Updated twice: Mega-church preacher Ted Haggard admits to "some indiscretions" [VIDEO]

Posted by Joshua Holland at 1:41 PM on November 3, 2006.

2 Updates below

Updating Lindsay's post from yesterday, local news in Colorado is now reporting that Pastor Haggard admits to at least some of the charges levied against him by former male escort Mike Jones -- presumably the ones that can be verified by voicemail messages Jones claims to have saved for posterity.

KKTV News:

A sudden about-face in the scandal facing New Life Church's pastor.

After Pastor Ted Haggard went public Wednesday night denying allegations of a homosexual affair, senior church officials told KKTV 11News Thursday evening, Pastor Ted Haggard has admitted to some of the claims made by a former male escort. The church's Acting Senior Pastor, Ross Parsley, tells KKTV 11 News that Pastor Haggard has admitted to some of the indiscretions claimed by Mike Jones, but not all of them.

Thursday morning, Jones went on a Denver radio talk show and said Pastor Haggard paid him for sex over the past 3 years. Jones also claims Haggard used drugs with him.

Questions remain. Is this concrete evidence that God has now foresaken the Republicans? And how does this bear on James Wolcott's theory that "all Republican political figures are gay, especially the men"?

One thing's for sure: there's nothing more entertaining than watching one after another of America's self-appointed moral scolds being exposed as hypocrites. Schadenfreude's sweet!

Update 1: Oh, this is rich:

The Rev. Ted Haggard, who resigned as one of the nation's top evangelical leaders, admitted Friday he had contacted male prostitute Mike Jones for a massage and bought drugs from him.

Haggard said he never had sex with Jones and never used the methamphetamine drug he bought.

He did not name the hotel. "I did call him," Haggard said. "I called him to buy some meth, but I threw it away."

Haggard spoke to the Denver TV station from inside a car, with his wife, Gayle, in the passenger seat.

"I was buying it for me, but I never used it. I was tempted. ...

"He told me about it. I went there for a massage."

Yeah, that's the ticket. The hooker just gave me a massage. I bought the meth, but didn't use it. I didn't inhale!

The sad thing is that Haggard's followers will probably buy all that. After all, they throw millions of dollars at these "spiritual leaders" who are transparent con-men of the worst sort. They support Republicans who pay them lip service but ignore them until the next election rolls around. 'It's all political,' they're saying to themselves now -- part of the Grand Liberal Conspiracy® to tear down people of faith.

Eh, there's one born every minute.

Update 2:

The "church" has decided there's enough evidence of sexual hi-jinks to cut the Pastor lose.

CBS:

The Rev. Ted Haggard agreed to resign as leader of the New Life Church after its independent investigative board recommended removal, saying he was guilty "of sexually immoral conduct."

"We, the Overseer Board of New Life Church, have concluded our deliberations concerning the moral failings of Pastor Ted Haggard," a statement from the church said. "Our investigation and Pastor Haggard's public statements have proven without a doubt that he has committed sexually immoral conduct."

Joshua Holland is a staff writer at Alternet and a regular contributor to The Gadflyer.