The Rev. Sharpton, the civil-rights leader who has become a close confidant to President Barack Obama and New York City Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio, has more than $4.5 million in state and federal tax liens outstanding against him and his for-profit businesses.
An examination of public records by
The New York Times found that Sharpton, 60, who hosts an MSNBC talk show, "traveled first-class and collected a sizable salary" despite the outstanding liens.
His New York state tax bill has risen in recent years — and his nonprofit organization, the National Action Network, has not paid federal payroll taxes on its employees for years, according to the report.
The Treasury's Inspector General's Office told the Times that some of Sharpton's actions could be considered "abusive" or "potentially criminal" among nonprofit groups if "the failure to turn over or collect taxes is willful."
In addition, Sharpton and the National Action Network have also "repeatedly failed to pay travel agencies, hotels and landlords," the Times reports. "He has leaned on the generosity of friends and sometimes even the organization, intermingling its finances with his own to cover his daughters' private-school tuition."
Sharpton, who was at the White House earlier this month when Obama nominated Loretta Lynch to succeed Attorney General Eric Holder, told the Times in recent telephone interviews that all of the debts are being paid because of increased donations.
He noted that he had lent his own funds to the National Action Network, while not taking a salary on occasion.
"You can say I'm not a great administrator," Sharpton told the Times. "You can't say that I'm not committed."
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