NYPost

JESSE'S TROUBLE WITH TAXES

May 6, 2001 -- Jesse Jackson, call your accountant.

Again.

It appears the good reverend has some more explaining to do.

First it was revealed that the mother of his illegitimate child was paid off with official Rainbow/PUSH Coalition funds.

Subsequently, Jackson submitted amended tax returns for his sister organization, the nonprofit Citizenship Education Fund (CEF).

However, as The Post's Rod Dreher and the Chicago Tribune have reported, the resubmitted tax forms are as messy and suspicious as the originals.

Among the discrepancies:

* A $15,000 contribution falsely attributed to the New York City Board of Education.

* A $200,000 donation to CEF by Wells Fargo Bank - of which the financial institution has no record.

* A $25,000 check by Coors Brewing Co. was credited to CEF but was actually written to a separate Jackson group, PUSH For Excellence.

* A $10,000 gift from Compaq written out to the "Rainbow/PUSH Coalition" somehow ended up on CEF's forms.

One "mistake" once might be understandable. But four errors (so far) on the "corrected" tax information? Please.

The IRS has strict rules governing the financial records of nonprofit organizations. Violations can result in criminal penalties.

Plus, falsely signing a return is a felony.

With this "amended" return, Jackson and his accountants have now had two bites at the apple to get their records straight - more than the average taxpayer usually gets.

It's well past time for the IRS to launch a full audit of the Rev. Jackson's creative financing and interlocking organizations.

These returns, of course, don't even take into account the various amounts of money Jackson has received from the Democratic Party and organized labor during past campaign years.

As noted above, it's time for some explanations.

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2001

Answers

I wonder how he looks in stripes? Or are orange jumpsuits still in fashion?

-- Anonymous, May 06, 2001