Story highlights A New York Times report says that Rev. Al Sharpton owes $4.5 million in state and federal taxes

The civil rights leader and MSNBC host strongly pushed back in a press conference

He said he's been making payments since 2008 and owes less, but didn't say how much

(CNN) Civil rights leader Al Sharpton sharply denounced an extensive New York Times report that he and his companies are subject to $4.5 million in current state and federal tax liens.

The MSNBC host said in a press conference Wednesday that the $4.5 million was the original figure he was ordered to pay back in 2008, but that he has been making regular payments since then and the amount is now less.

Sharpton did not give the outstanding balance owed by him and his for-profit companies --Raw Talent and Revals Communications.

Rather, he focused his remarks on how much money his nonprofit group, the National Action Network, has paid back. The liens against that organization, however, were not lumped into the $4.5 million figure reported by the Times.

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The Times reported that Sharpton is still liable for personal federal tax liens of more than $3 million, and state tax liens of $777,657. The companies owe another $717,329 on state and federal tax liens.

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