Exclusive: Sharpton Stands by Brawley, Denies Crown Heights Riot Incitement

Yesterday, at an event in South Los Angeles rallying for the family of Trayvon Martin, Rev. Al Sharpton, host on MSNBC, was interviewed in the parking lot by Breitbart News reporter Christian Hartsock. Here’s the transcript: HARTSOCK: Excuse me, Reverend … Given your role in inciting the Crown Heights riots – SHARPTON: I wasn’t in the Crown Heights riots. HARTSOCK: You weren’t involved in the Crown Heights riots? SHARPTON: No, I came after the Crown Heights riots. Read the state report. We got there three days later and brought the peace. So get your facts right. Sharpton didn’t get his facts right. The Crown Heights riots occurred after young black New Yorker Gavin Cato was hit by a car driven by an Orthodox Jew. Sharpton spoke at the funeral. Here’s what he said: “Talk about how Oppenheimer in South Africa sends diamonds straight to Tel Aviv and deals with the diamond merchants right here in Crown Heights. The issue is not anti-Semitism; the issue is apartheid .... All we want to say is what Jesus said: If you offend one of these little ones, you got to pay for it. No compromise, no meetings, no coffee klatsch, no skinnin' and grinnin'." Later, Sharpton said, “If the Jews want to get it on, tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house.” The riots resulted in the murder of an Orthodox Jew, Yankel Rosenbaum. As Rosenbaum’s brother wrote, “Based on everything we have seen and read, Sharpton never called upon the rioters to stop their anti-Semitism-inspired violence. He never called on the rioters to go home. To the contrary, he stirred them up. And three days of anti-Semitic violence became the Crown Heights riots.” HARTSOCK: Okay. And in your role in the Tawana Brawley case – SHARPTON: Yes, I stand by that. And there was no violence. HARTSOCK: You stand by the case? SHARPTON: I stand by many cases. Sharpton standing by Tawana Brawley is incredible. The Tawana Brawley case began for Sharpton in November 1987, when he jumped to her defense after the 15-year-old black girl claimed she had been kidnaped and raped by six whites in Dutchess County, New York. There was no evidence supporting the claims. Nonetheless, Sharpton escalated the rhetoric, eventually stating that Dutchess County assistant prosecutor Steven Pagones had been involved in the rape. “We stated openly that Steven Pagones did it,” said Sharpton. “If we’re lying, sue us, so we can go into court with you and prove you did it. Sue us – sue us right now.” So Pagones sued him for defamation, winning a $345,000 court judgment. Sharpton was on the hook for $65,000 of that. He has never personally paid up. So he hasn’t even stood by his own case. HARTSOCK: Do you feel you’re in a position to be speaking about civil trials? SHARPTON: Sure, because we won the cases of Abner Louima, we won the case of Howard Beach, we won the case of Bensonhurst, I think I’m more qualified to stand than most. I’ve won more cases. And the case you mentioned, Brawley, there was never any violence. You think you’re qualified since you don’t do research properly? HARTSOCK: Do you think you’re qualified to be speaking about racism? SHARPTON: No, I’m asking two questions. No, no, no, we’re not – HARTSOCK: Do you think you’re qualified to be speaking about racism – At this point, Sharpton walks away. This is the Al Sharpton leading the charge on the Trayvon Martin case – a racist extraordinaire, a charlatan, and a liar. And this is the Al Sharpton hired by Phil Griffin to lend gravitas to MSNBC’s evening lineup.