Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Mac Hammond of Living Word Christian Center in Minnesota is one of the prosperity gospel preachers under investigation by Sen. Charles Grassley for financial shenanigans. Like all prosperity gospel ministers, he is a first class huckster who specializes in separating the ignorant and the credulous from their money, then spending that money quite lavishly. He lives like a king - homes, boats, cars, even a private jet.
He's fighting Grassley's subpoena of financial records from his ministry and a magistrate judge has sided with him, recommending that the district court refuse to enforce the subpoena because it came from the wrong government official. It's a highly technical case involving questions of which official at the IRS replaced a previous official who was required to sign off on such investigations. But below the fold, I've got video of Hammond saying that he would welcome an IRS audit because, gosh darn it, he's just so honest that he wants to make sure he's complying with the law.
My favorite part is where he talks about his expensive wardrobe and how he likes nice clothes, but not as much as his wife. But, he says, he only does that because he's sure that if he looks better, he'll preach better, "so I'm doing that for you, amen?" Hilarious.
Politics
Comments
Maybe I'm missing something here but it appears that the subpoena was issued by Congress. How did the IRS, which is an executive branch agency, get involved here? What happened to separation of powers?
Posted by: SLC | November 23, 2008 9:39 AM
I thought the IRS investigation was thrown out on a technicality? Investigations of this sort must be approved by a high level official in the IRS before the IRS gets involved. It was determined by the court that the official who approved it wasn't high level enough and sided with Hammond. Part of the reason that the IRS was involved is because Hammon endorsed Rep. Bachman from the pulpit (who was re-elected).
What's kind of amusing is this guy stated for the record that he would welcome an IRS audit but has been fighting it tooth and nail ever since.
Posted by: yoshi | November 23, 2008 10:15 AM
Your information is incorrect. Mac Hammond isn't under investigation by Charles Grassley. He had been in a different situation directly with the IRS; that was the case recently dismissed by the federal judge. You might want to get your facts correct before you criticize.
Posted by: a bystander | November 23, 2008 10:26 AM
My mistake, I thought this was directly related to the Grassley investigation. Contrary to "a bystander" however, that has little to do with the criticism here. The point of the criticism is that while he says publicly that he would welcome an audit, he's been fighting like hell to prevent one.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | November 23, 2008 11:00 AM
"a bystander" - Do you mean "before you criticize" Hammond? Are you joking? All prosperity gospel preachers are worthless scum. I wonder how many old or sick people this piece of shit has conned out of their money.
Posted by: Taz | November 23, 2008 12:01 PM
Blah blah. Like people are supposed to believe whatever that guy says. Whoever the heck he is. Blah blah money money blah.
"Oh look at me I'm up here defending myself with practice arm and body gestures and practice vocal training! Money money! I'm completely innocent, money money nmoney money!!"
Posted by: 386sx | November 23, 2008 12:04 PM
Hammond is a good example of the old adage, the more brazen the lie, the more people will believe it. What's incredible is that everyone who gives money to Hammond knows that he's living high on the hog from it, and yet they're more than happy to keep sending him more.
A few years back I remember when the new thing amongst these prosperity gospel preachers was to buy themselves new private jets, and they were quite happy to go on TV and talk about them -- and not just why they needed them, but how great they were -- the quality, the luxurious outfitting, etc, and how the congregations should be enormously proud that they had furnished such an high quality, top-of-the-range aircraft.
I really hope the downturn in the economy brings these congregations to their senses and these charlatans are hit hard -- but I doubt that will happen.
Posted by: tacitus | November 23, 2008 1:05 PM
Fancy cars, expensive clothes, gourmet food, palatial homes, private jets-- you mean like the Pope? I betcha the Dalai Lama doesn't live in a hovel either. Or Billy Graham. You should see the palace that is the residence of the Archbishop of New Orleans, while the rest of the city lies in ruins. I doubt that the ayatollahs in Iran live in poverty either. You have to understand the psychology of the believing poor: though their children may have scant food and no medical care, when there is gold plate on the altar of their god, they feel more secure. Don't count on their coming to their senses; in bad economic times, they hold even more firmly to their nonsensical religious beliefs.
