I'm not a big fan of Charles Grassley, though I confess to having voted for him once on the basis of his service to his constituents. Senator Grassley has endeared himself further to me over the past few days by demanding the financial records of six televangelists. This is in response to a request filed by the Trinity Foundation, which has been collecting information on the god-mongers' opulent lifestyles.
This morning one of them defended himself.
The man who was interviewed on CBS' Early Show was a Georgia pastor with the sublimely appropriate name of Creflo Dollar.
Asked about Grassley's charge that he and his wife both own Mercedes-Benzes (sp?), the Reverend Dollar explained
"That's not true. First of all, we don't have two Rolls-Royces," he said. "And secondly, the one Rolls-Royce that was purchased was purchased by the donors, or the members of the church, and it was a surprise to me. I had no idea they were doing it."
Oh. Only one Mercedes-Benz. Also, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution of March 5, 2000, a five-million-dollar jet and a million-dollar home in an Atlanta suburb.
Senator Grassley, if you can make this stick I just might vote for you again.