Why Acorn won.

The court ruled that Congress violated the U.S. Constitution "by singling out ACORN and its affiliates for severe sweeping restrictions" and that such action constitutes illegal punishment or a "bill of attainder."

What is a bill of attainder? Even most lawyers have no idea. Bills of attainder are acts of congress which unilaterally punish an individual or organization. Essentially Congress acts as prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner.

The U.S. Constitution has prohibited bills of attainder since 1787. U.S. founders objected to bills of attainder because in England Parliament passed many such bills against political enemies, used them to throw people in prison and even execute them without trial.

Congress punished ACORN without even trying to figure out if any laws had been broken or allowing the 500,000 member organization to defend itself.