Al Sharpton’s charge into the National spotlight has been filled with controversy, but I still identified with him more than anybody else in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. As I have followed his career I have always thought of him as a dynamic impromptu speaker, who meant well but simply wasn’t seasoned in his leadership. If born a few years later he might have become a great freestyle rapper. Although a few years removed, he still has a hip-hop style of bravado, which attracts many younger people and at the same time makes many older people keep their distance. However, Sharpton’s critics and supporters aren’t monolithic. Sharpton’s critics can’t simply be assumed to be old white racist and his supporters can’t be assumed to be young African-Americans or Latinos. If it was that simple Sharpton might as well not run for any office. A rising number of people in the African-American community who vote are washing their hands of Al Sharpton and in my experience his African-American critics are usually more mature politically than the average electorate.

I maintain a careful ear on what my colleagues and neighbors think and say about Rev. Sharpton. I pay attention to who they are and what experiences they might have had which may have caused them to view Sharpton favorably or not so favorably. I’m talking real issues (grassroots) not personal grudges. Being careful to avoid dialogue tainted from a personal level, realizing that many were angered at the embarrassing public debacle that “Reverends” Sharpton and Jesse Jackson engaged in (verbally) 2 years ago vying for “Head Negro In Charge (HNIC)” status. That display was personal and involved a lot of narcissistic, overblown ego. That was a red flag right there but “we are all a work in progress”. So I chalked up their petty and trivial HNIC battles as isolated personal conflict among competitive friends. But I actually knew the friendship was over when Sharpton publicly chastised Jackson for impregnating his mistress (Karin Stanford). On the flip side, if asked Sharpton won’t comment publicly about best friend James Brown beating women, drug usage, imprisonments, or chronic arrest cause - that’s his friend. Most people understand that friendships work like that, so nobody would expect anything else. Unfortunately we also realized that although Jesse gave Sharpton his start in politics, his former political mentor’s ego was going to clash with his forever more.

Because COIntelpro is so sophisticated I tend to always give Sharpton or any Black leader the benefit of the doubt whenever I hear something negative, although sometimes my instincts tell me otherwise. I think Sharpton has come a long way since the sweat suits and gold chain days- but he is only as good as his documented history.

Two years ago a HBO program called Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel showed a 19-year-old FBI videotape (1983) in which Al Sharpton is seen talking about laundering drug money with former mobster Michael Franzese, a Mafioso-turned-undercover-FBI informant posing as a cocaine dealer. Sharpton was supposed to be meeting him for Don King. It looked bad, but anybody who saw the video realizes that it didn’t prove anything under the circumstances. In the tape Sharpton does nod and say, "right" and "I hear you" a few times but he never agrees to accept or distribute the heroin. His explanation of being scared and caught off guard is very believable. Especially since nothing ever became of the tape. I smelled smear campaign probably cause of the source, so I chalked it up to Sharpton’s naiveté (Although some still contend that the tape was evidence, he had been forced him into working with the FBI. In addition when King was questioned during a 1992 Senate investigation about his connection to another mobster John Gotti, King took the Fifth Amendment). I still reasoned, Sharpton was young and made a mistake by having a slim association with obviously shady characters.

Sharpton’s most serious infractions came from within the Black community, particularly, the accusation of him being a “government informant”. Understand, Sharpton has admitted assisting the government in drug and organized crime cases, by accompanying undercover federal agents wearing body recorders to meetings with various subjects of federal investigations, thus the informant label isn’t far-fetched or unbelievable. Sharpton insists he never turned over information about others in the community, but black activist in New York have long accused Sharpton of trying to help the government set up former Black Panther, Assata Shakur a.k.a. Joanne Chesimard. This accusation was largely only known in the grass roots community until New York Newsday did a story on it. It’s a claim that if proven true, won’t be forgiven “under any circumstances”. Although the activists who made the charges are very credible men, essentially its Sharpton’s word, versus their word. In American society people usually side with the man who has the higher profile and media access. That’s just how it works; the public in general is naive because people see Sharpton on TV talking about issues that will benefit them. Many times if something controversial happens involving a high profile Black personality the initial thought is that “it’s probably some setup or smear campaign designed to bring that personality down”. By the time Sharpton got stabbed at a New York demonstration, all was forgotten and many who were upset with him were sympathetic. So those who were initially backing away from Sharpton forgave him and said we’re going to let this slide but Al - please “No More Drama”.

