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At tax time, many Americans might find it pretty tempting to emulate Rev. Al Sharpton. After all, heseems to get by just fine no matter how many taxeshe owes and no matter for how long. And he seems to be more of a fixture at the White House than Lois Lerners hard drive. Even Politico seems to be scratching its collective head. Politico was where Lois Lerner broke her silence.

And Politico justasked outgoing Attorney GeneralEric Holder,IsAl Sharptontoo close to this White House? The softball interviewer who had the temerity to make such an outrageous suggestion wasMike Allen, Politicos chief White House correspondent. That such aquestionis even being asked by Democrats who rarely question the President is a surprise.

Mr. Sharpton has been accused , for example, byEric Garners daughter,of beingallaboutthemoney. And yet the reverend and activist owes New York State over $900,000 from 2008 and 2010 taxes, and greater sums to the IRS. With about $4.5 million in tax liens, most taxpayers know they would be pushed and prodded to pay. Mr. Sharpton, however, seems graced by a kind of Teflon liturgical outfit.

Some might be luck, of course. On severaloccasions he suffered fires that destroyed his records. It is hard not to think ofLois Lerners hard drive. Several fires destroyed Mr. Sharptons financial records just as he was about to turn them over to officials. But AG Holder sees no problem, though Mr. Sharpton has been to the White House on many occasions. Aside from Mr. Holder, many peoplehave questioned whyPresident Obamawould so elevateRev.Sharpton, particularly sincehe owes millions in taxes.

Mr. Holder sawnoproblem with Rev.Sharptons proximity to the most powerful man in the world, saying, The president has a number of people who he listens to, who he interacts with. You know, Reverend Sharpton is a person who has interacted with people within the administration, including myself. But we also hear from people who have, you know, fundamentally different views than Al Sharpton has.

Not all of the tax problems are new. In 1993, Rev. Sharptonpleaded guilty to a misdemeanorfor failure to file a state tax return. HisRaw Talent operation which he usesforspeaking engagements has reportedly also hadtax problems. But beyond these smidgens, Mr. Sharpton has never faced criminal tax-related charges. He has been marvelously successful inexplaining that he is simply in over his head.

It isnt only the taxman that is not being paid, according to reports. Even worthy causes like hotels, landlords, and travel agencies are getting the cold shoulder from Mr. Sharpton or from his advocacy organization, theNational Action Network. He hastwo for-profit business,Revals Communications and Raw Talent. Some of his financial woes appear to stem from poor divisions between business and personal, a common tax problem among entrepreneurs.

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Eric Holder Defends Al Sharpton's Ties To White House ...

Controversial Reverend to lose nightly slot as broadcaster sways from left President Phil Griffin hopes sea change will bring back lost viewers Ed Schultz, Chris Hayes, and Lawrence O'Donnell also in the firing line Sharpton's critics rejoice as gaff-prone anchor's four year stint nears end

By Mail Online Reporter

Published: 07:22 EST, 26 February 2015 | Updated: 08:44 EST, 26 February 2015

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MSNBC is set to pull the plug on contentious Reverend Al Sharpton in a last ditch attempt to revive dwindling audience numbers.

The liberal anchor's nightly Politics Nation show is to be shelved by broadcasting bosses as they make drastic changes in the hope of clawing back viewers.

Company President Phil Griffin is believed to be placing his faith in aswing from the left in their Congress coverage - insisting that the station's Republican bashing glory days are now firmly in the past.

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Al Sharpton to get the bullet as MSNBC bins left-wing ...

For at least the 62nd time since 2009, the Rev. Al Sharpton has crossed the threshold of the White House to meet with President Barack Obama.

On Thursday, Sharpton was a guest of honor, along with 17 other civil rights leaders, for Obama "to provide an update on the administrations priorities as described in the State of the Union," the White House stated, the Weekly Standard reported.

"The meeting was also an opportunity to have a dialogue with the leaders about the issues facing their communities, including criminal justice, education, health care and economic development," the Standard said.

Sharpton was welcomed, despite owing an estimated $4.5 million in state and federal taxes, according to the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC).

