Huckabee's Link To TV Preacher Questioned

GOP Hopeful Has Close Bond With Televangelist Targeted By Senate Investigation

(CBS)  Last fall, Mike Huckabee taped an appearance on Kenneth Copeland's popular television show. The theme: "Integrity of Character."

"Treat people like you'd want to be treated," Huckabee said.

Now some are raising issue with Huckabee's character, principally his judgment, CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.

They are focusing on his association with the televangelist, who has refused to cooperate with a Senate investigation into his ministry's finances.

At issue, as reported by CBS News last week: whether millions of dollars in tax-exempt church donations have been used to bankroll a lavish lifestyle and a slew of private, for-profit businesses.

"Mr. Huckabee has terrible judgment because not only is he being closely associated with someone under this ethical cloud, but he's refusing to distance himself," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics In Washington.

When Huckabee appeared on Copleland's show, the evangelist said "Gov. Huckabee is not here in any kind of political role."

After his appearance, like many guests, Huckabee stayed overnight at the ministry's lavish 18,000 square foot lakefront home.

"All I know is he's a delightful human being," Huckabee said of Copeland.

But, before the show aired, Grassley's probe went public. So Copeland went back to the ex-Arkansas governor with an offering.

"I said, 'Governor, if this will negatively impact your campaign in any way, I won't run it,'" Copeland said. "He hollered at me on the phone and said, 'Are you kidding me?'"

CBS News has learned that Copeland's family has donated more than $29,000 to Huckabee's campaign.

And just three weeks ago - when Huckabee was on the financial ropes - Copeland helped raise thousands more from hundreds of ministers attending a meeting at his West Texas headquarters. Nobody is saying how much.

"If it's legal, legitimate, honest contributions, I'm not sure what the premise would be for giving that money back," Huckabee said.

For some, it may well be the premise of a presidential candidate not practicing what he preaches.

[sharperpen]

this so-called story is a smear. shame on cbs. how about an investigative report on Obama''s racist pastor?

[jerr11]

Kenneth Copeland -- just another Robert Tilton.

Another scamming "christian" fraud.

[shanev137]

Kenneth Copeland looks like one scary dude.

[macusweil]

The only GOP candidate with any integrity is Ron Paul.

[swb123-2009]

Is it illegal for a minister to donate money to a Presidential Campaign? If it is, then Obama and Clinton need to be investigated also! Shame on CBS for trying to smear Copeland and Huckabee!

[enlightenu]

facts are facts. We don''t need these self serving jackasses running the country anymore

[l8c6]

The United States has fallen deeply into another age of snake oil salesmen and false profits. The sociopaths sit around in judgement of others and praise of one another. They feel entitled to collect millions from the foolish who believe these devils have a direct in with God. The devils themselves are overly concerned that someone other than themselves might be getting a "free lunch".

Milton Friedman the right wing economist said there ain''t no free lunch. Well there ain''t no free lunch for anyone but the right wing snake oil salesmen who have lead many astray in this nation that one day will find privatization means, dictator or king rules.

[excoachken]

Gomer Huckabee of the American Taliban Party needs slimey, flim flam evangelists for support because they are the only ones who can lie with a straight face like he does! Maybe they can pop their followers in the forehead and say "McCain be gone!"

[pstrmrk]

I would expect this kind of journalism from the National Enquirer not CBS News. Kenneth Copeland Ministries is operating honestly and legally.

[laserarmkid]

CBS News is so bigoted in there thinking it makes me sick.Is this the only thing you can find on Mike Huckabee?
The man is of great integrity and he will get elected as either President or Vice -President.It will be great to see the right (and the right way to govern)be put back in office.

[misssuzq]

I have surfed onto this guy''s show - he is way out there.

Not someone that will help a candidate''s chances.

[laserarmkid]

CBS News is so bigoted in there thinking it makes one want to get sick.Is this the only thing you can find on Mike Huckabee?
The man is of great integrity and he will get elected as either President or Vice -President .

[aaabee-2009]

this so-called story is a smear. Posted by sharperpen at 07:06 PM : Feb 08, 2008

This story isn''t a smear. It is an actual investigation into KCM for not being transparent with the tithings and donations sent to the ministry.

There are watchdog organizations who keep track of ministries and what they do with people''s money due to their non-profit status, as well they should. Tithing is big business and a lot of tax revenue is lost by that status.

If there is an issue with a racist pastor anywhere near Obama, a conservative would grab it and splash it across Talk Radio at the very least. If they don''t have it, it might not exist.

[bdrlnt4rl]

huckabee is evil under disguise. outbreak of freak tornadoes, all of the shooting nation wide, be afraid of huckabee.

[excoachken]

Huckabee is a religious bigot who will only divide this country and the world with his narrow minded approach to others.

