Al Sharpton Fined by FEC, Feels Better

Al Sharpton, a former Democratic candidate for president in 2004, is breathing a little lighter today, even though he has agreed to pay a large fine to the Federal Election Commission for violating several election laws.

"This is the first time in years that nothing is hanging over our heads," he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday.

The FEC announced earlier in the day that his campaign and an advocacy group he founded would pay a civil penalty of $285,000 for breaking various campaign finance rules. The agency said Sharpton's nonprofit National Action Network, as well as two businesses he owns, had improperly paid $387,192 in campaign expenses, violating prohibitions on corporate or in-kind contributions.

So why is Sharpton so relieved to have been found guilty of, among other things, improperly billing $181,115 in expenses?

While acknowledging that the campaign did make mistakes, Sharpton said investigators found no evidence that anyone meant to break the law.

In other words, everybody makes an honest mistake (or two) now and again. Consider Sharpton's recent settlement with the IRS, in which he and his business entities have begun paying more than $1.5 million dollars in back taxes and penalties. But with this latest settlement, his legal troubles appear to be receding, a fact that is bound to put a smile back on his face.


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