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Critics: Senator Is Targeting Pentecostals

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The Washington Post

Published: May 25, 2008

WASHINGTON - Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, who is investigating six televangelists - including Randy and Paula White of Tampa-based Without Walls International - for alleged lavish spending, is facing growing criticism from prominent conservatives and evangelicals, some of whom question whether Grassley is biased against the Pentecostal televangelists because of his Baptist faith.

Many are also concerned that his probe intrudes on the churches' constitutional right to practice their religion.

Kenneth Copeland, a Texas-based televangelist who is a subject of Grassley's investigation, recently launched a Web site, believersstandunited .com, to fight the probe. Copeland said the investigation is "aimed at publicly questioning the religious beliefs of the targeted churches, their ministers, and their members while ignoring televangelists of other denominations."

Copeland's stance is supported by almost two dozen leaders of conservative secular and religious organizations, who criticized the inquiry in a letter sent this month to the Senate Finance Committee. The letter suggested that the ministries were targeted for sharing "the same branch of evangelicalism."

The letter's signers, including Paul Weyrich, Moral Majority co-founder; Ken Blackwell, chairman of the Coalition for a Conservative Majority; and Anthony Verdugo of the Christian Family Coalition, said the probe also infringes on churches' First Amendment rights.

Matthew Staver, dean of the Liberty University School of Law in Lynchburg, Va., who signed the letter, warns that the probe "sets a terrible precedent that ... should be a concern to all houses of worships across the board - Christian and non-Christian."

Grassley, who is the top Republican on the Finance Committee, dismisses such criticism, saying that he bears no ill will toward Pentecostals.

The investigation has pitted Grassley against six of the most popular televangelists in the country. All are Pentecostals who preach the "prosperity gospel," which teaches that God will grant financial and spiritual wealth to the faithful.

For years, the ministries have been the subject of complaints by watchdog organizations and media reports alleging that the charismatic leaders fund extravagant lifestyles with their followers' donations.

Grassley, whose committee has authority over tax-exempt organizations, sent letters in November to the six ministries, asking detailed questions about their financial operations and seeking credit card records, as well as information about executive compensation and amenities given to the ministries' leaders. The committee's Democratic chairman, Max Baucus of Montana, joined Grassley in asking for answers.

After initial resistance, four of the televangelists - Joyce Meyer of Missouri, Benny Hinn of Texas, Bishop Eddie Long of Georgia and the Whites - are cooperating, Grassley said.

The remaining two, Copeland and Creflo Dollar, who operates out of Georgia, have provided only documents to the committee, Grassley said.

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