Ethics Group Criticizes Golf Channel for 'Caving In' to Sharpton Over Lynching Tiger Woods Remarks by Kelly Tilghman

Ethics Group Criticizes Golf Channel for 'Caving In' to Sharpton Over Lynching Tiger Woods Remarks by Kelly Tilghman

FALLS CHURCH, Va., Jan. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Peter Flaherty, President of the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) made the following statement about the suspension of Golf Channel Anchor Kelly Tilghman:

"The Golf Channel has made an unfortunate situation worse by caving in to the likes of Al Sharpton. If there is a victim it is Tiger Woods. The Golf Channel should have taken its lead from Tiger, and not from a hate-monger like Sharpton. The suspension of Kelly Tilghman is a mistake and she should be reinstated without delay."

During a broadcast Friday from the Mercedes-Benz Championship, Tilghman discussed Tiger Wood's dominance of the sport, and said that young players on the PGA Tour should "lynch him in a back alley." The Golf Channel, which originally said there would be no punishment, changed its position less than three hours after Sharpton weighed in, calling Tilghman the same as Imus.

Woods' agent released a statement saying, "This story is a non-issue. Tiger and Kelly are friends and Tiger has a great deal of respect for Kelly. Regardless of the choice of words used, we know unequivocally that there was no ill intent in her comments. This story is a non-issue in our eyes."

Flaherty continued, "It is ironic that Sharpton would claim offense at lynching when he himself has instigated phony racial incidents such as the Duke rape case and the Tawana Brawley episode. Even worse, Sharpton incited actual racial violence in the 1991 Crown Heights murder of a Jewish youth and the 1995 Freddie's Fashion Mart arson and murders, which claimed the seven lives."

Flaherty concluded, "The Golf Channel is validating Sharpton as some kind of legitimate voice, even as Sharpton and his organizations are the focus of a criminal investigation."

The investigation relates to Sharpton's 2004 presidential campaign.

In February 2004, NLPC filed a Complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against Sharpton and Detroit businessman LeVan Hawkins alleging massive violations of election law. In May 2004, the FEC ruled that Sharpton's campaign must return $100,000 in federal matching funds. The FEC also denied Sharpton an additional $70,000.

During an unrelated investigation in Philadelphia, local Democratic fundraiser Ronald A. White and Hawkins reportedly were wiretapped by the FBI having a conversation in which Hawkins expressed suspicions that Sharpton had failed to report money they had raised for his campaign.

The wiretap picked up Hawkins telling White he believed they had raised more than $140,000 for Sharpton in the previous quarter, but Hawkins worried because Sharpton had reported only about $50,000 on his federal election filing. "He's a train wreck -- a plane crash waiting to happen," Hawkins reportedly told White about Sharpton.

According to press reports, Sharpton was secretly videotaped pocketing campaign donations from Hawkins and White in a New York City hotel room.

In January of 2004, the FEC fined Sharpton $5,000 as a result of an earlier and separate NLPC Complaint alleging that Sharpton violated federal election law by failing to file a statement of candidacy as well as financial disclosure reports on time.

NLPC promotes ethics in public life.

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Source: National Legal and Policy Center

CONTACT: Peter Flaherty of the National Legal and policy Center,
+1-703-237-1970

Web Site:

http://www.nlpc.org/

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