Sharpton’s donors hear from the IRS
posted at 9:25 am on June 19, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Al Sharpton spent 2004 running for President in the Democratic primaries, but will spend 2008 running from the IRS. Subpoenas have been received by corporate donors to his organization, the National Action Network, which also faces a federal probe for its disclosure deficiencies. Sharpton owes at least six figures in personal back taxes alone, according to the New York Post (via Instapundit):
The probe into the Rev. Al Sharpton’s finances intensified this week, with the IRS sending out a flurry of subpoenas to his most generous corporate donors, The Post has learned.
Anheuser-Busch, the brewer of Budweiser and Michelob, confirmed yesterday that it received a federal subpoena in connection to its charitable giving to Sharpton’s National Action Network. …
As of 2006, the most recent year that financial documents for the group are publicly available, it owed $1.9 million in payroll taxes and penalties. … Personally, Sharpton owes $931,397 in federal taxes and $365,558 in New York City taxes, according to an IRS lien.
What a shock! Who would have guessed that a man who made his national reputation by falsely accusing someone of rape would have stiffed the IRS?
Sharpton insists that the probes are all politically motivated. However, the initial probe into NAN’s disclosure filings started with Andrew Cuomo’s office, whose party affiliation matches that of Sharpton — Democrat. Cuomo turned over the investigation to the feds during the past year, but initially Cuomo suspected NAN of breaking state laws regarding its finances.
Maybe Sharpton’s trying to help Al Franken by showing how much worse Democrats can get at paying the taxes they insist on increasing for everyone else. Franken’s failure in New York involved workers-comp coverage for his employees; for NAN, payroll taxes went unpaid. Both politicians talk about supporting the “working man”. These Democrats seem to have trouble matching their rhetoric to their actions.
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Let’s see if his Sharptongue can get him out of this mess.
jgapinoy on June 19, 2008 at 9:28 AM
Which presidential candidate does he support again?
Syd B. on June 19, 2008 at 9:33 AM
Hopefully, Sharpie will end up in the clink which means that Hannity won’t be able to interview him for a few years.
Akzed on June 19, 2008 at 9:34 AM
Tawana Brawley, 8 killed at Harlem clothing store under Sharpton’s instigation, race pimp, community disorganizer, con artist, extortionist.
I hardly think this will phase him, or his racist supporters, or the Reverend’s flock, or the Reverend’s God.
JiangxiDad on June 19, 2008 at 9:34 AM
That’s a distraction.
OneGyT on June 19, 2008 at 9:35 AM
Whitey must be holding him down.
pb5000 on June 19, 2008 at 9:35 AM
Good point. I can’t stand the fact that Hannity helps in Sharpton’s phony rehabilitation. Same with Pat Robertson for appearing with him in on the couch in that despicable global warming ad.
Any decent society would shun that scum. It’s a stain on our characters that he’s allowed such a microphone.
JiangxiDad on June 19, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Remember, Liberals only want YOU to pay taxes. Liberals only want YOU to be poor. Liberals only want YOU to cut your energy consumption. Their rules are meant only for YOU to follow, not them.
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 9:38 AM
He’ll go to trial and eventually walk after a hung jury and a mistrial. No matter how guilty he actually is, there will be at least one or two people on the jury who will refuse to convict him.
OJ Justice – Sharpton will get away with living like a king off of money that was donated to help “poor people”.
BuzzCrutcher on June 19, 2008 at 9:41 AM
I think our true society does. The problem is, the people with the megaphones, the media, try hard to convince us otherwise.
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 9:41 AM
And Bill O’Reilly kisses his ass! I wanted to vomit when, after the Duke case completely unraveled, O’Reilly had Sharpton on and searched for an analogy to what had happened and for the life of him, O’Reilly couldn’t come up with the perfect one, Tawana Brawley. Now he demogoges oil just like the Libs. What a phony.
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 9:45 AM
You Republican hacks.
Whats that? Cuomo is involved?
Crap.
You racists.
Bishop on June 19, 2008 at 9:46 AM
Everything just came into focus. Now I understand the Dems attitude towards tax increases.
