Sharpton exposed by Black church leader … time for MSNBC to dump “The Rev”
As a network, MSNBC is in serious trouble. After years of being America’s number one left-wing propaganda outfit, it seems the public has caught on and had enough. It is not merely a matter of a modest drop in ratings. The network’s ratings have cratered to a historic low.
I have often written that left-wing media is never popular with the majority of the center-right American public. It is the reason both CNN and MSNBC are being crushed by FOX. The entire lineup of MSNBC personalities are not favorites with the public.
Many of the MSNBC personalities have their own reasons for lacking shelf appeal. Al Sharpton is among them. He presents himself as a Baptist pastor and civil rights activist, and is commonly referred to by colleagues on MSNBC as “The Rev.”
He appears regularly on “Morning Joe” – a show that is having its own problems. Sharpton also has his own program, “Politics Nation,” on the left-wing network.
Sharpton has long teetered on the ethical fulcrum between journalism and political activism – using both to amass a fortune. Unlike Dr. Martin Luther King, who kept his partisan political views (mostly Republican) in the background, Sharpton is highly political – including a run for the Democrat presidential nomination in 2004.
Perhaps Sharpton’s greatest success, however, has been making money. He has made a lot of it from the various facets of his life – media, civil rights and politics. His reported net worth is in excess of $10 million. He gets a seven-figure salary from MSNBC in addition to his $650,000 annual paycheck from his National Action Network (NAN) organization. NAN also provided Sharpton with more than $900,000 in private plane and limousine services in the past year.
Perhaps that is why some of his flock is turning on him. The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) — which represents more than 27 million parishioners in more than 150,000 Black churches across the nation — has called Sharpton out specifically for the two $250,000 payments he received from the Harris campaign. (Add that to the Millions of dollars Harris paid to Oprah Winfrey and other celebrity endorsers, and you know why the Harris campaign wound up in debt after raising a record billion dollars.)
The NBCI said the payments to Sharpton have put “a moral stain on the integrity of the Black Church.” The organization’s president, Reverand Anthony Evans, told the Washington Free Beacon that Sharpton is loved and admired by many in the group’s coalition but that does not take away from concern over “significant moral and journalism ethics.” Evans called the Harris payments “a bridge too far.”
Evans said that “Rev Sharpton is a minister of the Gospel. This payment does not look good for a man supposed to represent integrity.”
The two $250,000 payments to Sharpton were made on September 5 and October 1 – prior to his two high visibility interviews with Harris on October 3 and October 20. This is more than a coincidence or the mere appearance of impropriety.
Sharpton has had a history of financial scandals. In 1993, he pleaded guilty to not filing tax returns in a plea deal to have felony charges dropped. In 2008, it was reported that he owed $1.5 million in back taxes. In 2014, the New York Times reported that the dapper Sharpton and his for-profit enterprises had more than $4.5 million in state and federal tax liens.
Writing for the Miami Herald in 2007, Black journalist Leonard Pitts, Jr. penned an article headlined, “Beg pardon, but who died and made Al Sharpton president of the Negroes?” Pitts addressed Sharpton’s popularity among the White liberal Democrat establishment when he wrote:
“So, it’s about time news media – and those who will insult us in the future – get past this notion that one or two people are anointed to speak for 36 million. That is a simplistic, antiquated, and faintly condescending idea.”
Having followed Sharpton’s career for decades, I have always considered him a race-baiter and a grifter. I see him as the type of person Booker T. Washington described when he wrote:
“There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs.”
Evans called on MSNBC to launch an investigation into Sharpton’s activities – and to suspend his show until such an investigation is completed. I think someone should investigate Sharpton, but MSNBC should start addressing its own ratings problem by terminating Sharpton’s various roles with the network immediately. It would be a good start.
So, there ‘tis
While I believe that Harris, Sharon, and the rest need to investigate and explain these payments, the fact of the matter is that the black churches walked back these comments, four days ago on December 10.
