US News

ACORN decides to shut down

CHICAGO — The once mighty community activist group ACORN says it’s folding.

National ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan says the organization’s board decided to close remaining state affiliates and field offices by April 1 because of falling revenues. Some other national operations will continue operating for at least several weeks before shutting for good.

Scandal enveloped the organization six months ago when video footage emerged showing ACORN workers giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute.

Several big affiliates, including ACORN New York and California, broke away this year and changed their names in a bid to ditch the tarnished image of their parent organization and restore funding that ran dry in the wake of the video scandal.