Raising taxes has no effect on people who don’t pay them.
fogw on June 19, 2008 at 9:52 AM
This is why I can’t see Barack winning the election. Fat Al has got to come with some cash to pay his debts. He gets money from strong arming companies by using his racist rhetoric. The so-called “black leaders” will not allow Obama to be elected. If Barry is elected, the race hustlers have nothing to complain about, and therefore, their funds dry up.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on June 19, 2008 at 9:53 AM
I remember Sharpton boasting years ago that he doesn’t pay taxes. What I want to know is, why did it take the IRS so long to act? If this had been any other citizen, they’d have been in jail (or on probation, and making large payments on their IRS re-payment schedule) years ago.
AZCoyote on June 19, 2008 at 9:54 AM
I hold very little hope that Al Sharpton will ever be held accountable for anything. Tax matters are only serious for those of us not in possession of a bully pulpit.
Old Rev. Al will just go to the Grand Havana Room, light up his cigar, and threaten his way out of this. Like always.
Gilda on June 19, 2008 at 9:55 AM
This culture war cannot last forever. Time moves on, people die. Don’t know how it will end, but end it will.
JiangxiDad on June 19, 2008 at 9:56 AM
Will he get a trial jury for tax evasion? It wouldn’t be a civil suit. Would it? Can someone with more knowledge of law comment on this?
robblefarian on June 19, 2008 at 9:57 AM
Everything is political. That’s the situation we’re in. Bush is a criminal, because Bush is a republican.
Sharpton is a hero because he is a democrat, and prosecuting him makes him a political prisoner.
rockhauler on June 19, 2008 at 9:59 AM
Sure, it’s easy to call for increased taxes if you aren’t planning on paying them.
James on June 19, 2008 at 9:59 AM
It’s about damn time.
drjohn on June 19, 2008 at 10:02 AM
If the 501C3 fit, you gotta acquit!
drjohn on June 19, 2008 at 10:04 AM
Say it ain’t so, Al! So when is the IRS and the FBI going to get around to ‘Shakedown Jackson’?
GarandFan on June 19, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Has anyone not figured out yet that “Reverend” Al Sharpton is nothing but a shakedown artist/con man? Birds of a feather with fellow shakedown artist/con man “Reverend” Jesse Jackson.
DavePa on June 19, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Can’t wait to hear Bill O’s “No Spin” on this one…
maintenanceman on June 19, 2008 at 10:14 AM
No Justice. No Pizza.
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on June 19, 2008 at 10:14 AM
Time for BO to throw his latest under the bus.
jgapinoy on June 19, 2008 at 10:21 AM
BO’s press release ” That isn’t the Al I once knew”.
David in ATL on June 19, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Was he a subject in the syphilis studies?
Beto Ochoa on June 19, 2008 at 10:24 AM
No one’s asked the important question yet: how will this help Michelle Obama’s kids?
Vic on June 19, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Another democrat involved in non-payment of taxes. What a non-surprise.
becki51758 on June 19, 2008 at 10:37 AM
But its RAAAACCCCIIISSSSTTTTTT for the pooor Black Man to have to pay Whitey’s taxes…
Romeo13 on June 19, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Wow! You hate O’Reilly! I didn’t know that. THANKS! For bringing up O’Reilly in the page about Al Sharpton and telling us all what your opinion of O’Reily. THANKS AGAIN, TheBigOldDog !!!!!
wise_man on June 19, 2008 at 10:40 AM
The list, so far, is as follows:
Keith Olbermann
Al Franken
Al Sharpton
Who else?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on June 19, 2008 at 10:41 AM
I would think he’d find a way to get an Obama pardon if worse came to worse. Tony is waiting on the same thing.
I feel the same way about Bill. I think the show is great but I hate when he sucks up to Sharpton. He says its cause he needs him to come back on, so they act civil. Atleast Sean called him out on the Tawana thing, but then acts nicely on the show.
Lets hope this gives them enough ammo to create a bigger case against him, like extortion.
