Controversial activist group ACORN has fired the longtime companion of founder Wade Rathke over apparent concerns about a lack of "accountability" in her work leading the Louisiana chapter in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Beth Butler was the director of that chapter and close to Rathke, whose | Butler said she was fired because she refused to fire members of a land trust board whom national ACORN leaders wanted ousted. She said ACORN national is "going out of business" and wanted the board gone to seize control of its funds and assets. She called the ordeal "all completely inappropriate and unethical." |
A statement by ACORN chief executive officer Bertha Lewis did not specify why she fired Butler. "I took over as ACORN's CEO last summer, and I vowed accountability at every level of the organization," Lewis said in her statement. "The work of ACORN members everywhere -- especially in Louisiana where the members have fought heroically to bring the city back post-Katrina -- is too important to not have full accountability."
Butler said she was fired because she refused to fire members of a land trust board whom national ACORN leaders wanted ousted. She said ACORN national is "going out of business" and wanted the board gone to seize control of its funds and assets. She called the ordeal "all completely inappropriate and unethical."
The missing $1 million is still an open case. The Rathke family and a donor repaid the money and no charges were brought, but Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell has said his office is investigating the embezzlement allegations.
In a subpoena seeking ACORN financial records, Caldwell's office said $5 million was embezzled, but ACORN said he was mistaken and insisted the sum hadn't changed.
