A deal between the Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network charity that he founded will put $531,000 into his pockets as he prepares to step down as president.
The liberal activist is betting that Hollywood producers can translate his life story into big bucks — and a safety-net source of revenue for NAN — over the next decade.
Tax filings obtained by The New York Post and reported on over the weekend highlight a 10-year deal between the two parties, which raises red flags to Linda Sugin, a Fordham University Law School professor and associate dean.
“When I see this kind of thing, it just makes me roll my eyes because there’s so much potential for funny business,” Ms. Sugin said Saturday.
The Post’s story comes less than one month after House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi heaped praise upon NAN and Mr. Sharpton for “saving America” during the midterm elections.
“We are going to be respectful of other views, but we are going to try to find our common ground where we can,” the California Democrat said at the charity’s Legislative & Policy Conference on Nov. 14. “We have a responsibility to do that, but where we can’t, stand our ground like a rock. That’s what Thomas Jefferson advised us to do … Thank you [NAN] for helping to take back America … Thank you, Rev. Al Sharpton, for saving America.”
SEE ALSO: Nancy Pelosi deems Al Sharpton nation’s hero: ‘Thank you for saving America’
The preacher, in South Africa to cover the 100th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s birth for MSNBC, defended the deal when contacted by the newspaper.
“You’ve got real property here,” he said. “You’re not talking about just me as an activist. These are non-related NAN things that are the saleable items.”
Daniel Borochoff, the head of Charity Watch, told the Post that a financially “cleaner” option would have seen Mr. Sharpton sell the rights to a production company and then donate profits above $531,000 to NAN.
• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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