Rbastid on June 19, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Couldn’t happen to a nicer jackass. :)
irishspy on June 19, 2008 at 10:52 AM
Wesley Snipes.
fogw on June 19, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Time for the IRS to crack down on the charlatans and on their phony inner city churches which are nothing but democrat campaigning forums.
whitetop on June 19, 2008 at 11:20 AM
How about Willie Nelson?? Pete Rose? Marc Anthony? and was Leona Helmsley a democrat? hmm
Im also not real sure about the others political affiliation..but I’ll find out! :)
becki51758 on June 19, 2008 at 11:24 AM
How does Jesse Jackson and his family beer business figure into this? And it sounds like Sharpton was asking for donations while threatening to boycott. Sounds like blackmail to me. Maybe besides the IRS the rest of the alphabet should get involved (RICO).
dalec on June 19, 2008 at 11:33 AM
I haven’t been a fan of Pat Robertson and as a Christian have voiced my complaints at the right times. I too got upset when I saw him warming up to Al Sharpton on the couch.
What’s the word, oh yeah, TOOL!
shick on June 19, 2008 at 11:40 AM
How has he not been investigated before?!? Isn’t threatening a company with a boycott unless they give him money considered extortion? This is a serious inquiry btw.
davenp35 on June 19, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Someone needs to put this up top somewhere it needs to go viral Tim Russert’s Rainbows. Somewhere Over the Rainbow- Dreams really do come true.
http://advanceindiana.blogspot.com/2008/06/tim-russerts-rainbow.html
Dr Evil on June 19, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Next headline…
Kini on June 19, 2008 at 12:30 PM
No, no! You’ve got it wrong! He wasn’t failing to pay his taxes! He was staging a boycott of the racist IRS!
morganfrost on June 19, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Race hustling poverty pimp shakes down major corporations to prevent boycotts of their products. Said race hustling poverty pimp fails to pay taxes on the shakedown loot. Priceless.
Lunkinator on June 19, 2008 at 1:18 PM
The least you can do is pay taxes on the money you get unlawfully.
EJDolbow on June 19, 2008 at 1:27 PM
It won’t matter, he will be considered a hero for beating the system.
Raise the taxes on the rich, to support the tax dodgers.
right2bright on June 19, 2008 at 1:31 PM
You’re very welcome. Count on happening whenever I think it will piss you off.
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 1:31 PM
This is my second read of this story and comments: It’s funnier the second time. Too bad I cant remember how to spell schaudenfreud because that is truly the best description of my reaction to this story. I am so tired of this race-baiting jackass.
HawaiiLwyr on June 19, 2008 at 1:49 PM
OT alert: Speaking of jackasses: Did Mark Lamont Hill sell his soul to the devil? How is it this ignorant liberal stooge manages to get himself on tv everyday???
HawaiiLwyr on June 19, 2008 at 1:52 PM
Rev Al has been in my home town of Charlotte over the last week accusing our police of acting as judge and jury by shooting a guy who ran from them and pulled a gun. The fact that he had a rap sheet a mile long is just a distraction.
gregc on June 19, 2008 at 2:43 PM
That’s so cool that you like to piss people off in a page about Al Sharpton by annoying us all to say that you hate Bill O’Reilly. Well, for you I guess.
wise_man on June 19, 2008 at 3:01 PM
I would love for someone to do a retrospective where are they now how have they fared, all the people who insisted Imus be fired? The Rev Al Sharpton is one and here is another one.
http://thecanessacorner.blogspot.com/2008/06/espncoms-jemele-hill-crosses-line-with.html
Dr Evil on June 19, 2008 at 4:32 PM
Speaking of questionable or illegal donations–
Why isn’t anyone doing anything about Team Obama’s decision to not require documentaion on their doners? A checked box does not prove their millions of donors sending money from outside the country, are, in fact, US citizens. Part of Obama’s millions may be coming from every left-wing European and radical Islamist in the world.
Ragnell on June 19, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Did I mention that your buddy O’Reilly kisses Sharpton’s ass every chance he gets? Did I mention he never had the courage to bring up TB when discussing the Duke abomination with Sharpton? If not, consider it done!
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 4:48 PM
TW, you seem to only be the only one annoyed. You should really learn not to speak for other people. It’s very disrespectful.
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Push this one “under the carpet” REV.
pueblo1032 on June 20, 2008 at 11:20 AM
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