For a full 45 minutes, the veteran civil rights leader and MSNBC host lambasted the story, which said he had $4.5 million in tax liens placed against him. Sharpton characterized the report as both inaccurate and politically motivated before making an abrupt exit from the event.
“The story is at best misleading and totally out of context,” Sharpton said, charging the story was using outdated records.
He also argued his organization, National Action Network, was simply negotiating penalties with the federal government.
The Times report, which was written by Russ Buettner, also detailed Sharpton’s history of controversial statements including comments about whites and Jews as well as his long history of money woes.
