Scandal

South Carolina’s FITS News reports: South Carolina fourth district congressman William Timmons took to the airwaves of the Upstate on Tuesday morning – angrily denouncing this news outlet for its recent reporting on his various alleged extracurriculars. “We’ve got clickbait media – gossip blogs out of Columbia – we’ve got Democrats piling on, we’ve got failed political candidates trying to …

The Miami New Times reports: In August of 2020, a Miami Beach pool boy’s account of his seven-year sexual relationship with evangelical leader Jerry Falwell, Jr., and Falwell’s wife Becki, was shared in a bombshell Reuters report. The story rocked the religious right. Falwell resigned as president of the conservative Liberty University hours after the article appeared online, and a …

The Daily Beast reports: In the hyper-masculine right-wing internet community known as the “manosphere,” few figures loom larger than Jesse Lee Peterson. The Los Angeles-based pastor and online radio host has become a star in conservative media in part for his demands that men and women return to his unorthodox version of traditional gender norms. Peterson has also emerged as …

The Christian Post reports: The Peninsular Florida District Council of The Assemblies of God, a branch of the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination, recently sued several Brave Church of Miami board members for allowing their now-former pastor to continue leading even though an investigation found “significant incidents of gross sexual misconduct and immoral actions.” The lawsuit was filed in late May …

The New York Times reports: Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain will resign as Conservative Party leader on Thursday after a wholesale rebellion of his cabinet, a wave of government resignations and a devastating loss of party support, prompted by his handling of the party’s latest sex-and-bullying scandal. Mr. Johnson plans to stay on in the role of prime minister …

Politico Europe reports: The party’s over but Boris Johnson refuses to leave. Despite more than 40 resignations from his government, an attempted coup by his top team and numerous calls to quit from his own Tory backbenchers, the British prime minister was locked in No.10 Downing Street with his closest aides on Wednesday night, trying to map out a way …

ABC News reports: Two of Britain’s most senior Cabinet ministers have quit, a move that could spell the end of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s leadership after months of scandals. Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned within minutes of each other. Javid said “I can no longer continue in good conscience.” Johnson has been hit by allegations …

The BBC reports: A former deputy chief whip alleged to have groped two men in a private members’ club has been suspended as a Conservative MP. Chris Pincher will sit as an independent after he was reported to Parliament’s behaviour watchdog. He quit his government job in a resignation letter on Thursday, saying he had “drunk far too much” and …

The BBC reports: Tory deputy chief whip Chris Pincher has resigned from the government, after allegations that he groped two men at a private members’ club. In his resignation letter, he told the PM he “drank far too much” and “embarrassed myself and other people”. Witnesses told the BBC he was seen “extremely drunk” at the Carlton Club, the Conservative …

Courthouse News reports: A jury on Wednesday found four of the five Navy officials accused of trading military secrets for sex parties with prostitutes, luxurious dinners and travel paid for by defense contractor Leonard “Fat Leonard” Francis guilty of bribery and wire fraud. Following a four-month trial, 12 jurors unanimously found Capts. David Newland, James Dolan and David Lausman, and …

The Christian Post reports: A new report details allegations of sexual misconduct against well-known contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Chris Rice, who reportedly engaged in “massages” with underage boys and invited them to stay overnight at his home. Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment, a leading Evangelical organization specializing in “empowering Christian communities to recognize, prevent and …

From the Justice Department: A federal grand jury has returned a twenty-one count indictment against Andrew Demetric Gillum, 42, and Sharon Janet Lettman-Hicks, 53, both of Tallahassee, Florida. The indictment was announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The Indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2019, defendants Gillum and Lettman-Hicks conspired to commit …

CNN reports: The South Dakota state Senate on Tuesday voted to convict and remove state Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg from office on two articles of impeachment after he struck and killed a pedestrian in September 2020, making Ravnsborg the first elected official to be impeached and removed in the state’s history. The Senate needed approval from two-thirds of the Republican-controlled, …

Axios reports: Former Marine Gen. John Allen, the president of the prestigious Brookings Institution, resigned from his post on Sunday amid a federal investigation into his role in a foreign lobbying campaign on behalf of Qatar, Axios has confirmed. Allen was placed on leave by the Brookings Institution last week after the FBI reportedly seized his electronic data for the …

The Christian Post reports: Former Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt has been formally suspended as pastor emeritus at First Baptist Church Woodstock in Georgia after an investigation deemed credible allegations that he sexually assaulted a younger pastor’s wife several years ago. While praising “the supernatural work of God” over the last three decades, church leaders said they believe “this …

The Associated Press reports: The prestigious Brookings Institution placed its president, retired four-star Marine Gen. John Allen, on administrative leave Wednesday amid a federal investigation into his role in an illegal lobbying campaign on behalf of the wealthy Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. Brookings’ announcement came a day after The Associated Press reported on new court filings that show the …

The Christian Post reports: The 12,000-member Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, continued its legal sparring with founding Pastor Stovall Weems and his wife, Kerri, in a new lawsuit earlier this month demanding that the couple vacate a million dollar waterfront home owned by the church after Weems completely resigned from all work with the church in April. Church officials argued …

Fox News reports: The Michigan Supreme Court has rejected the appeals of multiple Republican gubernatorial candidates to appear on the primary ballot after the state’s Board of State Canvassers disqualified them following an issue with fraudulent petition signatures. The Friday decision by the state’s highest court means that former Detroit police chief James Craig, businessman Perry Johnson, financial advisor Michael …

Religion News Service reports: A Southern Baptist task force has asked the denomination to set up a “Ministry Check” website to track abusive pastors, church employees and volunteers and to spend millions on reforms to prevent abuse and care for survivors. Most of the suggested reforms are voluntary. Some could involve years of study and preparation, prompting a skeptical response …

Dakota News Now reports: South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg will not run for re-election in 2022, regardless of the outcome of his Senate impeachment trial. Ravnsborg first won the office in 2018 after winning in a crowded state Republican convention race. He would go on to defeat Democratic nominee Randy Seiler in the November general election. Ravnsborg’s tenure as …