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January 6, 2011

Grassley Investigation Ends with No Penalty

for Televangelists
Sarah Pulliam Bailey

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Sen. Chuck Grassley's investigation of televangelists finished with no

penalties for the pastors who did not cooperate and found no definitive
instances of wrongdoing, the Associated Press reports.

Grassley (R-Iowa), who launched the investigation in 2007, released the

report at the end of his tenure as the ranking member of the Senate
Finance Committee.

Two of the targeted televangelists — Joyce Meyer, based in

Missouri and Benny Hinn, based in California — told Grassley
that they have made changes in how they govern their
ministries or set compensation.

But four of the televangelists would not provide full information

about their finances. Some questioned whether Grassley had
the authority to conduct the investigation. Others accused him
of violating their religious freedom.

Grassley's staff said in the report that they did not issue
subpoenas to further the investigation because witnesses
feared retaliation if they spoke out publicly and the Finance
Committee did not have the time or resources to enforce the recent posts
subpoenas.
Obama Administration Halts Prosecution of Some
The televangelists who did not provide full information included Kenneth Young Immigrants
and Gloria Copeland, Bishop Eddie Long, Creflo and Taffi Dollar, and North Dakota Rejects Religious Liberty Measure
Randy and Paula White. See more of CT's previous coverage here. California Moves To Pass First State Ban of Gay
Conversion Therapy
And in other television news, Ted Haggard is getting his own reality DOMA Decision: Unconstitutional And Bound For
project on TLC called Ted Haggard: Scandalous. The one-hour special SCOTUS
will debut on January 16, according to Entertainment Weekly. In 2006, a
male escort had alleged that Haggard had paid him for sex and drugs, categories
leading him to step down as president of the National Association of
Evangelicals and as senior pastor of New Life. started St. James Church Advertising
in Colorado Springs last May. Ballot Measures

posted by Sarah Pulliam Bailey | Comments (8) Barack Obama

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Democratic Party
This investigation was a great waste of taxpayer dollars!! Election 2012

Posted By: Alue | January 6, 2011 6:34 PM

George W. Bush
Governors
Issues
Not impressed, not surprised at all; is just more of the same old!
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Christianity Today Politics: Grassley Investigation Ends with No Penal... http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2011/01/grassley_invest.html

Posted By: Salero21 | January 7, 2011 1:07 PM Obama's Administration

Obama's Inauguration

I think the investigation is a good idea as it will get the dishonest ones out Pastors/Spiritual Advisers
of business. It is not a violation of their religious freedom if they are Pepfar Hiv/Aids
conning their followers of their money. I realize that they need the money Politicians
to buy television time, but there are some that use their profits for their Polls
own gain instead of using the money to help other people. Their God is
Pundits, Academics, and Activists
the almighty dollar instead of the almighty God!
Republican Party
Posted By: Doug Lass | January 8, 2011 11:59 AM Supreme Court
Tea Party

You must read the entire report! Copelands is 28 pages long by itself! U.S. House
Read the report in its entirety! http://grassley.senate.gov U.S. Senate
/news/Article.cfm?customel_dataPageID_1502=30359
archives
Posted By: Guy | January 8, 2011 2:21 PM
June 2012
May 2012
The report noted how an insider advised the panel of how it was the VoA April 2012
March 2012
organization had their employees "ordained" just so they could exploit the
more …
tax free housing allowance.

What the panel appaers to have missed was how George Bush and Omar
Burleson were able to get the IRS to roll over for their constituents
employed by certain private schools (ACU, Pepperdine, et al) and ever
since such private school employees (e.g., basketball coaches and such)
have been registering as "ministers" so they could exploit the tax free
ministerial housing allowance.

The FFRF suit challenging the constitutionality of the ministerial housing

allowance should be supported and should receive more media attention.

It appears Congress and the President are not going to remedy any of the
housing allowance problems any time soon.

Posted By: RLBaty | January 8, 2011 4:55 PM

How any Christian could be against financial accountability is completely

baffling to me. I applaud Sen. Grassley for taking this on and am deeply
saddened that the charlatans and crooks who hide behind a cloak of
Christianity for financial gain are not spending time behind bars. Those
who fear financial transparency have very good reasons and non of them
are virtuous.

Posted By: Susan Mills | January 10, 2011 11:03 PM

I applaud this investigation. I only wish they used all powers available to
them to truly have an in-depth investigation. As it stands, they were able
to make a few of these crooks show their hand. Men of God should and
must be transparent in all that they do. If not, they are deceivers of God's
people. And who is the arch deceiver? It would appear that is who they
represent. I know from personal experience how they prey on and badger
elderly believers out of their money. My mother has sent these same
clowns under this investigation, $800-$1500 dollars a month for over 23
years; until I put a stop to it.They call her on the phone and send
countless letters asking for money. They are crooks!

Posted By: Douglas Daniels | January 24, 2011 10:48 PM

yes christians need to expose these shysters for exactly what they are.
snake oil salesman...

Posted By: rob relling | October 8, 2011 12:23 AM

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