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PissingOffTheLeft@excite.com
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(Democ)RAT AL SHARPTON CAUGHT ON TAPE ACCEPTING DIRTY MONEY IN
(Democ)RAT CORRUPTION SCANDAL
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/12529201.html
With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in
2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for
president, spoke candidly.
Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win
a multimillion-dollar business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000
for politics.
White offered $25,000. "If you bring my guys up on this hedge fund,
and I have the right conversation," White said, "I'll give you what
you need."
"Cool," Sharpton said.
The Inquirer obtained an account of the May 9, 2003, conversation,
which was recorded as part of the Philadelphia City Hall corruption
case. The tape helped spark a separate inquiry into Sharpton's 2004
campaign and his civil-rights organization, the National Action
Network. The FBI-IRS probe resurfaced publicly Wednesday, when
Sharpton aides received subpoenas.
The video was recorded by an FBI camera hidden in a lamp inside Suite
34A at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan. Sharpton and White were
introduced by La-Van Hawkins, a Detroit businessman.
At the time, FBI agents were investigating White and Hawkins,
suspecting that they were involved in pay-to-play in Philadelphia -
raising campaign funds for Mayor Street and others in order to win
municipal contracts for favored donors. Later FBI agents in the case
infamously placed a bug in Street's office, but it was discovered
before it recorded anything.
FBI agents tapping White's phones in 2003 recorded more than 20
conversations between White and Sharpton, most of them related to fund-
raising for the presidential campaign and an effort to secure a $40
million pension-fund deal in New York.
About a year later, White, Hawkins and a dozen others, including
former City Treasurer Corey Kemp, were indicted in Philadelphia on
federal pay-to-play corruption charges.
White died before trial. Hawkins was convicted of fraud and perjury
and sentenced to 33 months. Kemp is serving a 10-year sentence for
corruption, bribery and fraud.
No charges were brought related to Sharpton or the proposed New York
pension-fund deal, which never materialized.
However, as The Inquirer reported in 2005, the New York-based
investigation of Sharpton has continued. Sources said agents in that
case are examining whether Sharpton violated campaign-finance laws or
used money donated to his National Action Network for personal use.
(Democ)RAT CORRUPTION SCANDAL
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/12529201.html
With a hidden FBI camera rolling inside a New York hotel suite in
2003, an unsuspecting Rev. Al Sharpton, Democratic candidate for
president, spoke candidly.
Sharpton offered to help Philadelphia fund-raiser Ronald A. White win
a multimillion-dollar business deal, if White helped him raise $50,000
for politics.
White offered $25,000. "If you bring my guys up on this hedge fund,
and I have the right conversation," White said, "I'll give you what
you need."
"Cool," Sharpton said.
The Inquirer obtained an account of the May 9, 2003, conversation,
which was recorded as part of the Philadelphia City Hall corruption
case. The tape helped spark a separate inquiry into Sharpton's 2004
campaign and his civil-rights organization, the National Action
Network. The FBI-IRS probe resurfaced publicly Wednesday, when
Sharpton aides received subpoenas.
The video was recorded by an FBI camera hidden in a lamp inside Suite
34A at the Waldorf Astoria hotel in Manhattan. Sharpton and White were
introduced by La-Van Hawkins, a Detroit businessman.
At the time, FBI agents were investigating White and Hawkins,
suspecting that they were involved in pay-to-play in Philadelphia -
raising campaign funds for Mayor Street and others in order to win
municipal contracts for favored donors. Later FBI agents in the case
infamously placed a bug in Street's office, but it was discovered
before it recorded anything.
FBI agents tapping White's phones in 2003 recorded more than 20
conversations between White and Sharpton, most of them related to fund-
raising for the presidential campaign and an effort to secure a $40
million pension-fund deal in New York.
About a year later, White, Hawkins and a dozen others, including
former City Treasurer Corey Kemp, were indicted in Philadelphia on
federal pay-to-play corruption charges.
White died before trial. Hawkins was convicted of fraud and perjury
and sentenced to 33 months. Kemp is serving a 10-year sentence for
corruption, bribery and fraud.
No charges were brought related to Sharpton or the proposed New York
pension-fund deal, which never materialized.
However, as The Inquirer reported in 2005, the New York-based
investigation of Sharpton has continued. Sources said agents in that
case are examining whether Sharpton violated campaign-finance laws or
used money donated to his National Action Network for personal use.
