FALLS CHURCH, Va., Nov. 15 VA-NLPC-Sharpton-FEC
FALLS CHURCH, Va., Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Legal
and Policy Center (NLPC) today welcomed media reports that Federal Election
Commission (FEC) auditors have concluded that Al Sharpton owes the government
$486,803 as the result of campaign law violations related to his 2004
presidential campaign.
NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm stated, "We are delighted that the FEC has finally
acted on our allegation that Sharpton ran an 'off the books' presidential
campaign. As we documented, the irregularities in the financing of his
campaign were extensive."
Boehm continued, "Al Sharpton is notorious for not paying his bills. The
FEC must utilize all legal means at its disposal to recover this money."
NLPC filed two formal FEC Complaints against Sharpton.
The first, filed on April 18, 2003, resulted in a Conciliation Agreement
under which Sharpton had to pay a $5,500 fine for late filing of disclosure
documents report.
The second Complaint, filed on February 2, 2004, cited information that
Sharpton may have visited over 100 cities related to his presidential campaign
in 2002 and 2003. This extensive political travel was not reflected anywhere
in Sharpton's FEC filings. NLPC alleged that Sharpton's nonprofit group, the
National Action Network (NAN), might have underwritten this travel with large
undisclosed gifts from unnamed donors.
Last summer, NLPC criticized federal prosecutors when they decided not to
seek criminal charges against Sharpton for tax evasion after a grand jury
investigation. NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm said, "It seemed like Sharpton got
preferential treatment. Anyone else would have been indicted."
According to media reports, the IRS levied a $931,397 lien on Sharpton.
New York city and state officials alleged another $933,577 in unpaid taxes.
Additionally, NAN reported in its most recent tax filing that it owed $1.9
million in payroll taxes and related interest.
NLPC has been a critic of corporate support for Sharpton and NAN. NLPC
President Peter Flaherty has raised the issue at the annual meetings of
PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch and Colgate-Palmolive. In May, Flaherty belittled
Colgate-Palmolive Chairman Reuben Mark for accepting a "corporate excellence"
award from Sharpton.
NLPC promotes ethics in public life.
SOURCE National Legal and Policy Center