However, the latest revelations on Al Sharpton are going to ultimately seal his doom and this time there’s not much he can really say in light of the facts. According to reports in The New York Times (January 25), New York's Village Voice ("Sleeping with the GOP," February 3), and also the highly influential African American website BlackCommentator.com which published a essay “Rightwing Republicans Takeover Sharpton’s Campaign Apparatus” which concluded that “the growing storm over his covert alliance with rightwing Republicans probably came too late to have any measurable impact on this years Democratic primaries, but the revelations are a deathblow to his actual goal, which is to become the recognized leader of African Americans”. Although the Village Voice story has framed the report in terms of treachery to the Democratic Party, or as evidence of Sharpton's visceral disdain for white "liberals," the tale will resonate somewhat differently among African Americans. Sharpton comes across as a hapless stooge of the worst elements of the GOP” and naïve puppet!

It’s 2004 and Sharpton is still involved in unholy alliances and sinister machinations. He can talk fast and smooth but his latest episode is inexcusable. Recent proof that Republican operatives are financing, staffing, and orchestrating the presidential campaign of Al Sharpton is documented. It’s not simply that Republican money is going to a Democrat, that has happened before, but it’s the history of the people behind the operation and the extent to which they actually control Sharpton’s campaign.

The National Action Network is almost totally funded by Ron Stone. Ron Stone is the sinister racist who helped disenfranchise thousands of Black voters in Florida He led the right wing mob that shut down the Miami-Dade County recount and helped make George W. Bush president in 2000, and he also conceived the Willie Horton race-baiting commercials for the Bush 1988 presidential campaign. Stone has been a player in virtually every major GOP scandal since he has been on the scene. Although Sharpton has now tried to minimize his ties to Stone, saying they only talked about once a week and thinking aloud that the relationship "might have been a misstep." It’s too late and it’s not something we can dismiss. It’s too late because Sharpton is only annoyed he was caught. Sharpton was warned by Frank Watkins his former manager when the whispering first started, Sharpton said "he knew Stone and talked to him" but dismissed any notion that he was involved in the campaign. Watkins said, “we should have nothing to do with this ultra-right-wing sleazeball. I would've left the campaign that day if I knew he had anything to do with it." Since Watkins found out it was true, the two have fallen out and Sharpton is now critical of Watkins, whom he has known since the '70s and whom he calls "Uncle Frank” according to the Village voice. To Sharpton having a history with the Republican party is no big deal, after all, his very good friend and self proclaimed “second hero” Don King, is a major George Bush supporter. When on CNN Crossfire last year one host Paul Begala said to King “Mr. King, I love the outfit, but I've got to ask you about these buttons. I'm counting one, two, three, four, five different Bush buttons there now.” It’s no secret Don King is a GOP donor, and longtime friend of Roger Stone but King is a known con man with mob affiliations, not a politician or person vying for the hearts of African-Americans, so his shady track record is no big deal. But for Sharpton it’s a curtain call simply because his decision-making shows a desperate and naïve man who doesn’t lean from his mistakes.

I would not be surprised if Bush Sr. told his son, George Bush Jr., to tell Roger Stone how gullible Sharpton is after having him over the White House years ago when Bush Senior, was Vice president. (I will get to this in a second.) In the end the Republicans are laughing at Sharpton’s still gullible nature. Those old websites like Republicans for Al Sharpton once viewed, as simply satirical websites are seemingly prescient.

Ironically after reading Sharpton’s Autobiographies last year, I came away liking him but it dawned on me that he was pretty much un-electable even for a much smaller office than the obvious Oval one. Outside of the processed hair, certain things are not processing in his head. The foundation of his political education he attributes to James Brown who is an awesome performer, but if you know James you know he is about as confused as they come. Most people are blown away when I tell them that Sharpton processed his hair to pay homage and tribute to George Bush Sr. - yes Shrub’ dad. Why? Because the Godfather JB told him it would “impress Bush”. You probably don’t believe that on face value so let me give you the page and exact excerpt. On pages 71-72 of Go and Tell Pharaoh-The autobiography of the Reverend Al Sharpton, Sharpton states:

Here is Sharpton proudly telling the story in his own words and he doesn’t realize Republican Vice President Bush was actually patronizing both he and James Brown the whole time they sat in the oval office with homage mats on their heads.

The fact that Sharpton still believes Bush Sr. was serious when he said, “Tell us Mr. Brown, tell us what to do.” Should be a major concern to all. I am sure Bush Sr. was internally laughing his ass off. Here is a man whose is a former CIA Director as and a member of the elite Yale Secret society called Skull and Bones. They have specialized in these affairs and international manipulation for generations. The Bush family in particular of Samuel Bush, Prescott Bush Sr, and George 'Herbert' Walker go back to 1900, in terms of being major players in international political events. It should have been obvious that Bush Sr.’s comments were merely tongue and cheek remarks, and the then Vice President, Bush never took Sharpton or Brown seriously. He was simply humoring the court jesters in his castle. Apparently, the naiveté has not stopped, or maybe Sharpton isn’t naïve at all - but if he isn’t I would hate to think what else it might suggest. - Nuff Said

Released: February 17th, 2004

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