(Thumbnail Image: ACORN)

ACORN has fallen from the tree. ACORN, the community organizing group known for recruiting unregistered, low-income voters, says it’s shutting down.

“The reason for closing? Not enough funding. Most offices could be closed by next week. You might recall last year when video showed some of its workers giving tax tips to activists that were posing as a pimp and a prostitute.”

ACORN's announcement comes on the heels of The New York Times printing a correction about a story it ran on that video scandal. The Times reported that filmmaker James O’Keefe was wearing a flashy costume to pose as a pimp when he went into ACORN, but he wore no such costume. The Village Voice says the Times is partially to blame for the outcry against ACORN.

“…the same week's admiring profile of O'Keefe, 'A Political Gadfly Lampoons the Left via YouTube,'…describes O'Keefe puckishly scamming the 'credulous' and 'clueless.' Like, for instance, the Times.”

Even though O’Keefe didn’t wear a costume, he did imply to ACORN workers that he was a pimp. And CNN points out that ACORN is no stranger to scandal. The group is still facing charges of voter registration fraud.

“That happened during voter registration drives in 2008, and that’s where the Mickey Mouse came in because as you probably remember, somebody put Mickey Mouse as a registered voter on one of those lists that they were collecting, so that did ACORN in as well.”

Kansas City Star editorial columnist says ACORN’s checkered past means people won’t miss it.

“The death of ACORN is around the corner, but its demise won't be mourned by enough Americans. That's what happens when your credibility goes ‘poof.’”

Still, some say ACORN faced unfair scrutiny. Congress voted to cut its funding to ACORN, but a judge found that unconstitutional just last week. ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis says the group has faced “right wing attacks that are unprecedented since the McCarthy era.” Mother Jones’ Adam Weinstein agrees.

“Who's next? The Salvation Army?...angry white-guyism — rule of the Archie Bunkers, by the Archie Bunkers, for the Archie Bunkers — simply can't deal with a grassroots organization to agitate for progressive reforms.”

And after all this, there’s speculation that ACORN might not be totally dead.

“There are allegations that it has reincorporated and rebranded other local organizations around the country, such as a New York office. It’s called New York communities for change, and in California the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. So critics say ACORN really isn’t going out of business.”

We leave you with the famous footage from last year’s scandal.

“What you gonna have to do is say you’re getting a gift from somebody.
OK.
OK, but, the money got to go in the bank.
I’m using the money she’s getting, you know what I mean?
OK, but you don’t know where it’s coming from.
But it’s cash.
I personally know where it’s coming from.
Right, but when the police ask you, you don’t know where it’s coming from, is what we’re trying to tell you. We’re looking out for you.”

Written by: Lauren Zima

Produced by: Newsy Staff