What we used to call a CARPET BAGGER a long time ago!
"Sharpton denounces US probe into his finances"
"
NEW YORK - The Rev. Al Sharpton angrily denounced federal authorities yesterday for investigating him and his civil rights organization, suggesting that the Justice Department was retaliating against him for his civil rights advocacy.
"I have probably been under every investigation known to man, and I can't remember a time that I've not been under investigation," Sharpton said at the Harlem headquarters of his civil rights organization. "The issues raised are issues that we've learned over and over again, particularly when we are approaching an election season."
The FBI and the IRS are investigating Sharpton for tax fraud and possible campaign finance violations stemming from his 2004 presidential bid, according to a person familiar with the investigation. They also are investigating the National Action Network and several businesses he runs.
A Brooklyn grand jury is scheduled to begin hearing evidence in the case at the end of the month.
Sharpton said he thought the timing of the investigation was suspicious, occurring just weeks after he led a march on the Justice Department to demand federal intervention in the "Jena Six" case in Louisiana and better enforcement of hate crimes.
The charges against the six black students accused of attacking a white student in Jena, La., led to the September demonstration by Sharpton and other activists, who alleged local authorities were prosecuting blacks more harshly than whites.
Sharpton and his lawyer said between eight and 10 Sharpton associates, employees, and former employees received subpoenas asking them to produce documents related to Sharpton's and his organization's finances."Makes me laugh to hear Big Al cry persecution!
And this just DRIVES the FURTHER DIVISION in this country!
Especially since Big Al is a liar about Jena!
"Sharpton Denounces U.S. for Serving Subpoenas at 6 A.M."
"One day after F.B.I. agents served subpoenas at the homes of several of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s current and former aides as part of a federal investigation into his 2004 presidential campaign, Mr. Sharpton on Thursday denounced the law enforcement officers’ tactics.
The subpoenas ordered the aides to produce by Dec. 26 financial records concerning Mr. Sharpton’s civil rights organization and other businesses, as well as personal financial documents for a federal grand jury in Brooklyn, Mr. Sharpton and his lawyers said.
At a news conference at the Harlem headquarters of the National Action Network, the civil rights organization he heads, Mr. Sharpton said the subpoenas, which were reported on Thursday in The Daily News and The New York Post, were intended to intimidate and to disrupt the work of his civil rights organization.
“Every major civil rights leader I can think of — from Martin Luther King Jr. to Marcus Garvey to Adam Clayton Powell — has had to face this kind of harassment,” he said. “I certainly am not in their league, but I certainly expected that that would become my lot.”
Mr. Sharpton said his lawyers had already turned over all of the financial data that has been requested by the Internal Revenue Service and other federal authorities.
He said his lawyers had also been in contact with the I.R.S. and other federal officials within the past two weeks and had no indication that subpoenas would be issued.
“They’ve got all our books,” Mr. Sharpton said. “I should be asking them to give me the records back so at the end of the year — we got to get ready for taxes and Santa Claus.”
Spokesmen for the F.B.I. and the I.R.S. and the United States attorney’s office in Brooklyn, which are conducting the investigation, declined to comment on both the investigation and Mr. Sharpton’s allegations. But agents sometimes serve subpoenas to witnesses at their homes early in the morning, rather than later in the day at their workplace, to avoid embarrassing them.
Mr. Sharpton said that among those served subpoenas at their homes by F.B.I. agents on Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. were four National Action Network employees, all of them women, including secretaries and a press spokeswoman.
He criticized the authorities for “swooping down” on the women, “treating single mothers like they’re in the Cosa Nostra.”
Mr. Sharpton said, “Even I would have thought that they would not have handled a matter like this in such a disrespectful and insensitive way.”
Charlie King, the network’s acting executive director, said the four had already been interviewed by investigators.
“They’re looking at things that haven’t taken place for several years,” Mr. King said. “Why then if that’s the case did they have to come and knock on employees’ doors — who they have spoken to in the past, and who I’ve made readily accessible to answer any questions they have about anything — at 6 o’clock in the morning?’
One of the employees was Rachel Noerdlinger, Mr. Sharpton’s spokeswoman.
“It was an apparent scare tactic that will backfire,” she said at the news conference.
Mr. Sharpton said he did not know precisely how many of his current and former employees had been subpoenaed, but he believed it was “9 or 10.” He also said he did not know the exact nature of the federal investigation. He did not provide copies of any subpoenas at the news conference.
“I have probably been under every investigation known to man, and I can’t remember a time when I have not been under investigation,” he said. “I’m used to operating under investigation.”
One person briefed on the inquiry said that four subpoenas seeking documents were served on Wednesday. The investigation, which appears to be in its early stages, is focused on federal election law and campaign finance violations in connection with Mr. Sharpton’s 2004 presidential bid as well as tax issues related to the National Action Network, the person said.
After his 2004 campaign, Mr. Sharpton was ordered to repay about $100,000 in matching taxpayer funds because he had spent almost double the legal limit of his own money on the campaign.
On Thursday, Mr. Sharpton questioned the timing of the federal subpoenas, suggesting they might be linked to his recent criticism of the Bush administration and to his plans to make a presidential endorsement within the next few weeks.
But he said, “This will in no way alter our activities."
Arrogant Al! Like the whole world revolves around him!
Frikkin' division-driving shyster!
