A grand jury investigating a "charity" run by Revered Al Sharpton– the National Action Network (NAN)– has uncovered an extortion racket that set its sights on the U.S. auto industry. "A General Motors spokesman told The [New York] Post that NAN had repeatedly – and unsuccessfully – asked for contributions for six years, beginning in August 2000. Then, in December 2006, Sharpton threatened to call a boycott of the carmaker over the closing of an African-American-owned GM dealership in The Bronx, and he picketed outside GM headquarters on Fifth Avenue. Last year, General Motors gave NAN a $5,000 donation. It gave $5,000 more this year, a spokesman said, calling NAN a 'worthy' organization." The General wasn't the only automaker wetting Big Al's beak. "In November 2003, Sharpton picketed DaimlerChrysler's Chicago car show and threatened a boycott over alleged racial bias in car loans. 'This is institutional racism,' he bellowed. In May 2004, Chrysler began supporting NAN's conferences, which include panels on corporate responsibility and civil rights and a black-tie awards dinner to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Last year, Sharpton gave Chrysler an award for corporate excellence." Honda? "In 2003, Sharpton targeted American Honda for not hiring enough African-Americans in management. 'We support those that support us,' wrote Sharpton… Two months after American Honda execs met with Sharpton, the carmaker began to sponsor NAN's events – and continues to pay "a modest amount" each year, a spokesman said."
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“Last year, Sharpton gave Chrysler an award for corporate excellence.”
You know, I’m beginning to have some faint doubts about that guy’s judgment.
Don’t get me started on this guy. “The Reverend” is a professional bully that goes around crying wolf, screaming “racism” every time someone steps on his toes, disagrees, disrespects him in any way, or just looks at him cross-eyed.
And why would GM and other car companies cave in to his extortion, giving 5 grand a year to NAN to stay on Sharpton’s good side? Are they concerned that Sharpton has enough credibility in the African-American community to start a nationwide boycott of their vehicles? Are they terrified of being called racists? Apparently so.
Hell, let me start the Northern New Mexico Air Ambulance Pilot’s Association (NNMAAPA) or some other such nonsense and extort money from organizations and threaten them with a boycott from all of my collegues and associates just because I can.
Sharpton’s tantrums are getting old. Grow up Sharpton!
Sharpton is truly a shakedown artist. According to the Post, almost 50 companies have handed over boycott bucks (I’ll call it extortion money) to the NAN conferences.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/06152008/news/regionalnews/rev__al_soaks_up_boycott_bucks_115554.htm
It’s amazing that he gets away with it, but then no one wants threats of being charged with racism. Although it would be great to have someone stand up to him. I guess it’s another price of doing business these days…
Sharpton’s a hack; the better story is who Jesse got ‘support’ from.
What motownr said is dead on. Jesse is to Al, what Ralph Nader is to Joan Claybrook.
Personally, having met both in my travels, my only question is which one has the bigger head. Actually that’s not a question. Jesse’s head is bigger than most football helmets… and no I’m not kidding.
Maybe the “Rev” Al could employ Tawala Brawly as his spokesperson to the evil carmakers.
Steven:
Great point!
I had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting Rev. Jesse once, and my lasting impression is of that massive noggin. Almost a human owl, with incredibly wide-set eyes….
GM did, to my knowledge, avoid Jesse’s best efforts to score a number of GM points as the silent investor in conjunction with another prominent car dealer. Apparently, there are limits to being PC even at the Tubes.
Why would a company shell out to Al or Jesse? It’s called “go away money.” As long as the media provide professional grievants a podium, it’s cheaper to pay them to go away.
dastanley, the scheme can work for the NNMAAPA too, but only if you can get it on the list of officially accredited victim groups.
I know a company that managed to run Jesse off. I wish I knew what they did. I guess they had pictures or something.
They both do a disservice to the causes they purport to represent. There are unfortunately all too often real cases of discrimination etc but these two clowns in many cases cause many people to assume that most claims of discrimination or bias are simply a shakedown.
We just had good ol’ fairplay Al here in NC (Charlotte, to be exact…but I live 20 miles from that Big Apple wannabe cesspool) to harp about a thug who was running from police, leveled a weapon at an officer and was shot in the back twice (not nearly enough lead for my tastes…). Good ol’ Al wants an outside investigation. He went to the site of the (justified) shooting with the sweet little thug’s mom. Hey, I can close the investigation right here, Al…maybe you should teach LaQuinta and Laneisha and Quantilla to tell their little future thugs to cooperate instead of taunting the “po-po”, as the thugs call them. That would solve a lot of problems. Oh, and how about the thing of not getting in trouble in the first place? That would work, too. See, the investigation is comploete. (By the way, the weapon, a nice stolen gun with a silver finishc was found inches from the dead thug’s hand. Hmmmmmmm.)
Bottom line? Al’s full of shit and had better leave Honda alone. And Honda, you should not assume the position for him or anybody who even looks like him. Geez.
Hey, where’s my post? I had fun flaming good ol’ Al.
Kevin Kluttz :
Hey, where’s my post? I had fun flaming good ol’ Al.
It was trapped in the spam trap. I’ve set it free at last, free at last!
I find it interesting that they threaten a boycott, citing some alleged grievance, but when they get the cash, they stop the boycot threats.
If the original behavior was SO BAD and HASN’T STOPPED, then why stop the boycot just because a check was written?
Unless, that is, if the original intent was to shake ’em down for the cash anyhow.
I wonder if a case could be made that Sharpton and Jackson are guilty of fraud, or illegal benefit from the so-called charities they support? Sharpton, maybe…after all, he’s a member of the US House of Representatives, correct?
Al would have made some kind of president, that is for sure. Jesse too. Obama has carefully worked to create a persona that avoids the worse of these two and creates a comfort level among guilt laden white liberals.
Car companies need every dollar they can get so none can afford to diss the two reverends.
If anyone still thinks Sharpton has any credibility, I have two words for you: Tawana Brawley.
Who is this news to? Are there really people blind enough out there that they can’t see Al Sharpton for what he is? (Jesse Jackson for that matter too.)