[smartdog3]

Armen Keteyian is definitely a lightweight reporter without any depth. I am not for Huckabee but he should not be concerned by this whole matter as he is against the individual income tax from which Kenneth Copeland is currently exempt from and from which those contributors to his organization are receiving tax deductions. Armen should read a small paperback book called Gag Order by Gary Cass regarding H.R. 235 from the 109th Congress 1st Session to give himself a bit of depth on the issue he is reporting on as that would be a much bigger story. Sorry Armen but you missed another.

[bdrlnt4rl]

huckabee is relious intolerant, not very presidential. he will step on the cricket while meeting with the *** and say, ''oh, i do not know what they believe'' he will bring more war

[aaabee-2009]

Kenneth Copeland Ministries is operating honestly and legally. Posted by pstrmrk at 07:17 PM : Feb 08, 2008

Please excuse my rebuttal, but www.ministrywatch.com says otherwise. They have taken Eagle Mountain International Church and KCM''s ratings down completely. They even removed the donor alert due to investigations.

www.ministrywatch.com is a well-respected and trusted overseer.

Your information source?

[bdrlnt4rl]

he will probably bring into affect the extermination order to kill all mormons on site, adding to that kill all blacks on site, mexicans on site,.......ect

[aaabee-2009]

The man is of great integrity and he will get elected as either President or Vice -President .
Posted by laserarmkid at 07:20 PM : Feb 08, 2008

You voted for Bush, didn''t you. The grape kool-aide ring around your mouth gave you away. LOL.

[l8c6]

Is it illegal for a minister to donate money to a Presidential Campaign? If it is, then Obama and Clinton need to be investigated also! Shame on CBS for trying to smear Copeland and Huckabee!

Posted by swb123

Kenneth Copeland is not a minister, he''s a business executive and a trademark.

Mark of the beast. If the followers only knew the truth behind some of these people. Every now and then the truth does slip out but the suckers apparently continue to give their "love gifts".

[nss10295]

Check out what is going on at Oral Robert University in Tulsa. Oral Roberts was the one that started Kenneth Copeland out - Seed and Greed that is what he preaches. He was on the Board of Regents at ORU until Richard Roberts resigned - and 3 professors, an accountant, and two students sued. What is going on here?

[chamsher]

THIS IS A BIASED SMEAR CAMPAIGN AND I DON''T BUY IT. NO ONE ELSE SHOULD EITHER. The media has an agenda here, and unfortunately it includes finding a pretext to deface a man of reasonably good character - Mike Huckabee - just because he is a strong conservative evangelical in a position of power. A similar story, had it been about one of the democratic candidates, probably would not have even made the news.

[bdrlnt4rl]

huckabee says he may have a slip of the tongue but that does not mean he has a slip of character. he is a preacher and knows that the bible teacher that your tongue is your character. hypocrit

[cyberdjs4]

Why doesn''t this story surprise me?

I don''t care about Evangelicals. There are other, important Americans whose votes need to be courted.

The Bible does not dictate law in this country.
Given how successful the Bible is at solving world crises, that is a plus.

This country''s founding fathers knew what they were doing when they stated that Church and State must be kept separate.
That''s why our government has never been changed since its inception.

[nss10295]

Check out what is going on at Oral Robert University in Tulsa. Oral Roberts was the one that started Kenneth Copeland out - Seed and Greed that is what he preaches. He was on the Board of Regents at ORU until Richard Roberts resigned - and 3 professors, an accountant, and two students sued. What is going on here?

[ivote-2009]

This has absolultely nothing to do with Mike Huckabee and is just another ridiculous article for the God haters.

Why don''t you report NEWS instead of trying to be the National Enquirer?

Mike Huckabee was named one of the BEST FIVE GOVERNORS IN AMERICA by Time Magazine. He has the most executive experience of any candidate running, Republican or Democrat. He was re-elected as Governor of Arkansas until his term limits expired! He is for real and he is AUTHENTIC! We are voting Mike Huckabee!

[nss10295]

Check out what is going on at Oral Robert University in Tulsa. Oral Roberts was the one that started Kenneth Copeland out - Seed and Greed that is what he preaches. He was on the Board of Regents at ORU until Richard Roberts resigned - and 3 professors, an accountant, and two students sued. What is going on here?

[l8c6]

Huckabee has a dark view of humanity. H says mankind is basically selfish. Right wing religious preacher men speak of the evils of mankind. I think it''s past due that right wingers and christian fundamentalists start speaking for themselves and stop scapegoating the rest of humanity with the social pathology that belongs to them.

[nss10295]

Check out what is going on at Oral Robert University in Tulsa. Oral Roberts was the one that started Kenneth Copeland out - Seed and Greed that is what he preaches. He was on the Board of Regents at ORU until Richard Roberts resigned - and 3 professors, an accountant, and two students sued. What is going on here?

[nss10295]

Check out what is going on at Oral Robert University in Tulsa. Oral Roberts was the one that started Kenneth Copeland out - Seed and Greed that is what he preaches. He was on the Board of Regents at ORU until Richard Roberts resigned - and 3 professors, an accountant, and two students sued. What is going on here?

