Sharpton candidacy fund raising
Interesting report in the
NY Post regarding Al Sharpton's presidential campaign and some fund raising issues:
bq.
Call it the politics of personal enrichment.
No wonder the Rev. Al Sharpton - finishing way back in the pack yesterday in South Carolina, just weeks after being handed a hefty $5,500 fine from the Federal Election Commission - is so committed to his presidential campaign.
bq. That's where the money is.
bq. Sharpton's records show that his campaign's biggest billing client may well be - Al Sharpton. The reverend was paid $31,243 for "fund-raising reimbursement" and other expenses.
bq. Which is interesting, considering that the campaign hasn't even raised that much money. Plus, Sharpton is owed another $91,000 in "reimbursement expenses" and $19,799 in "reimbursement services" for credit-card purchases.
bq. Nice work if you can get it.
bq. It's quite clear what's going on here: Sharpton is using the campaign to funnel money to himself. The irony is that the campaign is broke - with barely $7,000 in the bank - but the Rev will likely see a payday. He's hoping to hang around long enough to qualify for federal matching funds so that tax dollars will flow to his campaign - and on into his pockets.
bq. None of this should surprise, coming as it does after reports of Sharpton's use of the campaign to treat himself to high-priced hotels and other travel perks around the country.
bq. Al Sharpton is running another scam.
If the FEC lets him get away with it - well, shame on the FEC.
Sigh... This guy is notorious for these things and he still gets away with it. They are never bad enough to warrant a large outcry so he is able to slide under the public radar and continue being a repeat offender.
Posted by DaveH at February 4, 2004 10:51 AM