A national leader of ACORN says the embattled community activist group has not received money from the state of Mississippi.

Brian Kettenring, deputy director of national operations for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, told The Clarion-Ledger he believes Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour was “playing politics” by saying last week that the state would cut off funding for ACORN.

Kettenring said ACORN assisted Mississippians after Hurricane Katrina but received no state funding. He said the group also has helped people renegotiate mortgages to avoid foreclosure.