I think both the New York Post and Fox News covered this.
BUSTED or needs factual rewrite, update, whatever.
Joe: we trusted, we verified, and you appear to be wrong. Heh heh.
Frank… what I wrote is 100 percent accurate. Some churches disagreed with the Black Church Initiative… but that does not change the facts or invalidate my opinion of Sharpton. YOU are busted. You are so obsessed with counting my every comment and opinion that you make an utter fool of yourself. Thanks for that.
If you can find it, look up the Houston Chronicle from the 1970’s for the crime Sharpton dodged due to a technicality. I found it while helping an I.T. client dig through storage for old info and found the Chronicle newspaper she had used to wrap an object. He is a bad man who has taken advantage of seriously gullible people for a long time!
Al Sharpton is a racist ass. he has always been a blackmailing race baiting grifter just like the civil rights leaders before him the entire black civil rights movement and narrative has been a lie since 1964.
Yes, yes, you all hate Sharpton, but before or after Soros? Glad to see you giving Bill Clinton a bye.
Fair enough Mr. Horist. However, you originally said that I reacted to, in YOUR own words, not me reading your mind: “The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI) — which represents more than 27 million parishioners in more than 150,000 Black churches across the nation — has called Sharpton out specifically for the two $250,000 payments he received from the Harris campaign. (Add that to the Millions of dollars Harris paid to Oprah Winfrey and other celebrity endorsers, and you know why the Harris campaign wound up in debt after raising a record billion dollars.)”
FYI: you conclusion on debt is based on anonymous inside sources, the campaign may be up to $20M in debt, alleged by anonymous inside sources, and that’s a rounding error on $1.5B and, at this point, and as unsubstantiated as many of the author’s claims and generalizations.
To your original statement, I merely commented: “While I believe that Harris, Sharon, and the rest need to investigate and explain these payments, the fact of the matter is that the black churches walked back these comments, four days ago on December 10. I think both the New York Post and Fox News covered this.” Now, I did not provide a link, but I did provide a date, and two sources. What’s in your wallet? Moths?
To which you say: “what I wrote is 100 percent accurate. Some churches disagreed with the Black Church Initiative…” Uh….some churches? Disagreed? What does that even mean and who are “some churches? Because the story never said that, the story is quoted above. There’s no “some churches,” there’s no “disagreed with the NBCI.” Disagreed with what, the original statement you referenced, or Sharpton, or something else, maybe breakfast disagreed with them? What?
“Black church group retracts ‘inappropriate’ call for Al Sharpton’s suspension over donations from Harris camp” is a FOX news story prinited BEFORE Horist posted, as I noted. “The National Black Church Initiative initially accused Rev. Al Sharpton of putting a ‘moral stain on the integrity’ of Black churches, but now says it regrets the ‘misstep’” I don’t see no “some churches in here…. It’s FOX Larry. FOX, the numero uno cable news channel where it’s fair and balanced all the time whether you print it our not.
A google of “some churches disagree with NBCI” returns nada on this subject.
As to “but that does not change the facts or invalidate my opinion of Sharpton,” I never said it did. Feeling guilty? Matter of fact, I said: “While I believe that Harris, Sharon, and the rest need to investigate and explain these payments.” Other places on PBP I noted that the Oprah payments were for production, the Sharpton payments supposedly were for “get the vote out” support. And she also paid for her celebrities at the rallies; not the celebrity, but the staff. And some other media outlet got $350K for something, and ran a podcast. I have added I think, even if legal, she needs to explain. FYI: Tom disagrees, but hey, he’s allowed.
Get your head out of your ass. Be a man. Be a gentleman. Step up and own what you say, correct any proven errors, because jesus fuck —- once again, in this case, for this story, it does not even change your story. Are you that afraid of me and my Danger facts? Are you that little a man? I do not think so, I think you can step up, just say oooops, and move on. Think Reagan, not Trump.
