Al Sharpton denounces report about his unpaid taxes

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Al Sharpton adamantly denied allegations Wednesday that he and his company have $4.5 million in unpaid taxes.

According to the New York Times, there is an unpaid federal tax lien of $4.5 million against Sharpton and his for-profit companies. As he rose from a modest background in New York, the civil rights activist and MSNBC host fielded accusations from taking money from his non-profits to pay his daughter's tuition to violating campaign finance laws. He also had issues paying rent on his home in Brooklyn where his wife Kathy stayed after they separated.

Sharpton now has personal federal tax liens of more than $3 million and state tax liens of $777,657. Raw Talent and Revals Communications, his companies, owe another $717,329 on state and federal tax liens.

Sharpton spoke at a press conference Wednesday and denied the claims.

"If we owed $4.5 million in '08 then how could we owe this now, unless you're saying that everybody just went to sleep on this and just gave us a pass, which is ridiculous," he said.

Sharpton added these accusations are coming from political motivations.

"Every time there's a Sean Bell or a Ferguson or a Trayvon Martin, we go through my taxes. It's the same agreement y'all. It's the same thing we announced in '09. It is the same thing we've been paying every month."