Rapper-turned-politician Wyclef Jean has fired back at Sean Penn after the actor criticized his decision to run as president of Haiti, insisting he has “sweat blood” for his native country.

The Fugees star officially launched his bid for office on Thursday, vowing to help turn around Haiti’s fortunes following the devastating earthquake which struck the nation in January.

Penn has made several charity trips to the impoverished country in the wake of the natural disaster and has been heavily involved in the relief efforts.

But he was not impressed with the news of Jean’s political campaign, claiming the rapper has been absent in Haiti since the quake and raising concerns about allegations the star misused money donated to his Yele Haiti charity.

He told CNN, “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 designated for Haitian relief for himself and claims he didn’t do it. That has to be looked into.”

However, Jean has hit out at Penn’s claims, saying he has “sweat (his) blood” for Haiti and played a vital part in keeping the peace in Haiti after the country’s former president, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, fled.

Speaking on “The Gayle King Show” on Friday, Jean said, “What I want Sean Penn to know is, if I was not in Haiti after Jean-Bertrand Aristide left, if I did not create (my charity) Yele Haiti to start stopping the violence, even him coming to Haiti would not have been possible today.”

Jean also responded to accusations he was out of touch with local issues having moved to the U.S. when he was nine, insisting he is an ideal candidate for president because “the psychology of the Haitian people is something that I understand (sic) ever since birth.”

He added, “I would like to tell Sean Penn I do not act on emotions when it comes to the Haitian people. Sean Penn must understand that besides what he sees in Haiti, there are four million diasporas living outside of Haiti that is actually the commerce… that’s bringing $2 billion per year (for the country). And guess what, I am part of that community also.”

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COMMENT: HAITIAN-TRUTH.ORG

Sean Penn has been with us since the quake and has avoided publicity and self-promotion.

The fact that Wyclef took $400,000.00 from his charity is not in question. It is a stated fact in IRS documentation.  It was a rental charge that Wyclef filed for the charity’s use of space in his New York studio. I have been in the studio and cannot visualize a space worth $400,000.00. In fact, when I was there, I saw no sign of the charity.

Wyclef also charged his charity $100,000.00 for a performance. Come on guys!! One would expect him to do this for nothing. There is probably no legal reason why he can’t charge….but there is a moral one. $100,000.00 would buy a lot of rice and beans for starving kids.

Wyclef rents an executive jet for trips to Haiti when American Airlines could do the trick for a few hundred rather than many thousands of charity dollars.

Wyclef put his girlfriend (he is married) on the charity payroll for almost $200,000.00. That’s a lot to pay for a warm body!  That’s a lot of rice and bean money for starving kids.

Wyclef makes enough with his music career.

He shouldn’t bleed charity dollars away from his work in Haiti.

It might be legal but it lacks a moral tone.

Sean Penn is living in a tent city.

Wyclef, and his entourage, takes over the Kinam Hotel.