When it Comes to C. J. Mahaney; What the Evangelical Christian Church can Learn from Deep Throat and Watergate

It started out as an unusual burglary in the Democratic National Committee on June 17, 1972. Deep Throat an inside Washington Post source in the movie “All The President’s Men,” had advice to a young Bob Woodward. Follow the money. That phrase, “follow the money” holds as true today as it did in the Watergate docu-drama. In order to understand C.J. Mahaney and the extent of his corruption one needs to follow the money. Where does the money trail lead to? Who did C.J. Mahaney give money to? Mark Dever? Kevin DeYoung? D.A. Carson? Justin Taylor? These are questions going on in my mind that I would like to ask. There is much the evangelical church can learn from Deep Throat and Watergate.

“People need to know whether or not their president is a crook. Well, I’m not a crook. I earned everything I’ve got.”

President Richard Nixon

“You know the results of the latest Gallup Poll? Half the country never even heard of the word Watergate. Nobody gives a shit. You guys are probably pretty tired, right? Well, you should be. Go on home, get a nice hot bath. Rest up… 15 minutes. Then get your asses back in gear. We’re under a lot of pressure, you know, and you put us there. Nothing’s riding on this except the, uh, first amendment to the Constitution, freedom of the press, and maybe the future of the country. Not that any of that matters, but if you guys fuck up again, I’m going to get mad. Goodnight.”

Washington Post Editor Ben Bradlee to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, from All The President’s Men

“Follow the money.”

Deep Throat to Bob Woodward in All The President’s Men

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

2 Peter 1:4 NIV

 

It was the strangest burglary that took place which left many people confused. At about 2:31 in the morning on June 17, 1972 5 burglars were arrested in the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate office complex here in Washington, D.C.. They were dressed in suits, carried bugging and photography equipment, and a large amount of cash in their pockets. Two of the burglars had an address book that had the telephone numbers to the White House. These burglars operated on the orders of Howard Hunt, a former CIA intelligence officer who worked in the White House. G Gordon Liddy a former FBI agent on the payroll of the Committee to Re-Elect the President (CRP called Creep) which was organizing Richard Nixon’s re-election campaign, was also involved. The break in was puzzling because Richard Nixon had a strong lead in the campaign at the time against his opponent South Dakota Senator George McGovern. About a month later after the break in McGovern accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Miami to be the Presidential nominee. Shortly afterward McGovern’s running mate, Missouri Senator Thomas Eagleton’s mental health became an issue in the race in which he dropped off the ticket and was replaced by Sargent Shriver, who is from the Kennedy family.

Funds for the break in were laundered through a Mexican bank account had come from CRP which was headed by John Mitchel who served as the Attorney General in Nixon’s first term.  After the break in two Washington Post reporters were assigned to report on the story, those two reporters were Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Their investigation came to a stand still and it seemed like it was going to go away but there was one man who was determined to help keep the issue alive and who would guide the young reporters. His name came from a popular pornographic film in the 1970’s called Deepthroat. I won’t go into the history of Watergate in depth, but let me state if you want to read more, this article is a good summary, and then there is a website dedicated to the preservation of history related to Watergate.

When I was in grad school I did a bibliographic essay on the issue of Watergate. I find the topic especially fascinating. What also amazed me at the time is the debate and conjecture as to who is Deep Throat? Deep Throat’s identity garnered intense amount of speculation that lasted for decades. Some of the leading candidates to be Deep Throat over the years included Alexander Haig, Fred Fielding, L Patrick Grey and Mark Felt. In addition to those and other names another contention is that Deep Throat was a made up character that allowed the Post to run the stories that they did. In the end, some believe that Deep Throat did not exist or was a composite of many different individuals. Having explained that its important to note that while Deep Throat is often the most credited source for Woodward and Bernstein he is not the only one.

Deep Throat was a well placed source that had first hand access to information. What was also intense is the level of effort Bob Woodward went to be able to interact and meet with him. If Woodward needed to meet with Deep Throat he would take a red flag, less than a foot long and stick it in an empty flower pot on his balcony, and he would position it from the front of the balcony to the rear of it. The moving of that flower pot would be a signal that Woodward and Deep Throat would meet at the bottom level of an underground parking garage in Rosslyn, not far from the Key Bridge. The meeting would take place at 2:00 a.m. Woodward used efficient counter surveillance techniques to include using a different stairwell he hardly used to exit the building he lived in, to taking a cab several blocks away, and then another to get close to his destination. He then walked several blocks to get to the parking garage. Both Woodward and Deep Throat would meet if one didn’t show up at the pre-arranged time then that was fine. If Deep Throat needed to get in touch with the Post he would draw a clock on page 20 of the New York Times which was delivered to Bob Woodward. The relationship was one of trust as no one could talk or share anything. Also if you are interested in that famous parking garage where Woodward and Deep Throat would meet is scheduled to be demolished.

In 2005 the nation learned the identity of one of the most closely guarded secrets in American history when the second in command of the FBI, Mark Felt, came forward as Deep Throat and Vanity Fair broke the story. The only person who went to his grave keeping the confidently of Deep Throat to himself is legendry Post editor Ben Bradlee. Having being released from their obligations as a result of the family speaking with  Vanity Fair, the Washington Post wrote extensively about Deep Throat. Bob Woodward who met Mark Felt while he was winding down his service in the United States Navy (USN) explained how he met Mark Felt, and grew close to him. Thirty years his elder and he became almost like a father figure. If you are interested you can read about that in this Post article here.

 

Follow the Money…

In the movie All The President’s Men the advice Deep Throat gave Bob Woodward in a parking garage early in the morning holds a lot of weight, and is especially true today. In my effort to be historically accurate I also need to say that the phrase was added to the script of the movie and is not in the book. However, those words, “follow the money…” has never been more true when it comes to C.J. Mahaney. In Sovereign Grace people were expected to give sacrificially. Tithing and giving were hammered and I believe people even faced “church discipline” for not giving, or giving as much as they should. Yet what happened with the money in Sovereign Grace?  Did it stay within Sovereign Grace or was it used externally? Was money used for other reasons?  While there are families who were eating oatmeal for dinner what was happening with that money that was sacrificially given? Well there were those Mahaney family vacations to Disneyworld, yes some thought you were building up the Kingdom of the Lord, but in reality you were building up the Magic Kingdom instead. So in some ways you helped drive the Florida economy by giving. But what else happened? Where else did the money go?

My East Coast Mom, Dee Parsons and her writing partner Deb Martin have documented how much money Al Mohler received at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Al Mohler received at least $200,000 from C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace. If the SGM Pastors College is so exceptional (even if it is unaccredited) why give the money to Al Mohler and Southern Seminary? If you want to read the post Deb wrote about Mahaney and Al Mohler you can read that here. So the money that people were giving to Sovereign Grace was used outside it. My one question is this…is $200,000 all Al Mohler received? Or did he receive more money? In the end how much money did Al Mohler receive? $300,000? Or even $400,000? I am just curious and wondering out loud.

 

Who Took Money from C.J. Mahaney?

In addition to Al Mohler who can be documented who else took money from C.J. Mahaney? What about Wayne Grudem? On SGM Survivors on July 2013 the following comment was made about how C.J. Mahaney received SGM funds.

So did C.J. Mahaney give money to Wayne Grudem? In the end how much money did C.J. Mahaney give to Wayne Grudem in the end? In case you can’t follow me there is a pattern that started with Al Mohler and the money he received. Does that also explain that infamous statement that Al Mohler made on behalf of C.J. Mahaney? Did Al Mohler feel an obligation to protect C.J.? After all C.J. was his business partner. But who else received money from C.J. Mahaney? Who else or what other institutions received money. Remember what Deep Throat said to Bob Woodward in “All The President’s Men.” Follow the money.

What about Mark Dever and Capital Hill Baptist Church ? Can we follow the money to CHBC? I am thinking out loud and asking this question. Remember this video where Mark Dever talks about how generous C.J. Mahaney has been to Capitol Hill Baptist Church. Did C.J. Mahaney give money to Mark Dever? Was the Senior Pastor of Capital Hill Baptist purchased? These are just questions I have. Given the amoubnt of money that C.J. Mahaney gave to Al Mohler it is well within reason to ask if C.J. also gave money to Mark Dever. If C.J. Mahaney gave money to Mark Dever, that leads to the next question..how much? How much money did C.J. Mahaney give to Mark Dever? $40,000, $45,000, $50,000 or even $100,000? I’m just asking this question out loud here…did C.J. Mahaney give money and buy the Senior Pastor at Capital Hill Baptist Church?

Follow the money…that’s what Deep Throat said to Bob Woodward in the movie All The President’s Men. Who else should we be asking this question? Who else could have taken money by C.J. Mahaney? Should we ask this question of Kevin De Young, Justin Taylor and D.A. Carson? Remember this bastardized statement that was issued on behalf of C.J. Mahaney? I have to ask this out loud…and keep in mind this is just a question I have…did they receive money also? Did C.J. Mahaney give money to Kevin DeYoung and purchase his pastorate as well? Did Kevin DeYoung feel an obligation to defend C.J. as a result? Also did C.J. Mahaney give D.A. Carson money? In the end The Wartburg Watch documented how C.J. Mahaney gave generously to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  Did C.J. Mahaney give money to Trinity Evangelical Divinity School as well? Did the academic department that D.A. Carson is in receive money from C.J. Mahaney? What about Justin Taylor? Did C.J. Mahaney give money to Justin Taylor is that why we see this bastardized statement and his signature to it? Did Justin Taylor take money from C.J. Mahaney in some form? Again these are all questions that I am asking outloud…in light of C.J. Mahaney’s pattern of behavior in giving money did he give money to any of the above individuals? I want to be crystal clear that I am just asking some questions out loud. I am not saying anything definitively, this is not a statement. Instead these are questions that I am asking publically.

 

What’s at Stake with Mahaney’s Corruption

Watergate is about abuse of power and corruption. Richard Nixon was the one at the very top, but his behavior and mannerism set the agenda and created the culture for the Nixon White House. His paranoia over leaks, and his thirst for power lead him to abuse power. Nixon also encouraged corruption below him. When you look at history you see that with John Ehrlichman, Charles Colson, John Dean, H.R. Haldeman, Richard Kleindienst, Jeb Stuart Magruder, and John Mitchell.  Each individual engaged in their own corruption to support the Nixon White House and get him re-elected, at any and all costs. Today when I reflect back on Sovereign Grace I can see a lot of parallels between the culture of the Nixon White House and the culture of C.J. Mahaney’s Sovereign Grace movement. However, the corruption didn’t involve acts such as bugging the Democratic National Committee, or breaking into offices, etc… In the case of Mahaney his corruption is the abuse of power, allegedly covering up child sex abuse, allegedly engaging in blackmail, plus he allegedly had his own personal slush fund that would make Howard Hunt envious. There are a couple of stories at SGM Survivors where Mahaney allegedly gave money to influence the course of events. Another similarity to Watergate include individuals loyal to C.J. Mahaney at all costs. In the process they have worked to prop, enable, defend, attack, and go after those who disagree with the organization. For example could Dave Harvey be the equivalent of H. R. Haldeman in his own unique way? Plus Mahaney had no problem in disposing of someone after he was done with them. Nixon behaved in a similar manner. Then in the Watergate scandal you have the Plumbers who carried out the dirty tricks and did the dirty work for the Nixon White House. Who are the Plumbers in Sovereign Grace? I would suggest that they are individuals such as Steve Shank, Tim Shorey, Ken Mellinger and Micky Connolly. Then you have Brent Detwiler a former insider turned outsider. Brent’s role reminds me a lot of John Dean in going from a former Mahaney supporter to whistleblower. 40 years after the fact Watergate is still with us, and still haunts us.

Then there is C.J. Mahaney. I see a lot of parallels between Richard Nixon and Mahaney. But let’s step back and look at both men. When Richard Nixon resigned the presidency he didn’t want a pardon. He stepped down and left to live in California. Many people thought he was done, that you “won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore.” ( A reference to what happened when Nixon lost the California gubernatorial race in 1962.) In the years that followed Nixon wrote his memoirs, and gave a series of interviews with David Frost. Ten years after leaving the national scene he slowly was sought out for advice. From Ronald Reagan to George H. W. Bush, they reached out and asked for his insight on foreign policy. In the 80’s he published a number of books on foreign policy. By 1986 Newsweek announced that Nixon had been rehabilitated. In 1990 Nixon was on the cover of Time magazine and in the article he spent some time reflecting back on his life, his fall from power, his rehabilitation and what he learned. In the article he said this about Watergate, being judged and disgraced.

Q. How do you expect the Watergate affair to be judged in the future?

A. Clare Boothe Luce once said that each person in history can be summed up in one sentence. This was after I had gone to China. She said, “You will be summed up, ‘He went to China.’” Historians are more likely to lead with “He resigned the office.” The jury has already come in, and there’s nothing that’s going to change it. There’s no appeal. Historians will judge it harshly. That’s what I would say on that.

Q. Why did you write this book?

A. I really wrote this book for those who have suffered losses or defeats and so forth, and who think that life is over. I felt that if I could share with them my own experiences, it might help.

The problem with that, of course, is that resigning the presidency is something that is beyond their imagination. And so, consequently, that’s why throughout the book I tried to put it in a context that they could understand. But I felt that if I could let them see what I went through, and how I at least recovered in part, that that might tell them that life wasn’t over.

Q. You say in your new book that you recovered in part. You also say that you have paid, and in fact are still paying, the price for it.

A. By paying the price, I mean in terms of being able to influence the course of events. I mean, every time I make a speech, or every time I write a book, inevitably the reviewers refer to the “disgraced former President.”

And I consider, for whatever time I have left, that what is most important is to be able to affect the course of events. My experience has been somewhat unique. I am probably wrong on a number of things, but at least it’s a point of view.

The difficulty is that getting that point of view across is compromised by the fact that they say, Oh, this is the Watergate man, so we’re not going to pay any attention to what he does. Now that attitude has receded substantially, and over a period of time it may recede more, but that’s what I meant by that.

Now let’s compare that with Mahaney who people still extol as being humble. He fled Covenant Life and went to Capital Hill Baptist Church and in all his manliness fled again to Louisville to reach the “lost.” If all that fleeing is humility I would like to know…what is pride?  Of course he fled to be in Al Mohler’s backyard, I am guessing he wanted to cash in on his investment. Along the way all he did was flee and deny, while he tried to jump start his preaching career. He took back his apology at some point along the way and was enabled by a number of people in Louisville today and elsewhere. He is dogged by allegations of covering up child sex abuse, allegedly engaging in blackmail of his ministry partner of which you can read that transcript right here. And despite all the allegations of criminal activity he’s speaking again at T4G. So let me pose this question….who do you think has more leadership skills, integrity, and character? C.J. Mahaney? Or Richard Nixon? Hands down I’d have to say Nixon…I say that because he put the country ahead of himself in resigning. He didn’t want to be pardoned. He also took time away from the spotlight and in the course of time engaged when people we’re ready and willing. He was open more about his past mistakes and willing to talk about them. You can go to the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California and even listen to the White House tapes related to Watergate. Compare that with a man who has lied, fled, allegedly engaged in blackmail, and child sex abuse cover up, and refused to deal with or acknowledge it. A man who has re-written his history and church history to edit out people. Who demonstrates more leadership, integrity, and character? In the end I think its safe to say that Richard Nixon had more integrity than C.J.Mahaney.

This is the problem today, in one case the cancer and corruption was removed. The beauty of Watergate is that it showed that the Constitutional system worked. The freedom of the press, the checks and balances of the legal system and Congress. It all worked. Contrast that with the situation with C.J. Mahaney. His corruption has been defended. His corruption has spread and ensnared others such as Mark Dever who have showed themselves to be corrupt. The corruption has grown and you have pastors who spend money and want to flock to Louisville to see Mahaney preach. Never mind the fact that he is no longer above reproach and can’t meet the qualifications for elder. And the cancer is expanding. To quote John Dean who infamously said that there “is a cancer on the presidency.” I would re-word that to say there is a growing cancer in evangelical Christianity, and that cancer is C.J. Mahaney.  Its a cancer that needs to be removed and carved out of the faith. The corruption in Sovereign Grace reveals the problems and issues in parts of evangelicalism.

In the movie “All The Presidents Men” Deep Throat gave Bob Woodward sage advice. “Follow the money…” In order to unpack the situation with C.J. Mahaney one needs to “follow the money.” Wherever the money trail is, and where it leads to…Kevin DeYoung, Justin Taylor or Mark Dever. “Follow the money.” In the end I think we’ll be surprised as to where the corruption lies. Motives will be revealed, and the level of corruption will be phenomenal. Listen to Deep Throat church, he still speaks and his words from the movie “All The Presidents Men” hold wisdom. All one needs to do is to “follow the money.” In closing I will leave you with the 1972 campaign song Nixon Now. As always I love you guys!