Sharpton

Sharpton ought to be president of some crappy third world country. He'd fit in perfectly . . . Chavez, Castro, Milsovitch, Sharpton. . . it just has a ring to it. He could participate in the United Nations like all the other thugs and thieves.

Sharpton's quixotic run for the Democratic presidential nomination has raised questions of financial impropriety - including charges that he spent campaign funds on swanky hotels.

In April 2005, Sharpton denied allegations that he failed to report tens of thousands of dollars in campaign cash to the Federal Election Committee.

Sharpton's associates were summoned to testify before the grand jury on the morning after Christmas. The subpoenas additionally called for them to provide the IRS with all financial records from the campaign and a half-dozen Sharpton-related businesses.

Personal finance records from Sharpton and his wife, Kathy, were also sought by investigators.

A Sharpton spokesman said the reverend, who pleaded guilty in 1993 to a misdemeanor for failure to file a tax return, would assist with the probe.