Otherwise, good try at some strange unsourced facts, crazy logic with a deflection to the obvious on top. I have no issue with your opinion of Sharpton, that’s yours. Of course, it does not change the facts. I have just presented facts that dispute your statement on NCBI, and your reporting which missed that fact, after it published, and still seem in a bit of denial of the truth today. Some churches? Show us. Disagree? Disagree with what, and what do they agree with?
I realize it’s not fun being BUSTED. But if you looked at the facts, a simple “I missed that, and now say: NBCI first said then, then, for some reason, now say this.” would have made you a gentleman debater with class instead of a Trumpian who can never, never, say oooops. Much less that you were wrong. I am not a frivolous buster; I have told you that before. I have made mistakes, missed things, but rarely on a BUST. Check your facts; you seem to be wrong.
I do not BUST your comment until you have time to respond. But no response = as a DOUBLE DOWN BUSTED ——- that’s rare and usually a sign of the sociopath. Like Trump.
I spell my name: danger.
I went into the run-down Democrat segregation sanctuary city dump tenement on the seedy side of the street at the wrong end of town where I headed down the illegal immigrant ethnic food smelling darkened hall in the opposite direction of the other way out, towards the fire escape although no fire ever escaped this rathole. I hadn’t a moment to lose…suddenly he was there: THE AUTHOR.
“Hey, Danger! Where’s the fire? Escapes me.”
“In your eyes, Mr. Horist.”
“Don’t get unwise with me, Peepers. You’re lucky we didn’t burn you on your “When did slaves first arrive in North American? And no, it was not 1619” caustic commentary reading my mind, obsessing over my life, using too many big words.
“Look, you’re still writing, aren’t ya? You got a book, don’t ya?”
“Yeah, but my facts slunk away, no thanks to you. Just a friendly word of advice, Danger. Don’t go stickin’ your big nose into political punditries,
Ssssure, Horist. Is that all?”
“No! Don’t write so long. Don’t use too many words. Semicolons. And quit saying BUSTED.”
Okay, Horist.”
“And don’t push back when I talk trash name calling you spewing meaningless aphorisms.”
“Sure, Horist”
“And stop tracking mud across my nice clean kitchen floor…”
From the makers of Joe’s little blue pills for Republicans, Tiny Tims, next week we will continue with: Frank Danger, third eye and the continuing PBP saga called: “Head em off at the facts.”
Frank you really should stfu or go join sharpton. You do nothing but spout bullshit.
Wow Tom; I provided a source and that source was FOX.
You provided nothing to support your claim that I, and by extension of my source, FOX spouts, not spout, bulkshit. Where’s your support that FOX lied about this?
I will not shut up. I don’t plan to join Sharpton.
Suck it up. buttercup. Does anyone stfu when Tom tells them too? And is Tom really Frank Stetson really Seth? Joe has such a promiscuous tower of babble.
I don’t know. But I do know that the Tom that responded is not the Independent Tom. Independent Tom thinks Sharpton is a religious enigma. Sharpton has done some good work, but has also done some really seedy things. And he selectively distributes his advocacy among those injustices that can attract attention and fill his coffers.
Independent Tom here. What you say about Borist (formerly Horist) is very true. Those of us whom have responded to Larry Borist for a long time have gotten to know a man who never apologizes, never says he is wrong, feels he knows it all, rarely sources his facts, pushes many myths and unproven statements, delves into much name calling, shaming, and belittling, rather than address the sourced facts of the responder, and has very little conscience when it comes to what he writes his subpar garbage articles.
Thank you for the work you do keeping Borist straight. I have been very busy lately with little time for Borist. I will be back in January 2025 rating Borist articles and trying to contain his many lies and spin.
Sharpton has been a phony since he walked a few times with MLK. For what ever reason, he seems to to think he is the natural replacement for MLK, and he has a habit of only attending protest or other gatherings where he can make a buck. He goes nowhere unless he can make money, that’s why he’s a multimillionaire, while those he is suppose to represent are as poor as a church mouse. Maybe some day the blacks will see him for what he really is and boot his a** out. I don’t expect this to pass the leftist censors but I had to try.
