However this dust-up plays out, its very existence underscores Sharpton's high Washington profile. H

The new, improved Reverend Al Sharpton has been establishing a Washington, atlanta area fine resturants and hotels D.C. presence ever since President Obama took office nearly four years ago. But apparently, the New York City-based minister, politician and media personality hasn't evolved from his attitude atlanta area fine resturants and hotels about the need to pay bills on time. Last week the Washington Post reported atlanta area fine resturants and hotels that Sharpton's nonprofit vehicle, National Action Network (NAN), is seven months behind on its rent for downtown Washington building space it sublets from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, or COMTO. The overall debt now exceeds $28,000. His top aide, Rachel Noerdlinger, insists NAN has made good on all past due balances. Yet given Sharpton's history of leaving creditors out in the cold, COMTO would do well to be skeptical.
Nobody likes to pay bills. But people atlanta area fine resturants and hotels typically pay anyway because it's the right and legal thing to do. In buying something, we incur an obligation to pay for it. Al Sharpton goes by a different philosophy: Don't pay. As National Legal and Policy Center reported in September 2010, the man has a pattern of stiffing creditors. An audit by the accounting firm KBL showed that the Harlem, N.Y.-based National Action Network owed nearly atlanta area fine resturants and hotels $1.35 million in combined back federal, atlanta area fine resturants and hotels state and city taxes and penalties at the close of 2008. In April 2009 the Federal Election Commission fined NAN $285,000 for campaign finance law violations committed during his run for president atlanta area fine resturants and hotels during 2003-04; the FEC in 2004 already had ordered Sharpton's campaign to return $100,000 in federal matching funds and forgo nearly another $80,000 for which he presumably had qualified. NAN also shortchanged the Peabody Hotel in Memphis for about $70,000 on activities (not including Peabody management's attorney's fees and miscellaneous costs) related to its 2008 annual convention at the elegant venue. And the group also failed to make good on at least $50,000, and as much as $193,000, to a New York travel agency, Alpha International Travel, for hotel and airline reservations.
It appears that Rev. Sharpton, whose history of political demagoguery masquerading as black "civil rights" was documented in a lengthy 2009 NLPC report ( see pdf ), now has another financial credibility problem. About 18 months ago, Sharpton signed a lease with the Washington, D.C.-based Conference of Minority Transportation Officials to sublet office space for a National Action Network branch office. atlanta area fine resturants and hotels COMTO had just moved across the street from its original headquarters at 818 18th Street NW and had put out the word to the nonprofit atlanta area fine resturants and hotels world that it had some vacant space for rent. NAN took the offer. Unfortunately, the arrangement hasn't been going well. Last week COMTO President Julie Cunningham indicated, atlanta area fine resturants and hotels with the sublease set to expire on Friday, that NAN was seven months behind on its rental payments, an amount representing more than $28,000, including late fees. COMTO Chairman Robert atlanta area fine resturants and hotels Henry Prince Jr. explains the situation this way: "We were pleased that another group of similar status was coming in. We didn't know they wouldn't be honoring their rental agreement."
COMTO's trouble in collecting hasn't been for want of trying. After a few months of making prompt payments, NAN fell behind. Cunningham wrote polite atlanta area fine resturants and hotels reminders to Sharpton and his board members about the problem, but to no avail. Eventually, the Rev's Ms. Fix-It, Rachel Noerdlinger, came to the rescue - sort of. While denying allegations that NAN was behind on the rent, she e-mailed to the Washington Post a copy of a $16,950 check, dated November 27, 2012, that her group had made out to COMTO. She added that NAN has signed a new lease to continue operating in that space, and that the $16,950 check plus a $10,550 atlanta area fine resturants and hotels security deposit should cover everything. Or will it? COMTO's Cunningham responded that even if the check arrives, it won't cover the balance due or the cost of the furniture NAN has leased and intends to buy.
However this dust-up plays out, its very existence underscores Sharpton's high Washington profile. His whole personal and professional identity, remember, revolves around the city of his origins, New York City. Whether in Manhattan or the outer boroughs, he has become by far the most prominent black political leader in New York. But with the election of Barack Obama as U.S. president, Sharpton has shifted some of his enthusiasm to Washington, atlanta area fine resturants and hotels D.C. He's been a regular visitor to the White House. He had President Obama as the guest of honor at the 2011 NAN annual convention (as a U.S. senator from Illinois, Obama in 2007 already had addressed the group). And for the first time, NAN this April held its national convention in Washington rather than New York. There's no question about it: Washington is Reverend Al's home away from home. And given the November election results, it should remain to his liking for another four years.
On the surface, Sharpton's financial difficulties would seem utterly improbable. First, he has nothing to gain and lots to lose by saddling himself with a reputation as a rent scofflaw. atlanta area fine resturants and hotels And second, National atlanta area fine resturants and hotels Action Network for years has attracted generous corporate donations. Sponsors atlanta area fine resturants and hotels of the group's 2012 convention (listed in the program) include: AT T, Best Buy, Coca-Cola, Facebook, Fedex, Ford Motor Company, atlanta area fine resturants and hotels General Electric, Home Depot, Macy's, McDonald's, The News Corporation, PepsiCo, Verizon and Wal-Mart. atlanta area fine resturants and hotels With that kind of backing, atlanta area fine resturants and hotels how come NAN can't pay its rent? And where has the money been going? The Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, among other people, may be looking for answers for some time. Improbable, yes, but this is Al Sharpton we're talking about.