A federal judge has blocked the congressional effort to de-fund the anti-poverty group ACORN. On Friday, Judge Nina Gershon sided with ACORN’s argument that a measure stripping its federal funding amounted to an unconstitutional “bill of attainder.” The congressional vote followed the release of videos appearing to show ACORN offering advice to two right-wing activists posing as a pimp and prostitute. ACORN has long been a target of right-wing scorn for its work helping poor people with voter registration, tax problems and foreclosures.