Coalition of black churches representing 28 million Americans demands MSNBC fire Al Sharpton

A powerful coalition of African American churches is calling for the suspension and investigation of MSNBC host Rev. Al Sharpton, alleging that donations from Kamala Harris’s campaign to Sharpton’s National Action Network have compromised the integrity of the black Church and journalism.

Last week, MSNBC admitted it was “unaware” that Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign had paid $500,000 to Al Sharpton’s National Action Network nonprofit ahead of a favorable interview with the Democratic nominee on October 20, just weeks before the election, according to Fox News.

After Harris’s defeat to President-elect Donald Trump, Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings revealed that the Harris campaign made two $250,000 donations to Sharpton’s National Action Network in early September and October.

Despite the apparent conflict of interest, the MSNBC weekend host did not disclose the donations to viewers or to the network executives about the payments before or after the interview.

According to a report by the Washington Free Beacon, who first broke the story, Harris’s donation was part of a larger $5.4 million spending spree aimed at boosting her favorability among Black and Latino groups — a strategy that, as we know, fell flat.

Now, the National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), representing 27.7 million churchgoers and 150,000 churches across the country, issued a scathing press release demanding transparency about a reported $500,000 payment from Harris’s campaign to Sharpton’s organization.

The NBCI says the payment raises questions about the ethics of both Sharpton and MSNBC, where Sharpton is a prominent host.

Rev. Anthony Evans, President of the NBCI, described the situation as a “moral stain” on the black Church and called on Sharpton to provide full transparency regarding the funds.

Read the full press release:

The National Black Church Initiative (NBCI), a coalition comprising 150,000 African American churches representing over 27.7 million churchgoers, expresses deep concern regarding allegations that a leader may be compromising our voting integrity by engaging with Kamala Harris’s campaign. There arises a critical question: what exactly did VP Kamala Harris receive in exchange for 500,000?

This situation is perceived by many ministers as casting a moral shadow over the integrity of the black Church. It is imperative for The Rev. Al Sharpton to transparently disclose the details of this 500,000 transaction—its rationale, receipt, and intended purpose.

Moreover, it is crucial to ascertain whether Rev. Sharpton personally benefited from any funds, and if so, the specifics of such transactions demand clarification.

Rev. Anthony Evans, President of NBCI, remarks, “Although Rev. Sharpton is held in high regard within our coalition, this does not obscure the significant ethical concerns he now faces—both morally and journalistically—regarding this financial interaction with the National Action Network. We continue to hold him in our prayers.”

Media outlets report that MSNBC was uninformed about this financial dealing. This revelation brings to light concerns regarding Rev. Sharpton’s ethical standing as a host on MSNBC.

Questions are raised about the potential necessity of financial contributions to his organization as a prerequisite for media coverage or favorable portrayal.

The hiring of Rev. Sharpton, who lacks formal journalism qualifications, has been a longstanding issue within the African American community, as it seemingly undermines the professional standing of other black men and women in journalism who may possess greater experience and integrity in the field.

NBCI strongly urges MSNBC to initiate a thorough investigation into the transaction or donation made by the Harris campaign and supports a suspension of Rev. Sharpton pending the outcome of this inquiry.

In discussions concerning threats to our democracy, the crucial role of a free, open, objective, and transparent press as a foundational element in safeguarding democratic integrity often goes unspoken.

The Society of Professional Journalism outlines ethical journalism as follows: Journalists should be accurate, fair, honest, and courageous in their efforts to gather, report, and interpret information. They should uphold the following principles:

• Ensure accuracy and verify information before dissemination, primarily using original sources.
• Provide context and avoid misrepresentation or oversimplification in news promotion.
• Continuously gather, update, and rectify information throughout the lifespan of a news story.
• Exercise caution in making promises and consistently fulfill them.
• Clearly identify sources, providing the public with ample information to assess the reliability and motives of these sources.
• Assess the motives of sources before granting anonymity, reserving it for those who may face harm and possess irreplaceable information, and justify the use of anonymity.
• Proactively seek responses from news subjects to address criticism or allegations.
• Avoid covert methods of information gathering unless absolutely necessary.
• Hold power to account, amplify marginalized voices, and foster open and respectful discourse.
• Maintain transparency in public affairs and access to public records.
• Provide access to source material when relevant.
• Represent diverse perspectives and seek out underrepresented voices.
• Avoid stereotypes and reflect on how personal values may influence reporting.
• Distinguish between advocacy, commentary, and factual reporting.
• Avoid distorting facts or context, including visual representations, and clearly label illustrations and re-enactments.
• Prohibit plagiarism and diligently attribute sources.

Additionally, as a minister of the Gospel, Rev. Sharpton’s involvement in this payment scenario does not reflect well on his commitment to uphold integrity, aligning with Scriptural teachings that advocate steering clear of even the appearance of impropriety.

[Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on The Gateway Pundit.com]