http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/05/24/sen-shelby-slams-census-bureau-allowing-sex-offenders-door-door/Someone claiming to be from the bureau called my wife's cell phone last week, started off by attempting to intimidate her by rattling off a bunch of random legal references, concluded with "you have to answer all the questions." My wife had filled the forms out completely, mailed them in; when she mentioned that they said that they did not have access to the form. They wanted 30 mins to ask her questions over the phone. I was standing there, I told her to ask them to call back later and talk to me. I don't give out personal information on the phone to anyone, especially when they start with intimidation. They've never called.
We looked up the number, and lots of folks have received that call. It appears as though a contractor was hired to run the phone campaign - the number is not on any official census website, and evidently full time census workers (not the new hire) are uncertain who is calling, and why. Makes me think that they went ahead and hired ACORN anyway, but a different puppet company under a different name, and gave them the foot patrol and the phone intimidation. Someone else may speak on the legal issues, but I don't think cooperating with the law requires divulging private information over the phone to strangers, or placing your family in jeapordy by having a registered sex offender knock on your door during the day when your wife and kids are home.
