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Sharpton Allegedly Took $500k in Illegal Contributions
By
Billy Parker
Published Nov 15, 2008
Modified Nov 15, 2008
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By
Billy Parker
Published Nov 15, 2008
Modified Nov 15, 2008
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Photo Courtesy AP/Louis Lanzano
After an audit by the Federal Election Commission, Al Sharpton is being forced to pay back almost $500,000 for what they have deemed illegal campaign contributions during his 2004 run for president. The FEC is nailing Sharpton for not delineating between donations for his campaign and money coming in for his National Action Network. The report says that "virtually no effort was made" to show which funds were for which.
Among the charges in question include a 2004 birthday party in which the NAN and Sharpton 2004 campaign split the bill. The Post also points out that the Sharpton "lived lavishly in top hotels" while making charges on his American Express that fell under the umbrella of his campaign. The preacher-turned-politician was already forced to return $100,000 in federal matching funds following an investigation in 2005.
Sharpton has already issued a statementstating that he is going to appeal the FEC's decision, saying, "If I was a senator or a congressman, and I operated between Washington and my home district and went on foreign trips, they would say, 'You're doing your job.' But ... if I travel for the National Action Network ... they're charging that to the campaign. Why is it a different rule for me?"
Tagged
al sharpton
campaign contribution
campaign finance
election 2004
federal election comission
matching funds
national action network
reverend al sharpton
Billy Parker
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