The Associated Press

Published 1:10 a.m. PDT Thursday, November 21, 2002

LOS ANGELES(AP) - A group of African Americans has sued civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, accusing him of fraud and demanding that he stop pretending to represent them.

African Americans Against Exploitation, a newly formed group that includes a former head of the Kentucky Republican Party, filed the lawsuit in Superior Court on Nov. 12. The suit claims Jackson is calling himself a black leader without permission from the country's millions of black citizens. The suit also was filed on behalf of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny.

The group claims that Jackson uses his influence to intimidate companies to donate money that is supposed to further the cause of blacks, but instead puts it to personal use.

"We are asking for a temporary restraining order for him to stop claiming he represents the black community," said AAAE President Dwane Knight. "The black community has no idea what's going on."

A lawyer for Jackson's Rainbow/Push Coalition called the suit a publicity stunt and said she would try to have the case thrown out of court.

"This is a nuisance lawsuit with no basis in law or fact," Tracy Rice said. "We will seek to have plaintiffs pay the fees and costs associated with defending this frivolous lawsuit."

James Stern, who heads the National Association of Cosmetologists, said he became involved in the suit after Jackson tried to organize a boycott of the movie "Barbershop" because parts of it were disrespectful to black icons Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.

Al Brown, a civil rights veteran who once led the Republican Party in Kentucky, said Jackson would hopefully understand the basis of the suit.

"We don't know what the judge can rule, but Jesse Jackson should not represent himself for a whole race of people," he said.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

Answers

about friggin time!!!!!

this is hilarious!

"The black community has no idea what's going on."

ROTFLMAO

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

Luscious, isn't it?

I think the Repubs have finally caught on and is doing what the Dems would do--and have done.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002