Bill Berkowitz
November 2, 2006

George W. Bush's link to Evangelical Right caught in November Surprise

After admitting "some guilt" in accusations of purchasing gay sex and using amphetamines, Ted Haggard, megachurch pastor, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, and adviser to George W. Bush, resigns

Pastor Ted Haggard got a November Surprise: Only a few days before Colorado voters were to head to the polls to vote on two ballot initiatives involving gay marriage, Mike Jones, a former gay escort claimed that he had a three-year sexual relationship with Haggard, the founder and senior leader of the 14,000 member Colorado Springs, Colorado-based New Life Church, the state's largest megachurch. Haggard also served as president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE - website) whose 30-million members come from more than 45,000 churches across America. Over the past few years, Haggard has been a regular advisor to the Bush administration.

Within 48 hours of Jones' revelations and despite receiving a vote of confidence from Dr. James C. Dobson, Haggard resigned his post at the NAE, and "voluntarily" took an administrative leave of absence from his church. On Friday morning a church spokesman admitted to a Colorado Springs television station that there was "some guilt" on Haggard's part, while an independent voice identification expert is set to declare voice mails left on Jones' answering service were "perfect matches" on nine of 12 words.

Haggard's 48 hours

During an appearance on the Peter Boyles show on KHOW 630 AM radio, Mike Jones said "After sitting back and contemplating this issue, the biggest reason (for exposing it) is being a gay man all my life, I have experience with my friends, some great sadness of people that were in a relationship through the years" and were not able to enjoy the same rights and privileges as a married man and woman.

"I felt it was my responsibility to my fellow brothers and sisters, that I had to take a stand, and I cannot sit back anymore and hear (what) to me is an anti-gay message."

According to a report posted on the website of Denver's 9News.com on the evening of November 1, and updated the following morning, Jones told 9 Wants to Know Investigative Reporter Paula Woodward that he has had a "sexual business" relationship with Pastor Haggard for the past three years.

Jones "started talking to 9 Wants to Know two months ago," 9News.com reported. "He claims Haggard has been paying him for sex over the past three years, even though Haggard preaches that homosexuality is a sin. Jones also claims Haggard used methamphetamine in his presence on several occasions."

"People may look at me and think what I've done is immoral, but I think I had to do the moral thing in my mind and that is expose someone who is preaching one thing and doing the opposite behind everybody's back," said Jones.

In an exclusive interview with Haggard on Wednesday evening, the Pastor denied having "a homosexual relationship with a man in Denver. I am steady with my wife. I'm faithful to my wife."

At first, Haggard denied the charges, trying to pass them off as an election year dirty trick: "I don't know if this is election year politics or if this has to do with the marriage amendment or what it is, but I'm not even the guy who will investigate it or question it. I don't know what the dynamics are, but this independent group will come in and do that."

Later, however, Haggard's three paragraph statement announcing his decision to step down "contained no denial of the allegations by 49-year-old Mike Jones, of Denver," reported the Rocky Mountain News on November 3. And on Friday Ross Parsley, the temporary head of Haggard's church, admitted that Haggard was guilty of some indiscretions.

Colorado's ballot initiatives

According to a Cara DeGette post at Colorado Confidential, "New Life Church has contributed $12,000 to the campaign for Amendment 43...[the] ballot measure that would define marriage as between a man and a woman in the state's constitution. But, Haggard has not exactly been 'the hammer on the gay marriage issue,'" New Life Church Associate Pastor Rob Brendle said.

"They're looking for the guy who's holding the gun on [Amendment] 43 but this is underhanded; it's debased and they've got the wrong guy," Brendle pointed out.

According to DeGette, "Haggard clearly supports Amendment 43, but he has not been in the forefront of opposition to Colorado's Referendum I, which would recognize same-gender partnerships."

An early September story in the Colorado Springs Independent pointed out that "While Haggard supports federal and state constitutional amendments that limit marriage to a man and a woman, he's more measured in his view of domestic partnerships."

"If the state wants to provide people who are in a different type of relationship the same benefits as marriage, that's up to the community," Haggard said. "As a Christian, I would be hesitant to do anything that would deny people medical insurance or the ability to visit their partner in a hospital."

According to the Colorado Springs Independent, "Haggard agrees with Lawrence v. Texas, the 2003 Supreme Court decision that struck down anti-sodomy laws and, unlike [Focus on the Family founder James] Dobson, is generally cautious about codifying religious teaching in law."

"We believe within the church that sexuality should be only between a married man and a woman," Haggard said. "But there are many things that I teach in the church that I would never want integrated into civil law."

Well-connected to the Bush Administration

In conservative evangelical Christian circles, Haggard was one of the rising stars; the heir apparent of folks likes Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell and Dobson. In 2005, then NBC News anchor Tom Brokaw profiled Haggard in a series on mega-churches. In addition, the pastor was also listed by Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Evangelicals in America last year.

Haggard is well-connected politically, having often met with President Bush and his staff at the White House. Harper's contributing editor Jeff Sharlet pointed out that "No pastor in America holds more sway over the political direction of evangelicalism than does Pastor Ted."

In a Wall Street Journal story dated August 13, 2004, Haggard told reporter Elizabeth Bernstein that he participates in "a weekly conference call...that's led by Tim Goeglein, the White House's liaison to the conservative community, and includes prominent religious leaders. 'We have direct access,'" Haggard told Bernstein. "I can call [Mr. Goeglein], he'll take my concern to the president and get back to me in 24 hours."

According to Haggard, "The weekly conference call with the White House" allows him to give the administration "the pulse of the evangelical world."

