 1980. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  28. ^ "Grapes of Rathke". The Wall Street Journal. November 8, 2006. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  29. ^ http://www.washtimes.com/news/2006/jan/03/20060103-093213-4084r/
  30. ^ http://acorn.org/index.php?id=12342
  31. ^ Strom, Stephanie (2008-08-09). "Funds Misappropriated at 2 Nonprofit Groups". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-08-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ a b "Decisions of the NLRB, 338-129" (pdf). National Labor Relations Board. 2003-03-27. Retrieved 2006-10-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ "The Wal-Mart Posse". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  34. ^ "The Acorn Indictments: A union-backed outfit faces charges of election fraud". The Wall Street Journal. 2006-11-03. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "New Registration Rules Stir Voter Debate in Ohio". The New York Times. 2006-08-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ "Briefing," Rocky Mountain News, 1/4/05, cited at http://discoverthenetwork.org/Articles/acornbackgro.html
  37. ^ "2 accused of fraud in voter registration". Boston Globe. 2004-10-28. Retrieved 2008-07-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ "ACORN Workers Indicted For Alleged Voter Fraud". KMBC-TV. 2006-11-01. Retrieved 2006-11-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ French, Antonio D. (2006-11-01). "4 ACORN Workers Indicted in KC". PubDef.net. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ Voter registration workers admit fraud
  41. ^ Rubin, Ann (2006-10-11). "St. Louis Election Board Investigating Voter Fraud". KSDK TV. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  42. ^ "Voter Fraud Watch: Could ACORN Scandal in Washington Have Been Avoided With Photo ID?". FOX News. 2008-05-02. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  43. ^ Ervin, Keith (2007-07-28). "Felony charges filed against 7 in state's biggest case of voter-registration fraud". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. ^ "Reform group turned in 2000 suspicious voter registrations". Seattle Post Intelligencer. 2007-02-23. Retrieved 2007-11-12. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Check date values in: |date= (help); Missing pipe in: |first= (help)
  45. ^ Bad voter applications found, September 14, 2008
  46. ^ "ACORN Vegas Office Raided in Voter Fraud Investigation". Fox News. 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-10-07.
  47. ^ Oct. 8, 2008 News-Journal http://www.lvrj.com/news/30613864.html
  48. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081009/ap_on_el_ge/voter_fraud_6
  49. ^ http://www.nypost.com/seven/10092008/news/politics/nuts__132771.htm NUTS! HOW ACORN GOT ME INTO VOTE SCAM
  50. ^ a b http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/09/acorn.fraud.claims/index.html Thousands of voter registration forms faked, officials say
  51. ^ http://www.politico.com/static/PPM41_ayo08b28.html
  52. ^ http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=289192
  53. ^ "ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorses Obama" (Press release).
  54. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730
  55. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730
  56. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730
  57. ^ http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=730
  58. ^ Politico (9 October 2008). "Boehner escalates war on ACORN". Politico.
  59. ^ John Atlas (July 14, 2008). "ACORN Under The Microscope". The Huffington Post.
  60. ^ |author=US Department of Justice Inspector General|title= An Investigation into the Removal of Nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006, pgs 156-167 and 190
  61. ^ "ACORN's Political Action Committee Endorses Obama" (Press release).
  62. ^ Brown, David (August 22, 2008). "Obama to amend report on $800,000 in spending". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 2008-10-09.

Bibliography

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Port_Charles_(fictional_city)&oldid=244481380"