Sen. Michelle McManus, who is a GOP candidate for Secretary of State, put out a “special alert” Wednesday afternoon declaring she was “taking on ACORN.”

In the e-mail alert, McManus argues that her Senate Campaign and Election Oversight Committee will take up her legislation to “to clamp down on voter fraud by groups like ACORN. As part of my pledge to put rows of sharp teeth in Michigan election law, this package increases the penalties for voter fraud and expands the definition of who can be charged with violations to include organizations, not just individuals.”

The McManus bill targets the act of paying people to register voters. Republicans argue that the financial incentive of false registrations leads to voter fraud.

For all practical purposes, ACORN no longer exists in Michigan; they pulled up stakes and closed all their offices earlier this year. But hey, what’s a little fact in creating a boogeyman to scare Michigan residents with? After all, she has to win a primary challenge against the likes of Sen. Cameron Brown, a conservative Republican from Fawn River Township in St. Joseph county. She is also fending off Rep. Paul Scott, a Flint Republican, and Calhoun County Clerk Ann Norlander.

Back in February, McManus told Michigan Messenger one of her promises if elected as Secretary of State would be targeting the community organizing group.

And I’m also interested in taking on groups like ACORN that, you know, promote fraud and, you know, come into Michigan when they shouldn’t be here.

And just to keep the fear mongering ratcheted up, McManus attacks legislation the House is taking up Wednesday afternoon which would allow people to register to vote online.

Meanwhile, the House today is considering legislation to put voter registration online, giving groups like ACORN another open door to manipulate our election process.

At least one state in the country, Washington, allows online registration for voters so long as they have a current Washington state driver’s license or identification card.