Rev. Al Sharpton, the controversial MSNBC host and founder of the National Action Network (NAN), has faced mounting scrutiny for his financial dealings.
A deep dive into NAN’s tax records reveals Sharpton has awarded himself nearly $1 million in bonuses over seven years while continuing to position himself as a civil rights leader.
“Al Sharpton pocketed nearly $1 million in bonuses from his National Action Network nonprofit” – https://t.co/06FcqDISWb [1]
— Albertteac (@Albertteac) December 12, 2024 [2]
As The New York Post reported [3], Sharpton introduced “bonus & incentive compensation” payments to himself in 2014, beginning with a modest $64,400.
From there, the payouts grew considerably. In 2016, he collected a staggering $437,555 bonus—nearly double his $250,000 base salary.
Two years later, he gave himself $159,596 in bonuses on top of his $324,000 salary, with an additional $563,352 listed under “other reportable compensation.”
By 2021, Sharpton’s bonuses totaled $278,503—amounting to approximately 80% of his $348,174 base salary that year.
In total, the reverend’s bonuses from his nonprofit have raked in $940,054 between 2014 and 2021. Despite repeated inquiries, NAN has remained silent on these eyebrow-raising financial practices.
Adding fuel to the fire, recent revelations link NAN to a significant payment [4] from Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign. Federal Election Commission filings show Harris’ campaign funneled $500,000 to NAN in the weeks leading up to a friendly October 20, 2020, interview with Sharpton.
The payments—split into two $250,000 donations—came just before the election, raising questions about the ethical lines blurred between journalism, activism, and politics.
Sharpton’s MSNBC bosses claim they were “unaware [5]” of the payments, and the host himself failed to disclose the financial connection on-air during or after the interview.
