October 17, 2005
TVC's Sheldon Accepted Big Bucks to Support Gambling, Mislead Followers
The Washington Post reported Oct. 16 that the
Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, head of the Traditional Values Coalition, accepted at least $25,000 in direct funds, and perhaps thousands more in indirect support, from an online gambling company and indicted lobbyist
Jack Abramoff in a 2000 campaign to block federal legislation that would have banned online gambling.
Furthermore, former
Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed reportedly acted as a financial, political and marketing go-between, channeling (laundering) funds in a $2 million pro-gambling campaign involving former
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's office, the gambling industry, and Christian rightists allied with Reed and Sheldon who were willing to accept money without knowing its source; shoot down antigambling legislation without concern for the facts; and battle fellow Christian rightists.
When the campaign briefly went sour, and Sheldon's lying was exposed, Sheldon diverted attention with an attack on homosexuals.
As XGW noted last week, Sheldon continues to exploit homosexuals to divert attention from his own unethical behavior.
According to the Post,
{Reed and Sheldon} kept in close contact with Abramoff about the arrangement, e-mails show. Abramoff also turned to prominent anti-tax conservative
Grover Norquist, arranging to route some of eLottery's money for Reed through Norquist's group,
Americans for Tax Reform. At one point, eLottery's backers even circulated a forged letter of support from Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R). {DeLay aide
Tony C.} Rudy declined to comment for this report. A spokesman for Reed -- now a candidate for lieutenant governor of Georgia -- said that he and his associates are unaware that any money they received came from gambling activities. Sheldon said that he could not remember receiving eLottery money and that he was unaware that Abramoff was involved in the campaign to defeat the bill. Norquist's group would say only that it had opposed the gambling ban on libertarian grounds.
More:
http://www.exgaywatch.com/blog/archives/2005/10/tvcs_sheldon_ac.html