Anti-union front group's complaints against Al Sharpton lead to $285K FEC fine

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.examiner.com/x-2071-DC-Special-Interests-Examiner~y2009m4d19-Antiunion-front-groups-complaints-against-Al-Sharpton-lead-to-285K-FEC-fine?cid=exrss-DC-Special-Interests-Examiner

April 19, 3:42 PM

Al Sharpton may have learned a lesson as his opposition the Employee Free Choice Act did not make him any friends in the anti-union community. It was announced today that Sharpton and his group, the National Action Network, have been fined $285,000 by the Federal Election Commission for violating a host of election laws during Sharpton's 2004 presidential campaign during which he received 2% of the Democratic primary vote.

The National Legal and Policy Center, an anti-civil rights and anti-union front group funded by right wing philanthropist Richard Mellon Scaife, filed complaints against Sharpton on February 2, 2004 and February 6, 2004. The group was notified of the FEC action last week and made it public today. NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm reacted by saying, "We are pleased that the FEC has ruled on our Complaint and found that Sharpton ran an 'off the books' presidential campaign."

Sharpton’s public opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act has been touted by anti-union front groups in their advertising and advocacy campaigns and media appearances. Repeated calls to Sharpton and his group to obtain an explanation, a clarification or an apology were not returned. Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern was recently lauded by Sharpton at his group’s 11th annual Keepers of the Dream awards ceremony. Attempts to obtain an explanation why Stern would appear publicly with an opponent of the Employee Free Choice also did not receive a response.

Previously, the FEC ordered Sharpton to return $100,000 in taxpayer matching funds, and denied him an additional $79,000 for which he qualified, for the 2004 campaign. Also previously, Sharpton was fined $5,500 for late filing of disclosure documents reports as a result of a separate Complaint filed by NLPC on April 18, 2003. The $285,000 fine is actually a civil penalty under a conciliation agreement between Sharpton and his groups and the FEC.

As the old saying goes: You dance with the Devil; the Devil doesn't change. The Devil changes you.

Ron Moore is an Examiner from Washington DC. You can see Ron's articles on Ron's Home Page.