Local ACORN leaders plan break from national group
by Bill Barrow - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Several Louisiana ACORN leaders, including the recently ousted state leader, will announce today that they have started a new organization under the same name after national authorities of the community action network voted to take over the chapter. A written preview of a news conference scheduled for today at 3 p.m. in Light City Church, 6117 St. Claude Avenue, says the event will include "Louisiana ACORN Executive Director Beth Butler," who was fired from that post Oct. 12 by national ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis. The document states that Butler will be joined by several Louisiana ACORN officers, board members and the head organizers for the state chapter and the New Orleans regional chapter, all of whom apparently are leaving their posts within the existing structure. Both sides have given every indication that the tug-of-war over the name and resources will end up in court. The split from the national organization apparently has been in the offing since national leaders last year pushed out ACORN founder Wade Rathke after disclosures that his brother, Dale Rathke, had embezzled from the organization, but later paid back, more than $1 million.