In 2004, Haggard was heavily involved in "trying to boost evangelical voter participation," the Wall Street Journal reported. "On Sept. 19, he co-hosted a two-hour broadcast encouraging viewers to make it to the polls and to call their congressional representatives in support of the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would ban same-sex marriages. The show was carried on three Christian television networks and as many as 1,500 Christian radio stations.

"Meanwhile, Haggard makes no secret of his support of President Bush. Of the three framed pictures hanging outside his office, two are of himself and the president. (The other is of himself and Mel Gibson, who pre-screened "The Passion of Christ" at a conference organized by Mr. Haggard.)"

The final hours

Early on Thursday, November 2, Dr. James C. Dobson the founder and Chairman of Focus on the Family, was quick to issue a statement about Haggard: "It is unconscionable that the legitimate news media would report a rumor like this based on nothing but one man's accusation. Ted Haggard is a friend of mine and it appears someone is trying to damage his reputation as a way of influencing the outcome of Tuesday's election -- especially the vote on Colorado's marriage-protection amendment -- which Ted strongly supports."

"He has shown a great deal of grace under these unfortunate circumstances, quickly turning this matter over to his church for an independent investigation. That is a testament to the character I have seen him exhibit over and over again through the years."

Also on November 2, the Rocky Mountain News reported that Jones said Haggard's denial was a lie. "Yes he is (lying)," said Jones. "He had a relationship with me. We had gay sex." According to the newspaper, "Jones also said during his appearance with Boyles that he was paid money by Haggard, who 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 concerning his claim, and Boyles said that will occur Friday during his morning radio show." During the Friday morning show, a polygraph operator declared that Jones' polygraph "tracings showed some deception," although his mental and physical states may have played a part in the finding.

Late Thursday afternoon, the Denver Post reported that Haggard had resigned from his post at the National Association of Evangelicals and "placed himself on administrative leave pending investigation, spiritual counsel and a decision by the [New Life Church] board of overseers, the church's legal counsel said."

"I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity. I hope to be able to discuss this matter in more detail at a later date," Haggard's statement said.

According to the Denver Post, Jones showed the newspaper "an envelope addressed to him from 'Art,' a name Jones says Haggard used - sent from an address in Colorado Springs. 'Arthur' is Haggard's middle name. Jones said the envelope came to him with two $100 bills inside. Jones also played a recording of a voicemail left for Jones from 'Art.' Jones refused to reveal what the topic of the voicemail was about because there could be legal problems and he wants to consult with an attorney."

"They want to protect the sanctity of marriage and I am trying to figure out what that means because they are not doing a good job," Jones said of anti-gay marriage proponents. "To have someone in such a high profile position preaching against them and doing opposite behind other people's backs is hypocritical."

"It's ... worth remembering," the Carpetbagger Report pointed out Thursday afternoon, "that in a broad movement, Haggard was occasionally a voice of reason. Over the summer, for example, when there was a growing debate about the American use of torture on suspected terrorists, Haggard stepped up to sign a joint statement that said torture 'violates the basic dignity of the human person' and 'contradicts our nation's most cherished values.' The statement added, 'Nothing less is at stake in the torture abuse crisis than the soul of our nation. What does it signify if torture is condemned in word but allowed in deed?'

"Moreover, Haggard's National Association of Evangelicals was one of a handful of Christian groups to show some leadership in dealing with global warming, and pressured the Bush administration to change its position.

"For that matter, when Pat Robertson called for Hugo Chavez's assassination, Haggard also told a reporter, 'Pat doesn't speak for evangelicals any more than Dr. Phil speaks for mental health professionals.'"

Given Haggard's prominence in the evangelical and political communities, his affair is of far greater import than the televangelist scandals of the 1980s involving the Rev. Jimmy Swaggart and PTL's Jim Bakker -- the former was caught engaging in meet-ups with prostitutes, while the latter was discovered dabbling in both unique sexual relationships, and contemptible financial shenanigans.

Stephen Bennett, founder and executive director of Stephen Bennett Ministries - a Christian evangelical ministry dealing with the issue of homosexuality, as well as pastor of Heavenly Hope Christian Church - an evangelical Bible church - "expressed sadness and anger at the breaking Associated Press news of Rev. Ted Haggard and his alleged homosexual affairs and illicit drug use," according to a statement issued by the Stephen Bennett Ministries.

Bennett, who readily admits to being a former homosexual, said "If these allegations are true about Rev. Haggard - America's Top Evangelical Christian - I am completely disgusted and dismayed. After being in major Christian circles for many years, the hypocrisy that I have found and personally seen in main stream Christianity is unfortunate and heartbreaking."

Bennett ended by saying, "Will this affect the elections next Tuesday? Are Republicans disenfranchised with the hypocrisy within their own party - especially the hypocrisy within the driving force - the Christian Conservative base? You better believe it.

"The more and more hypocrisy I see each day, the more I realize next Tuesday we are going to get EXACTLY what we deserve. Yet I must NEVER forget where I came from and always remember ' But for the grace of God, there go I.'"

A Friday morning phone call to the offices of Focus in the Family found that all the organization's spokespersons "were in a meeting right now." The receptionist did allow that the organization would be issueing a statement later. During a follow-up call, Gary Schneeberger said that he had no comments on the Haggard situation and the Focus on the Family will be issuing a press release. MediaTransparency also contacted the Reverend Donald Wildmon's American Family Association. Cindy Roberts, AFA's Director of Media and Public Relations, told me that she couldn't comment on the Haggard story because she didn't know enough about it. She also said that "everyone is out of the office."