[bdribus]

CBS, you have gone too far. Your bias against Huckabee has been sickening for months. Now after your attempts to ignore and marginalize his campaign have failed, you have brought out the hit pieces again. Disgusting.

[bdrlnt4rl]

every ''christain'' wants a sign from god......open you eyes. freak tornadoes in huck land, all of a sudden increase of nation wide shootings. the bible says he will come as a theif in the night. there will be more night time tornadoes. huck needs to stay away for the saftey of the world.

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by ivote at 07:30 PM : Feb 08, 2008

Please excuse my rebuttal, but www.ministrywatch.com says otherwise. They have taken Eagle Mountain International Church and KCM''''s ratings down completely. They even removed the donor alert due to investigations.

www.ministrywatch.com is a well-respected and trusted overseer.

It is nice that Huckabee backs his friends. Bush does too. Look how quickly Bush ended abortions in America for his religious base...no, he didn''t. Was it ended gay marriage in America....no. What was it he did for the conservative base? Somebody help me out here?

[l8c6]

Right winger preacher programmed folk think just like the islamic extremists that everyone who doesn''t subscribe to their cult ideology must be God haters. In fact they are self-righteous and arrogant in the face of God to stand in judgement of others. They are blinded by their programming so severely that they are unable to see the log in their own eye but readily notice the speck in everyone else''s.

[pwdennis2-2009]

This is pseudo-journalism if I''ve ever seen it. Insinuation, guilt by association. No wonder CBS News is lowest rated.

For critique, see http://www.agkyra.com/?p=199

[oleander8]

[Posted by nss10295]

Are you a paid poster? I don''t like Hucklberry but you just don''t ring true with your multiple posts.

[bdrlnt4rl]

Mike Huckabee was named one of the BEST FIVE GOVERNORS IN AMERICA

Posted by ivote



then he needs to stay in ar and let the tornadoes stay there.

[pwdennis2-2009]

This is pseudo-journalism if I''ve ever seen it.

For a critique, see http://www.agkyra.com/?p=199

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by ainttaken at 07:36 PM : Feb 08, 2008

ya know, I agree with you. This country is more at risk by the mentality INSIDE it than from any threat OUTSIDE it.

Case in point:
9/11=3000 lives, War for Oil=4000 lives. Abortions performed in America since Bush took office=400,000.

Lives on the Shrub''s head: quite a few.

[bdrlnt4rl]

If these buttholes got their way with our govt. It would get as bad or worse than the taliban. We have the technology, which the chimp is using right now, to make it worse than the taliban. Here comes the day when the "christians" begin burning peoiple at the stake again.
you have heard of RINOS?? There are a helll of a lot more CHINOS out there.


Posted by ainttaken


huck will start the fires, starting in utah. evil man

[excoachken]

Actually Huckabee is the missing link, it''s called EVIL-lution!

[bdrlnt4rl]

the bible also says satan will come disguised as a man of god. Was it the chimp? or is there actually someone else that is worse out there?


Posted by ainttaken


his name is mike huckabee

[bdribus]

If you disapprove of this smear campaign, go to www.mikehuckabee.com and see how you can help out. We don''t like media-engineered smear jobs in this country.

[bdrlnt4rl]

every ''''christain'''' wants a sign from god......open you eyes. freak tornadoes in huck land, all of a sudden increase of nation wide shootings. the bible says he will come as a theif in the night. there will be more night time tornadoes. huck needs to stay away for the saftey of the world.

[bdrlnt4rl]

bdribus

huck will seal his fate with the way he is. evil

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by pwdennis2 at 07:39 PM : Feb 08, 2008

What passes for authentic journalism these days? Rush Limbaugh and the cast of Talk Radio? Fox News sure tips a bit in the right direction.

What are the rules for authentic journalism these days? Enquiring minds would really like to know.

[edjamgra]

CBS your anti Christian bias came through loud and clear in this article. Funny how you proclaim separation of church and state when you want to prevent Christians from having a political voice. But when the government starts to interfere with religion then you forget about separation of church and state.

I personally have never agreed with Mr. Copeland''s teachings but he has the same right to them without government interference that Methodist, Baptist, Catholics,Jews, or any other religion has.

[aaabee-2009]

We don''''t like media-engineered smear jobs in this country. Posted by bdribus at 07:42 PM : Feb 08, 2008

Not if it is against a Republican, but I didn''t hear you squack when John Kerry was getting swift-boated for serving meritoriously in the military. ''Course he is just a Democrat.

[smartdog3]

The issue is not about right wing or left wing or Huckabee or Kenneth Copeland but rather the right to free speech and free press. The comment: "For some, it may well be the premise of a presidential candidate not practicing what he preaches" Prior to the income tax Pastors could comment on political matters in any way they wished but Democrat President then Senator in 1954 changed that with the IR Code of 1954 which silenced Pastors. If you disagree with that law you are now termed as not practicing what you preach? What happened to freedom of speech without retribution by the press as to a character assassination.