Sharpton is just another hood rat and is only out to fill his pockets. He wants racial division to cash in on.
Yes! I agree!
I have not rated this article.
As an Independent / Unaffiliated white voter, I have always considered Sharpton to be a cringe worthy religious enigma at best. Sharpton has done some good, but it always seems to come with a price tag that fills his coffers. And the good that Sharpton does is very selective, being oriented towards the possibility of building his wealth. And I have never seen Sharpton take on a black cop who shot a black suspect. This he avoids just like he avoided a case of a young woman, about 23 years old, who traveled from Boston to Austin where she went to college and had a dream job awaiting her. While driving through TX she was stopped for a non-functioning blinker and brake light. They threw her into jail for this, and then four days later she was dead. Sharpton ignored it. Yet he will take on a drug infested counterfeiter and try to turn him into some sort of saint and martyr.
I guess when it comes to Sharpton’s advocacy, he is very transactional, just like Trump. And when it comes to Sharpton’s morals and ethics, he is much like Horist. I guess Sharpton is the religious version of what you get when you mate a Trump to a Horist.
Independent Tom here. Frank should shut up about things that he knows nothing about
Obviously the Tom above is just a lowlife pretending to be Tom for some sort of perverse pleasure. He pretends to be Tom, he pretends to be Frank Danger, no doubt he was the second Frank Stetson slumming around here for awhile. He know nothing and shares little of value except the caustic barbs of the fool.
Meet me in fair debate and I will hand you your head, in facts, figures, and words.
I spell my name: Danger, and he is but a cheap, shallow, imitation.
For the reasons stated above, I’ve thought the “Rev” has been an apostate ersatz reverend and has achieved celebrity status only by riding black angst and manipulation of the civil rights divide. Why he is welcomed at and allowed to speak in funeral/memoriam services for high profile news opps of black young man and young women killed by police or murdered innocents, it makes no moral/ethical sense.
As a minister of the Word at one time he would be a Rev. He has monetized that designation with successive confidence schemes. Sharpton is charlatan on the order of Trump. Although, In degree of charlatan practice Trump makes Sharpton look like a piker.
Sharpton, hopefully, will soon lose his media pulpit on MSNBC and slink into oblivion. Christianity and Black Christian congregations could well prosper further without Sharpton’s cash drain and impromptu appearances in a grieving family’s worst of times.
Sharpton appearing in church in pompous self righteousness is poor optics for Christianity and Civil Rights almost as embarrassing for Roman Catholic Christs is the awkward optics produced in Trump’s appearance at the Notre Dame reopening celebration Trump was seated in a row near First Lady Jill Biden and with more persons who seemed to understand Cathedral educate and liturgical processes. At one point during the ceremony Trump sat looking blankly in the opposite direction from where those around him were facing. If he travelled all the way to Paris, France for appearances sake, then the optics failed him his expectation. The least he could do in the situation is his appearing engaged and interested. Instead what he was really is a poorly place inappropriate prop like some illegitimate icon saint. Which is surely what he’s not, an icon or a saint.
If the great cathedral of Notre Dame had been built in NYC and it was being celebrated with black mourners in attendance, then The Rev Al Sharpton would be there in a speaking roll and paid a generous honorarium. His grift is without bounds.
Larry, on this subject, Al Sharpton, your opinion has some credibility. It has a point of intersection with a point on mine.
The Reverend Al is no liberal Democrat in my book, Just as ex-President Trump is no conservative Republican in my book, as this truth is in more people’s books, there you have it
Trump ignominiously POTUS for four years may prove 71 million voters were hoodwinked Trump cannot make good on his campaign promises His first use of assumed authority nominating persons for secretary positions in his cabinet has been chaotic and disappointing to his followers and liberals alike. Disillusionment on the right wing voters’ mind and Trump is more than a month away from swearing in on Jan 20th.