FEC Asked to Withhold Sharpton's Matching Funds

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) announced that it will file an amendment today to its Feb. 2 complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging additional violations of federal campaign law by Rev. Al Sharpton and others.

The amendment will update the Feb. 2 complaint to reflect information contained in a February 3 Village Voice article by Wayne Barrett titled "Sleeping With the GOP: A Bush Covert Operative Takes Over Sharpton's Campaign" ( http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0405/barrett.php ).

The Village Voice article has attracted attention across the political spectrum. Rush Limbaugh discussed it as the first item on his show yesterday. Democracy Now, a left-leaning radio program hosted by Amy Goodman, interviewed Barrett yesterday.

The amended complaint asks the FEC to withhold federal matching funds from Sharpton's campaign until the allegations contained in the complaint are investigated. The Barrett article details the dubious circumstances surrounding a campaign by consultant Roger Stone to round up donations in enough states to qualify Sharpton for matching funds.

more…
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=103-02052004

[David__77]

1. This is not right.

I can't see how this could be an issue. Sharpton is free to have a GOP-connected campaign head if that's what he wants. Other Democrats have done this. People can criticize him for it if they want. But if Lenora Fulani and Lyndon LaRouche can get matching funds, then so should Sharpton certainly.

[beyurslf]

3. But, the Voice pointed out that some of this

matching states were barely over the necessary minimum. Maybe some of those donors didn't end up being registered.

[David__77]

6. It's a mistake.

Sharpton is respected by many people, especially in the Black community. You or I may or may not agree with his agenda, but I think for the Democratic Party this is not a good thing.

[bullimiami]

7. no david read the article first

sharpie appears to have really wallowed in the pig pen on this one.

not only are the states donations questionable.
his campaign was staffed and run gratis by these demons.

his iowa attack on dean was orchestrated by them.

this BA*&%D that Sharpton is in bed with should be in jail for his engineering of the dade-county recount riot.

its dirty, dirty and I think Al has sold out any credibility he had left.


andy
miami

[Laughing Mirror]

2. "Our system of electing politicians to office

is rotten and corrupted to its core, because organized money has long since replaced organized people as the author of our politics. And most of it comes from rich people and corporations, who now own our political process-lock, stock, and pork barrel." Gore Vidal, "A Corrupt System: The People Who Own the Country Shouldn't Run It." http://www.tompaine.com/feature.cfm?ID=2524

[DuctapeFatwa]

4. That's probably not a good idea. But then again it might be...

For starters, even if he got double matching funds and won a moderate lottery, he would still be in debt, and he would still not be a front runner.

Then there's Dean. He hired Republican fund-raisers. Is the NLPC making a stink about that? Is anybody? No, because Dean is not perceived as a threat. Yet he has way more support than Sharpton.

Sharpton supporters are few, but their number could increase, in fact would be sure to increase, if there is a perception that Al is under attack for doing the same thing the white guys do.

Sharpton himself is not a meek and humble man, and he does not shy away from questions of racial prejudice.

While it is understandable and to be expected that many would prefer to apply different standards to Sharpton than to the other candidates, this may not be the best election for the Democrats to make a point of doing that.

On the other hand, because the Democrats have, as Sharpton himself has pointed out, essentially ignored and taken for granted by turns minority voters, of whom there aren't a whole lot, since minorities are dramatically over-represented in the lower income strata, who do not vote in large numbers.

With the Democrats' emphasis on courting more conservative white voters, "looking like racists" could be a shrewd move.

[bullimiami]

8. once again please "read" before you defend

DuctapeFatwa

This is wayyyy different my friend.
There is no defending this one.
When Dirty David Stone, instead of his normal big billing, gives you. a democrat, a ton on cash its not because he wants to help. No, he wants something in return. Al sold his soul to the devil.

The other candidates may have paid republican firms to do a job for them but one of the sleaziest republicans has paid Al Sharpton to do a job for them.


andy
miami

[DuctapeFatwa]

13. I'm a proud member of the Reading Minority, and I stand by my previous

post. I don't care what deals who made with whom.

Applying a double standard to Sharpton may be a shrewd move for the Dems, or it may not be.

As with so many things, it depends on the goal.

[celtway]

5. Black Commentator on recent revelations re Sharpton

http://www.blackcommentator.com/76/76_cover_sharpton_pf.html

[malachi]

9. "Black Commentator on recent revelations re Sharpton"

Great post. Sharpton's a clown. Read the article posted above and I challenge you to come to any other conclusion.

[rocktivity]

10. I've been wondering where his money came from

especially after the aftermath of that defamation lawsuit. And I've always wondered why the mainstream media were only too happy to embrace him while ignoring other black leaders. Well, now I know. And now that he's completed his missions of propping up Kerry by attacking Dean and taking the spotlight away from legitmate black leadership, Stone has decided that Al has outlived his usefulness and hung him out to dry. And neither all his piety nor wit can justify his taking money from Republicans in general, and from a Republican with Stone's track record in particular.


rocknation

On edit: Welcome to DU, celtway! :hi:

[bobbieinok]

11. aid from rep operative in FL means Al betraying blacks in FL

I would think no black would support him who knew this.

His quips, comments, etc, reported here sounded great

BUT THIS IS BETRAYAL OF BLACK VOTERS IN FL!!!!!!!!

[DrWeird]

12. I'm not sure if I understand the problem.

Am I to believe that because some republican is giving Al Sharpton money, that this "GOP trickster" is fooling Al Sharpton for one second?

Who's outwitting who?

[DuctapeFatwa]

14. I assume the reasoning is that Sharpton makes the Dems "look bad"

So helping Sharpton, according to that theory, would hurt the Democrats.

[fjc]

15. Sharpton is out for Sharpton, and nothing else.

That is what that article tells me. It smells to high heaven of a deal between Sharpton and the GOP to sabatage the black vote in the next election, as that, in a close election, which this will almost certainly be, will be the difference. This has all the flavor of the Twana Brawley thing. It makes me want to puke.