A press release said Sharpton was coming to the Reaching Souls Cathedral of Praise to speak on behalf of Pastor Onslow Ross,  who is facing 60 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines after being found guilty on over 50 counts relating to the misuse of a $389-thousand dollar insurance check.

Instead, Sharpton told a gathering of several hundred at the church that he was there to open a Macon chapter of his National Action Network.

The civil right activist, talk show host and former presidential candidate told those attending that he wouldn't make any comments about the Ross case. But he did, instead, speak about the state of the black community.