ACORN dispute fans Florida political fire

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Sept. 18 (UPI) -- The ACORN video controversy brought out a sea of angry voices in Florida with Gov. Charlie Crist flooded with queries about ties with the group, officials say.

Crist said an investigation was under way into the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now's activities in Florida and stressed that the national group had not received tax money through the legislative appropriation process, The Miami Herald reported Friday.

Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio of Miami, Crist's challenger for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate in 2010, fanned the Florida firestorm in a letter to Crist released to reporters.

Alluding to comments Crist made in October that he did not think voter fraud allegations tied to ACORN were a major problem in Florida, Rubio suggest he reconsider his position.

He urged a thorough investigation and full accounting of any influence ACORN may have had in the effort to change Florida's law denying voting rights to certain ex-felons.

The group helped register hundreds of thousands of voters nationwide before the 2008 election

ACORN's reputation has been further tainted by the appearance of hidden-camera videos last week showing workers giving tax advice to a couple posing as a prostitute and her pimp.

The group has ordered an internal investigation.