Related
Advertisements *
Elsewhere
Subscribe: RSS
RNB's RSS feed What is this? |
Subscribe: Email
![]() |
![]() Subscribe by Email What is this? |
Most Popular
- Michael Guglielmucci’s wife vows to stand by him
- After 1,500 years, pagans plan Acropolis prayer
- 253 FLDS children now dropped from YFZ custody battle
- Prosecutors play taped confessions in former pastor’s trial
- ‘Psychic Healer’ Controversy
- Organisers deny Dru Yoga conference linked to cult
- Theocratic Sect Prays for Real Armageddon
- Ex-Hosanna pastor: Confession forced
- Revealed: Britain’s secret propaganda war against al-Qaida
- Muslim guilty of forcing boys to flog themselves
Ministry Watch Weighs In on Fight between Copeland Ministries and U.S. Senator
Matthews, N.C.–On Saturday, April 12, Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM) issued a statement criticizing Sen. Charles Grassley’s investigation into the finances of six televangelists. Copeland said Grassley had no constitutional basis for many of the 42 requests he originally made last November.
Copeland’s statement also said he “would be willing to fully cooperate with the IRS to ensure that the requested information is provided in a timely and efficient manner.”
However, Rusty Leonard, the founder and president of MinistryWatch.com, said the response from Copeland was “deceptive and misleading.”
According to Leonard, “Copeland is trying to create the impression that he is being cooperative, when in fact he failed to comply with 25 of the 42 requests for information from Sen. Grassley. Now, he wants the IRS to continue the investigation, but only because IRS investigations are confidential. Copeland doesn’t want the public or his donors to see what he’s been doing, and that’s alarming. It screams that he his hiding something from KCM donors and the public.”
Leonard said that Copeland was clever by asking for the IRS to intervene, because it is his best chance to hold Grassley and the media at bay. “For many years the IRS has been under-resourced when it comes to this kind of investigation,” Leonard said. “An IRS investigation could take years, will be completely out of the public eye, and may result in nothing more than fines for KCM. Copeland has made a business decision that it’s far better for him to deal with the IRS in secret than to face Sen. Grassley or ‘60 Minutes’ in public. One can only wonder what he might be trying to hide from his donors.”
Copeland should “come clean,” Leonard said, and fully disclose all requested information to both Grassley, to the donors to KCM, and to the public. “The idea that Copeland is standing on some constitutional principle is simply a diversion,” Leonard said.
Leonard added: “Copeland’s complaint about Sen. Grassley’s right to ask for this information is nothing more than a sideshow. KCM donors themselves have every right to ask for this information and Copeland has a moral obligation, that overrides any constitutional issue, to provide it. Donors are fortunate that Grassley is using his position to act on their behalf. We would have no problem with Copeland not giving the information to Sen. Grassley as long as he made the information public. Hiding behind the veil of the IRS, however, is unacceptable.”
“Grassley is not the issue, it is the lack of accountability and transparency at KCM,” Leonard said.
Like this story?
Today's Most Popular Articles |
|
Share this
To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:
Article and Site Tools
» PermaLink to: Ministry Watch Weighs In on Fight between Copeland Ministries and U.S. Senator Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final / » More news articles + news archive on Kenneth Copeland » More religion and cult news Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?] » RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed » RSS News Feed - Single Topic: Kenneth Copeland » Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines |
More Article Tools
Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us Bookmark / Tag: Furl Save this article Email this article Print this article [Temporarily out of order] More Information Books about Kenneth Copeland Relevant books (and other goodies) |
About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.