"Because he is a friend of many powerful people, including President Obama, the IRS and the State of New York have seemed willing to give him a free pass, especially given the high propensity of his admirers to riot," the NLPC said of Sharpton.

The White House invitation also came despite a lawsuit filed by the National Association of African-American Owned Media, which alleges that Comcast paid off Sharpton and his organization, the National Action Network (NAN), with $3.8 million in "donations" to keep quiet about its planned merger with Time Warner Cable. The planned merger, the group claims, shuts out black-owned media organizations, Fox News reports.

Sharpton, a commentator with MSNBC, recently was criticized by Erica Snipes, the adult daughter of Eric Garner, who Sharpton adopted as a cause after Garner died in a confrontation with New York police during an arrest. Asked by Project Veritas if she thought Sharpton was a crook, Snipes rubbed her fingers together, and said, "He's (Sharpton) all about this," the NLPC reported. A hidden video captured the interview.

The Daily Mail reports that Sharpton is losing his nightly spot as host of "Politics Nation."

Sharpton was joined at the White House meeting by Cornell Brooks of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; Sherrilyn Ifill of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Marc Morial of the National Urban League; Spencer Overton of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies; Catherine Pugh of the National Black State Legislators; John Boyd, President of the National Black Farmers Association; Ron Busby of the U.S. Black Chambers; Edwin Bass of COGIC Urban Initiatives; Bishop George Battle Jr., African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; Rev. Traci Blackmon of the Christ The King United Church of Christ; Rev. Kip Banks Sr. of the Progressive National Baptist Church; Rev. Jesse Bottoms Jr. of the National Baptist Convention, USA; Bishop Charles Ellis of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World; Michael McBride of PICOs Lifelines to Healing Campaign; Rev. Samuel Tolbert Jr. of the National Baptist Convention of America; Rev. Dr. Raphael Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church; and Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner of the Skinner Leadership Institute, the Weekly Standard reported.

In a recent interview with Politico, asked if Obama was too close to Sharpton, Attorney General Eric Holder said, "I dont think so. I think that, you know, the president has a number of people who he listens to, who he interacts with.

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Sharpton Back at WH for 62nd Meeting With Obama

Byron Allen, a plaintiff in a $20 billion lawsuit against Comcast for racial discrimination, accused the media conglomerate on HuffPost Live Friday of paying off Al Sharpton as racial cover at the expense of market share for 100% African-American owned media ventures.

AT&T spent more money throwing Al Sharpton a lavish 60th birthday party than they spend on Ebony magazine, which is a magazine thats been around for 70 years, Allen told host Caroline Modarressay-Tehrani. He is the least-expensive negro. Instead of spending real money, with real 100% African-American owned media, it is easier to give him $50,000 to give them cover.

The suit alleges, among other things, that Comcast paid off Sharpton to hang fire on criticisms of Comcasts merger with NBCUniversal, which the plaintiffs believe excluded African-American media properties.

The industry spends about $50 billion a year licensing cable networks in which 100% African American-owned media receives less than $3 million per year in revenue, Allen alleged. It creates generational wealth and market caps that do not exist in our community, because theyre able to pay people like Al Sharpton cover not to truly do business with 100% African-American owned media.

Allen also accused President Barack Obama of collusion with Comcast. Obama allowed the biggest media merger in the history of humankind, and true 100% African-American owned media is not included, Allen said. President Obama has been bought and paid for.

Sharptons non-profit National Action Network called the allegations less than credible.

Watch the clip below, via HuffPost Live:

[Image via screengrab]

>> Follow Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) on Twitter

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Plaintiff: Comcast Treats Sharpton as Least Expensive Negro

POLITICS NATION4 | WITH AL SHARPTON | Happy Revalentines Day!
POLITICSNATION WITH AL SHARPTON 02/13/15 Happy Revalentine #39;s Day! Rev. Sharpton hands out his own version of Valentine #39;s Day cards. Find out who gets what!PO...

By: MSNBC SHOWS

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POLITICS NATION4 | WITH AL SHARPTON | Happy Revalentines Day! - Video