Posted by: Elizabeth | November 23, 2008 8:15 PM
I mentioned going to one of his "services" in 1994 or 1995 in one of my previous posts. Wow-this place is a FAR CRY from the converted warehouse space they were in then-although I see they are still in Brooklyn Center. (Which was where Jesse Venture was mayor before becoming governor.)
Anyway at that service I remember him "preaching" that the church needed to raise $20 million to "effectively spread the gospel." Let's see, I listened to an eight minute clip, and not one mention of Jesus anywhere! He's got the beautiful "set" but no message. Guess nothing has changed since the last time I heard him!
A $240,000 parsonage purchased in 1990 at that price. In the Twin Cities, that has to be quite the place! And a Porshe; how "Risky Business!"
He's lived in the Twin Cities for 25 years, and still sounds like he's straight out of Texas. I grew up in east central Indiana and when I'd go to Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp north of Muskegon, would be asked by Michiganders if I was from Georgia-due to my Hoosier accent. But when I lived in the Twin Cities, it only took about six months before I started to sound like an extra from "Fargo!"
Maybe one good thing about a sucky economy would be some of this idiots being "downsized" or "outsourced."
Do I hear an "Amen?"
Posted by: Rev. AJB | November 24, 2008 2:04 AM
The IRS investigated the complaint filed about the Michelle Bachman incident and determined it was not worthy of further investigation. This action was specifically about a financing arrangement on an airplane.
Rev AJB, Mac Hammond is not from Texas; he is from Virginia. What is the divine quota on the number of times one mentions the name of Jesus within an 8-minute clip? If you are actually a minister, would any 8-minute clip encapsulate your ministry?
If Pastor Mac did something illegal, I trust the IRS will continue to pursue the matter in a way that removes the "technicality" issue. However, as a former member of the church and I must say that Pastor Mac and the church had a profoundly positive impact on my life. I also worked at the church for three years, and can say that as an employer, Pastor Mac is authentic in his dealings with employees.
There is much more to this man's ministry than the short clip provided on this site, and there is more to his teaching than money. The church is involved in community programs in Brooklyn Park and throughout the Twin Cities. Ed, perhaps you could do an in-depth investigation?
Posted by: spydie | November 24, 2008 1:38 PM
Oh joy. My ex-wife is a member of this church.....
Posted by: Lance B | November 24, 2008 1:51 PM
Spydie - there was more to Mussolini's rule than insane war and ruthless oppression. Heck trains finally ran on time, language finally standardized, "good" education become universal, and things like Ethiopia and the Vatican's rebirth gave the people some much needed pride. Good times - do I hear an amen! But strange - sane people eventually saw through the veneer to evil - took several years but delusion lifted. No technicalities - they left poor Benito hanging out to dry. Yet some people retained the delusion even to today - "hey the trains ran on time and my kids could understand what the radio said - not a bad guy!" Some people never see the emperor has no clothes I guess - nor the evil being perpetrated under the gauze of comforting things. Get my drift.
Posted by: ConcernedJoe | November 25, 2008 4:21 AM
ConcernedJoe,
I trust that you're not really trying to form a syllogism between Mac Hammond and Mussolini. But let's move the debate back to US law, shall we? Pastor Mac has not been convicted of a crime. If he has committed a crime, the IRS will continue to pursue the case and he should be prosecuted and punished. Until then, he is afforded the right of "innocent until proven guilty."
Do you have personal experience with this man? Unless you do, I rather resent your implication that I am a not-sane person operating under a delusion. When I see people rushing to judgement about a person who has treated me fairly (remember, I worked for Mac for 3 years), I do feel an obligation to offer my first-hand knowledge to give people another side to the story.
If you want to draw parallels to WW2 social phenomenon, perhaps we could have a conversation about mob mentality? How some members of European villages suddenly turned on their neighbors after hearing whispers of wrongdoing by "those people." No first-hand knowledge or evidence. Just whispers. Look at the postings in response to this story. How much of it is first-hand knowledge and how much is opinion? Get my drift.
Posted by: spydie | November 25, 2008 12:43 PM