Acorn Tax Assistance Letter

AGBRlI IRS Director Commisioner of Intemal Revenue Douslas Shulman Internal Revenue Service 111 I Constitution Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20224 -0002

September 21 , 2009

ACORN has been pleased these past few years to work with the Internal Revenue Service to help lowand moderate-income families save hundreds of dollars each tax season by working with ACORN to receive free tax filing assistance. As you know, through this partnership, ACORN has become one ofthe largest parlicipants in the SPEC program. Since 2004, we have helped nearly 150,000 families with tax preparation, generating $86 million in earned income tax gredit (EITC) refunds and $190 million in overall refunds for lowand moderate-income taxpayers. As you know, ACORN has been the target of a sustained attack from conservative forces for a number

ofyears. Recent videos generated by conservative activists, including one from our tax clinic in Baltimore, MD, have raised questions about our service programs. That is why I have suspended new clients into our service programs and am naming an independent review of these programs. Today I want to notify you that for the 2009 tax season, I am suspending all ACORN tax preparation services. It is clear that our the independent review will not be complete in time to allow these tax clinics to adequately prepare for the upcoming tax season. Upon completion of this review, we will revisit our participation in your programs. Yours,

&frrV*ur,^/iK Bertha Lewis, CEO ACORN