Posted on 07/23/2002 1:34:29 PM PDT by Dallas
In a frame taken from a videotape, to be aired on HBO's ``Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel'' on Tuesday night, July 23, 2002, that was recorded as part of a government investigation into whether boxing promoter Don King had ties with organized crime, the Rev. Al Sharpton, is shown in conversation with an undercover FBI agent ("VQ") posing as a Latin American businessman. Sharpton has criticized the 19-year-old FBI surveillance tape of him discussing a drug deal, claiming the recording is part of a campaign to smear his name. (AP Photo/HBO Sports)
.The Rev. Al Sharpton criticizes an old FBI surveillance tape of him discussing a drug deal, during a news conference Tuesday, July 23, 2002, at the National Action Network Headquarters in New York. Sharpton claims the recording is part of a campaign to smear his name. "It will take more than a distorted, 19-year-old tape to stop my exploration to run for the president of the United States," Sharpton said Tuesday. The tape, to be aired on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" Tuesday night, was recorded as part of a government investigation into whether boxing promoter Don King had ties with organized crime. Sharpton's attorney Michael Hardy listens in at left. (AP Photo/Suzanne Plunkett)
They set me up !
( Gee, wish I had a dollar for every time I heard some rascal in custody claim he/she was " set up " !
Steel bars that is!
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
Sharpton Worked as Informer for Federal Agencies
A minister who is one of the city's most vocal black activists has secretly supplied federal law enforcement agencies with information over the last five years, New York Newsday reported today.
Information provided by the Rev. Al Sharpton Jr. touched on the activities of boxing promoter Don King, reputed organized crime figures, black leaders and elected officials, according the newspaper, which quoted unidentified sources.
The 33-year-old Brooklyn community leader began cooperating with authorities after he was videotaped discussing a potential cocaine sale in a sting operation, the newspaper said. However, Sharpton, in a radio interview this morning, called Newsday's report "ludicrous." Sharpton said he had stated that he would give federal authorities the addresses of "crack houses," but that that was the extent of his involvement.
Newsday said that in a two-hour, wide-ranging interview Monday, Sharpton admitted he carried concealed microphones in briefcases and accompanied undercover federal agents wearing body recorders to meetings with various subjects of federal investigations. He also allowed the U.S. attorney's office to install a wiretap on a telephone in his home.
But on WCBS Radio this morning, Sharpton denied telling the newspaper that.
"As far as providing information about other people, I know nothing about it, denounce the allegation (and) told the (Newsday) interviewers that that was not the case," Sharpton said.
The Pentecostal minister said the use of unidentified sources to discredit him was an attempt to undermine the campaign against racism in New York City. He said on WCBS he would hold a news conference with attorney Alton Maddox to rebut the Newsday report. He set no specific time on the air, and his telephone repeatedly was busy this morning.
Donald Forst, editor of New York Newsday, said the newspaper stood by its article. "We have him on tape," Forst said today.
He said the article was not intended to undermine the civil rights movement.
"If anything, the story serves to assist the black movement, to alert them to the fact that in their midst is someone who has been informing to federal authorities," he said.
The newspaper quoted sources as saying Sharpton was willing to supply information to federal law enforcement agencies on King and his stepson, Carl; reputed Colombo crime family figures Michael and Sonny Franzese; reputed Genovese crime family members Joey and Danny Pagano; City Councilman Wendell Foster; black activist Sonny Carson; and sports agent Norby Walters.
However, Sharpton denied supplying incriminating evidence on other activists or King. "Not only don't I allow them (federal investigators) to ask race questions, I don't talk about anything except what I brought to them," he said.
Sharpton told Newsday that he has cooperated in investigations of election-related irregularities involving Rep. Major Owens and state Assemblyman Al Vann and in organized crime probes. The telephone, Sharpton said, is only used to record conversations with drug dealers.
Law officials, noting the problem of keeping informants' identities secret, refused to comment, the newspaper said.
Translation from Al: "What would Jesse do?"
Hey, Al! Come with me to East Cleveland. I'll introduce you to a pimp named Suga-Free. I'm sure you two would love to give each other hairstyle and clothing tips!
"I never worked for the man" "I was just trying to cooperate with him so he would lead me back to his lair and I could finish him off."
Does anyone have the total transcript of this recording of Sharpton trying to by coke (with that sharp pimp hat)?
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