NEW: Earlier this year, @TYTInvestigates obtained unprecedented internal documents from The Family, the secretive religious group behind the National Prayer Breakfast (NPB).
The docs ID scores of people working with and for The Family around the world.
tyt.com/stories/7K5fbf…
The docs ID scores of people working with and for The Family around the world.
tyt.com/stories/7K5fbf…
We’ve been analyzing the info for months and today are launching a series on what we’re finding.
We’ve been told Congress runs the NPB, a bipartisan, ecumenical event.
None of that is true.
The Family runs it, and uses it for their own ends.
We’ve been told Congress runs the NPB, a bipartisan, ecumenical event.
None of that is true.
The Family runs it, and uses it for their own ends.
Family allies from other countries get to invite guests.
Those allies use the event to bolster movements and allies – sometimes theocratic/anti-LGBTQ – back home.
(Local media boost these allies by saying Congress or POTUS invited them.)
Those allies use the event to bolster movements and allies – sometimes theocratic/anti-LGBTQ – back home.
(Local media boost these allies by saying Congress or POTUS invited them.)
(I should acknowledge the essential work of @JeffSharlet, who years ago uncovered instances of what we're finding.
Our analysis so far suggests those instances were the norm, not aberrations.
I interviewed Jeff in 2019, long before we had the new docs.
)
Our analysis so far suggests those instances were the norm, not aberrations.
I interviewed Jeff in 2019, long before we had the new docs.
)
The top US National Prayer Breakfast inviters – Family insiders, not Congressmembers – skew overwhelmingly GOP, as do their guests.
Their ranks include not just Trump supporters, but Big Lie promoters.
We reported on traces of this earlier this year: tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
Their ranks include not just Trump supporters, but Big Lie promoters.
We reported on traces of this earlier this year: tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
Of the 20 individuals named as inviting the most guests in 2016, two were international (see screengrab).
Of the 18 others, we could identify the politics of 13.
All but one were Republicans.
Of the 18 others, we could identify the politics of 13.
All but one were Republicans.
We're still analyzing all the info, but data slices show the same pattern.
When we looked at guests categorized at media, for instance, the National Prayer Breakfast guest list was overwhelmingly conservative, including the right-wing fringe.
When we looked at guests categorized at media, for instance, the National Prayer Breakfast guest list was overwhelmingly conservative, including the right-wing fringe.
Everyone in Congress (+ POTUS, SCOTUS, etc.) is automatically invited.
So we looked at guests identified as FORMER Congress. The breakdown, almost twice as many GOP as Dems invited.
So we looked at guests identified as FORMER Congress. The breakdown, almost twice as many GOP as Dems invited.
We have also found clear signs of religious bias--not just against, obviously, secularism--but even within theism...
...and even within Christianity...
...and even within Protestantism.
...and even within Christianity...
...and even within Protestantism.
The Family has defended inviting dictators to the National Prayer Breakfast by saying reconciliation requires engaging with enemies.
But left-wing leaders, even religious ones, are in short supply... so it's unclear how Democrats can justify claims of reconciliation.
With whom?
But left-wing leaders, even religious ones, are in short supply... so it's unclear how Democrats can justify claims of reconciliation.
With whom?
I know I'm missing stuff, so I hope you'll read the piece itself--The Family is NOT monolithic or a cartoon of religiosity.
My partners on this series include @thisZoltan and @JamiaZarzuela and...
My partners on this series include @thisZoltan and @JamiaZarzuela and...
@thisZoltan @JamiaZarzuela ...we are continuing to work on the information we have, with help from @bellingcat, @GNRcatholics, MRFF and others.
I want to invite journalists/advocates interested in doing their own research to contact me.
More to come.
Sign up for tyt.com/newsletters for updates...
I want to invite journalists/advocates interested in doing their own research to contact me.
More to come.
Sign up for tyt.com/newsletters for updates...
Quick tease of the next story in this series.
I spent about six minutes on the phone with Mike Lindell on Wednesday.
He called me a liar and a scumbag and pond scum.
Here's what happened.
I spent about six minutes on the phone with Mike Lindell on Wednesday.
He called me a liar and a scumbag and pond scum.
Here's what happened.
I had sent a bunch of emails with MANY Qs to MyPillow.
