Penn slams Wyclef's Haiti presidency bid

WENN, Friday, August 6, 2010, 4:12am (PDT)

Sean Penn has criticized Wyclef Jean for stepping into Haiti's presidential race, insisting the former Fugees star has been "a non-presence" in aid efforts following the country's devastating earthquake.

The Oscar-winning actor has made several trips to the nation in the wake of the January quake and has become heavily involved in charity efforts to help the survivors.

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But Penn isn't impressed with the news that Jean is campaigning to become the country's next leader and he is convinced the allegations that the star misused money donated to his Yele Haiti Foundation will come back to haunt him.

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Penn says, "He has been virtually silent for those of us in Haiti, he has been a non-presence. His voice has really been most loudly that which allegedly (sic) has taken over 400,000 dollars designated for Haitian relief for himself and claims he didn't do it. That has to be looked into."

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"I've been there. I know what $400,000 could do for these people's lives and for a 24-year-old girl right now who is dying.

"So, I want to see someone who is really, really willing to sacrifice for their country and not just someone who I personally saw with a vulgar entourage of vehicles that demonstrated a wealth in Haiti that, in context, I felt (was) a very obscene demonstration."