Richard Tafoya
Nov 2nd, 2006, 03:54 PM
Rocky Mountain News:
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5112770,00.html
A prominent evangelical preacher is temporarily stepping down amid allegations by a former gay male escort that the two had a three-year sexual relationship, according to a church spokeswoman.
Ted Haggard, founder of the 14,000-member New Life Church and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, told KUSA Channel 9 that the escort is lying.
"I’ve never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I’m steady with my wife. I’m faithful to my wife," Haggard said.
Haggard is taking a voluntary administration leave to allow an independent board of overseers to investigate the allegations, said his niece Carolyn Haggard.
Mike Jones, 59, of Denver, made his allegations on the Peter Boyles show on KHOW 630 AM, saying he was compelled to come forward because he believes Haggard, an opponent of same-sex unions is being hypocritical.
...
Jones, who told a bankruptcy judge last year that he is a self-employed fitness consultant, told Boyles that he was paid money by Haggard, who he says made frequent trips to Denver for sexual liaisons, that he has recorded voicemails and a letter from Haggard, and that he had also witnessed Haggard use methamphetamine.
Jones offered to take a polygraph examination, and Boyles said that will occur Friday during his morning radio show.
Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/02/haggard-evangelical-prostitute/
Haggard is president of the National Association of Evangelicals, representing more than 30 million conservative Christians. Time Magazine ranked him as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals (http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/covers/1101050207/photoessay/11.html) and Harper’s contributing editor Jeff Sharlet noted, “No pastor in America holds more sway over the political direction of evangelicalism (http://www.harpers.org/SoldiersOfChrist.html) than does Pastor Ted.”
Every Monday, Haggard participates in a conference call with members of the Bush administration. He has stated, “I’m a right-wing religious conservative. … I joke that the only disagreement I have with George Bush is on what type of truck to drive (http://www.amazon.com/gp/explorer/0451219457/2/ref=pd_lpo_ase/102-1458096-5372931?).”
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5112770,00.html
A prominent evangelical preacher is temporarily stepping down amid allegations by a former gay male escort that the two had a three-year sexual relationship, according to a church spokeswoman.
Ted Haggard, founder of the 14,000-member New Life Church and president of the National Association of Evangelicals, told KUSA Channel 9 that the escort is lying.
"I’ve never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I’m steady with my wife. I’m faithful to my wife," Haggard said.
Haggard is taking a voluntary administration leave to allow an independent board of overseers to investigate the allegations, said his niece Carolyn Haggard.
Mike Jones, 59, of Denver, made his allegations on the Peter Boyles show on KHOW 630 AM, saying he was compelled to come forward because he believes Haggard, an opponent of same-sex unions is being hypocritical.
...
Jones, who told a bankruptcy judge last year that he is a self-employed fitness consultant, told Boyles that he was paid money by Haggard, who he says made frequent trips to Denver for sexual liaisons, that he has recorded voicemails and a letter from Haggard, and that he had also witnessed Haggard use methamphetamine.
Jones offered to take a polygraph examination, and Boyles said that will occur Friday during his morning radio show.
Think Progress:
http://thinkprogress.org/2006/11/02/haggard-evangelical-prostitute/
Haggard is president of the National Association of Evangelicals, representing more than 30 million conservative Christians. Time Magazine ranked him as one of the 25 most influential evangelicals (http://www.time.com/time/subscriber/covers/1101050207/photoessay/11.html) and Harper’s contributing editor Jeff Sharlet noted, “No pastor in America holds more sway over the political direction of evangelicalism (http://www.harpers.org/SoldiersOfChrist.html) than does Pastor Ted.”
Every Monday, Haggard participates in a conference call with members of the Bush administration. He has stated, “I’m a right-wing religious conservative. … I joke that the only disagreement I have with George Bush is on what type of truck to drive (http://www.amazon.com/gp/explorer/0451219457/2/ref=pd_lpo_ase/102-1458096-5372931?).”