December 6th was the deadline date given by
Senator Chuck Grassley to six ministries to submit their financial records for
his investigation into their spending.
But, at the end of the
deadline, Grassley had only received records from Joyce Meyer. Pastor Creflo
Dollar and Bishop Eddie Long won't be submitting their records. Instead, the two
Georgia-based pastors have sent letters.
In the letters attorneys
for both pastors cited Constitutional rights as one of the reasons they would
not be complying with the senator's request.
According to the Atlanta Journal
Constitution, Dollar's letter says, in part, that religious doctrine and
practices should not be held out for the world to evaluate as a result of
responding to Congressional inquiries and Grassley should get a subpoena or
refer his request for a review to the Internal Revenue Service.
Long's response, according
to the paper, said Grassley's request "clearly disregards the privacy
protections of the Church under law and appears cross the line of Constitutional
guarantees for churches."
Senator Chuck Grassley
(R-Iowa), the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, told the paper in
a written statement that he's not interested in doctrine. He wants to make sure
that media are not abusing their tax-exempt status.
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Paula and Randy
White, and Benny Hinn also did not submit their records by the
deadline.
