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CHRISTIAN LEADERS QUESTION D.C. PROBE OF TELEVANGELISTS: Conservative church leaders sign letter questioning the investigation of six large ministries.
The letter argues that the six-month-old inquiry sets a dangerous precedent. It also suggests that the ministries were targeted for sharing "the same branch of evangelicalism" and promoting "socially conservative public policy positions such as support for the traditional definition of marriage."
The most prominent figures who signed the letter are moral Majority co-founder Paul Weyrich, American Family Association chairman Don Wilmon and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell. The group repeats an argument by some of the targeted ministries - which the investigation falls short of the high bar the Internal Revenue Service has for justifying a church investigation.
Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, sent letters to the six ministries in November seeking answers about spending money on private planes, Oceanside mansions and board oversight. The committee's Democratic chairman, Senator Max Baucus, joined Grassley in asking for answers.
The six ministries in question are led by Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer and Paula and Randy White, all denied wrong doing. Some have pledged full cooperation and others have refused or provided limited information.
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