NAACP To Return Donations From Clippers Owner Over Comments Controversy

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP will return donations Clippers owner Donald Sterling has made to the organization in response to alleged racist remarks he made in a recorded conversation.

KNX 1070's Margaret Carrero reports President Leon Jenkins said the NAACP has also canceled plans to present Sterling with a "humanitarian of the year" award next week.

At a Culver City news conference, Jenkins denounced the comments attributed to Sterling, who had been slated to receive the honor on May 15 as part of the 100th anniversary celebration of the Los Angeles branch of the nation's oldest civil rights organization.

The award would have marked the second honor given to Sterling by the NAACP.

"There is a personal, economic and social price that Mr. Sterling must pay for his attempt to turn back the clock on race relations," Jenkins said.

While he said the organization would be returning donations Sterling has made to the organization, Jenkins declined to say how much money would be returned, but did describe the amount as "insignificant."

He also noted that Sterling has been supportive of the NAACP over the years and that his "donations to charities probably outnumber any of the other sports entities."

Jenkins' reluctance to specify the exact amount that would be returned raised concern in the mind of Basil Kimbrew, founder of California Friends of the African American Caucus.

"That leads to speculation, and I'm asking for the NAACP to do a full disclosure of money," said Kimbrew.

Sterling was honored by the NAACP in 2009, but Jenkins said the organization had no plans to take back that award. Jenkins admitted Sterling's financial contributions were part of the basis for originally choosing to honor him.

Sterling's purported comments urging a woman to not bring black people to his team's games have overshadowed the NBA's opening playoff round and prompted an NBA investigation. The NBA is planning a Tuesday news conference to discuss the probe.

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