Church Politicking Controversy Continues In Kansas

[Mark E. Smith]

AU.org

In early August, incumbent candidate for Kansas Attorney general Phill Kline sent a memo
to his staff tersely dictating how the rest of his campaign was to play out. The memo, which
offered a rare look into how political candidates use -- and sometimes abuse -- religious
voters, was leaked anonymously to Kansas newspapers last month.

Kline told staffers they would ramp-up their outreach to conservative Christian churches
and wanted to walk away from every event with more "media, money crucial support."

In the broken English of an early morning e-mail, Kline demanded staffers to sweep him out
of public appearances before he could get bogged down by well-wishers and autograph
seekers.

"Get me out," he wrote. "Do not schedule me for social lunches. Only working lunches
were (sic) we can obtain either media, money or crucial support...If there is a gap, get me to
a quite (sic) place...feed me slimfast. Do not need a sit down meal. Takes too much time."

There was apparently plenty of room in Kline's busy schedule to preach on Sunday mornings,
providing he got a political boost in return. He told staffers to tap congregations whose
leaders had helped pass a state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage
during Kline's tenure.

"Must get in their pulpits and have them personally host a reception to match Tiller's blood
money," Kline wrote, referring to Dr. George Tiller, a local obstetrician and reproductive-rights
activist. " must commit to get 5-10 people there who can drop $1,000 to $2,000.

Many religious and legal leaders were aghast that kline was so blunt about his intentions
because the strategy can put tax-exempt churches in a tight legal spot. Kline risks nothing by
asking churches to host his political rallies and deliver "money people" to campaign events
immediately following a Sunday sermon.

The churches, however, risk losing their tax-exempt status.

The Rev. Vern Barnet said the attorney general's tactics were "a stink unto heaven." Barnet
and 18 other area religious leaders chided Kline for "exploiting his faith by dressing a political
campaign in the wool of Christian witness."

http://blog.au.org/2006/10/passing_a_polit.html

[NMMNG]

1. I don't believe it

:sarcasm: