Grant Haas Puts Ted Haggard into Another Sex Scandal

Ted Haggard was best known as one of the most prominent evangelicals in the United States. But starting in November 2006, Haggard became a national punch line when he was accused of soliciting a male prostitute. Haggard resigned from the pulpit, but it appears that his scandals are not over with yet. Grant Haas, who used to attend Haggard's former church, is now the latest to come forward with accusations that Haggard committed a sex act in front of him.

Grant Haas made these allegations to a Colorado TV station today. According to these allegations, Grant Haas had a sexual encounter with his then-preacher Haggard. Haggard also sent Haas many sexually explicit text messages, according to Haas's story.

The relationship began when Haas met Haggard in 2005. The then 22-year-old Haas came to New Life Church after he was kicked out of a Chicago church for struggling with homosexuality. Haas soon became a volunteer at the church, spending a lot of time with Haggard.

According to Haas's story, the relationship turned sexual in 2006, when the two were on a trip at Cripple Creek, Colorado. Haas claims that Haggard asked if they were going to be "godly or bad" that night. What followed was Haggard masturbating in front of Haas, then Haggard sending him hundred of text messages.

Haas claims that he contacted New Life Church after Haggard's initial sex scandal broke out. A settlement was made in which the church would pay for college tuition and counseling, as long as Haas did not speak of his encounters with Haggard.

However, Haas says the church did not follow through on those promises, although it still owes him $179,000 through 2009.

Haas is now coming forward with the accusations just as HBO is airing a new documentary on Haggard's sex scandals and how he was brought down. The timing was suggested as being suspicious from Haggard's successor, Brady Boyd.

Boyd and Haggard did not necessarily deny something had happened between Haggard and Haas. They merely denied just how 'sexual' the relationship was. Boyd said that there was no physical contact between Haggard and Boyd, while Haggard admitted that there was an 'inappropriate relationship' but nothing physical.

The HBO documentary The Trials of Ted Haggard, airs on Thursday. It is documented by Nancy Pelosi's daughter Alexandra, who previously filmed the documentary Jesus Camp with Haggard in a starring role.

Like with this documentary, Pelosi finished that film just as a Haggard sex scandal came out. In the previous scandal, Haggard admitted to having sex with a male prostitute and buying crystal meth. Therefore, the Haas accusations are less surprising to many, and will be more of an additional punchline than a national scandal, like the last one was.

Sources

TV Barn "Not again! Ted Haggard stars in another Pelosi film AND another sex scandal" blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2009/01/not-again-ted-h.html

Associated Press- "Former church member: Haggard performed sex act" www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iU3Vgczy1quPsy3F43dGP9dckikgD95VB7780