One had an error in it (which is why you ask for comment!)
Lindell apparently took that as proof I was planning to lie...
..and so called me and went off on me (who couldn't figure out what he was even talking about)...
One had an error in it (which is why you ask for comment!)
Lindell apparently took that as proof I was planning to lie...
..and so called me and went off on me (who couldn't figure out what he was even talking about)...
Anyway, Lindell said he was recording our call and was going to air it on his show.
Given what he had to say to me in our call before hanging up on me, I'll just say...have at it. Play it all.
Story coming shortly.
Given what he had to say to me in our call before hanging up on me, I'll just say...have at it. Play it all.
Story coming shortly.
Mike Lindell wasn't always a right-wing, theocratic, threat to democracy.
But his transformation didn't just happen.
Over the course of several years, Lindell was gradually radicalized, religiously and politically, with help from The Family.
Here's how:
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
But his transformation didn't just happen.
Over the course of several years, Lindell was gradually radicalized, religiously and politically, with help from The Family.
Here's how:
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
First, Family insiders had already become connected to Christian actor Stephen Baldwin.
After Baldwin met Lindell in 2014, some of those insiders made their way into Lindell's orbit, as well.
You can read our sidebar on the Baldwin stuff here:
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
After Baldwin met Lindell in 2014, some of those insiders made their way into Lindell's orbit, as well.
You can read our sidebar on the Baldwin stuff here:
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
The Family insiders tied to Baldwin were joined by other Family insiders now orbiting Lindell.
The center of gravity was the Lindell Foundation...which shifted from helping addicts...to funding evangelical causes... as Family insiders joined its board.
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
The center of gravity was the Lindell Foundation...which shifted from helping addicts...to funding evangelical causes... as Family insiders joined its board.
tyt.com/stories/4vZLCH…
Between calling me a scumbag and before hanging up on me, Lindell told me Baldwin invited him last minute to the the 2016 National Prayer Breakfast.
Texas state docs show Baldwin's ministry had been set up in 2013 by three Family insiders.
Texas state docs show Baldwin's ministry had been set up in 2013 by three Family insiders.
Internal Family docs we obtained list one of the people behind Baldwin's ministry, Hendricks, as inviting Baldwin to the 2016 NPB.
Another, a Texas pastor named Wilfred Job, was actually who officially invited Lindell and his girlfriend.
TX filing here:
documentcloud.org/documents/2105…
Another, a Texas pastor named Wilfred Job, was actually who officially invited Lindell and his girlfriend.
TX filing here:
documentcloud.org/documents/2105…
Why would Family insiders have any interest in Lindell?
At the time, he was known, if at all, only as a TV pillow pitchman.
But...
At the time, he was known, if at all, only as a TV pillow pitchman.
But...
I should stop and explain.
Lindell became evangelical because him having a part in God's plan is the only way he can explain stuff that's happened in his life.
Note his book title.
And the logical fallacy it embodies.
Lindell became evangelical because him having a part in God's plan is the only way he can explain stuff that's happened in his life.
Note his book title.
And the logical fallacy it embodies.
For instance, Lindell says he was "randomly" picked to meet Ben Carson at the 2016 National Prayer Breakfast.
Here's what Carson's campaign manager, Bob Dees, told me:
Here's what Carson's campaign manager, Bob Dees, told me:
Dees had ties to The Family, but Carson had just picked a new spox, @ALarryRoss, who sat on The Family board.
It was during that meeting with Carson and a dozen or so others, that Lindell heard a life-changing prophecy, that he has interpreted as applying to him.
It was during that meeting with Carson and a dozen or so others, that Lindell heard a life-changing prophecy, that he has interpreted as applying to him.
It's actually almost a trope of The Family, with Biblical roots.
They've printed it on cards they put on the breakfast tables:
wthrockmorton.com/2010/05/14/nat…
They've printed it on cards they put on the breakfast tables:
wthrockmorton.com/2010/05/14/nat…
The prayer breakfast is ostensibly leaders of all kinds. The NPB leadership, however, had assembled a group at the 2016 breakfast to pray with Carson (and Lindell) that all agreed they wanted the GOP to win that year.
As Lindell writes in his book, it opened his eyes.
As Lindell writes in his book, it opened his eyes.
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