Karin Stanford

Karin L. Stanford is a writer and professor of Pan-African Studies and Politics at California State University, Northridge. Her latest book is "Breaking the Silence - Inspirational Stories of Black Cancer Survivors". This collection of testimonials was inspired by Stanford's own experiences with breast cancer. Stanford's other published works include "Black Political Organization in the Post-Civil Rights Era", coedited with Ollie Johnson and "Beyond The Boundaries: Reverend Jesse Jackson In International Affairs". The author of numerous articles on black women and black politics, Stanford is the former director of the Washington, D.C., Bureau of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and a former Congressional Black Caucus fellow. Stanford is currently teaching the "Politics of Hip Hop", a class delving into the history and influence of the musical genre.

She gained notoriety in 2000 when it was revealed that she had had an affair with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, resulting in the birth of her daughter, Ashley, and it was reported that she had been paid $40,000 by Rainbow/PUSH. Commentators questioned the legality of these payments and charged that Jackson was paying “hush money” to Stanford. [ [http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2001/01/19/jackson/index.html Salon.com Politics | Jackson retreats ] ] [ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70A10FE3E580C738EDDA80894D9404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fJ%2fJackson%2c%20Jesse%20L%2e Rainbow Coalition Paid $35,000 to Woman in Jackson Affair - New York Times ] ]

The Rainbow/PUSH Coalition later released financial records showing it paid Stanford $15,000 in moving expenses to relocate her from Washington DC to Southern California and a $21,000 consultant fee for "consulting services" for a 150 page report for the organization and that an earlier agreement to lend Stanford an additional $40,000 was withdrawn and never paid out. [ [http://edition.cnn.com/2001/US/02/01/jackson.money/index.html CNN.com 2-1-01 Operation PUSH documents financial ties with Jackson lover] ]

There have been other allegations that Stanford received $3,000 a month in child support and $365,000 to purchase a house from Rainbow/PUSH funds. fact|date=July 2008. Jackson has stated that the $3,000/month payments come from his own account, not PUSH's.

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