SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge President Bush's spiritual adviser accused of bilking investors in $1 million fraud scheme
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process  |
A longtime spiritual adviser to President George W. Bush bilked vulnerable and elderly investors out of more than $1 million after selling them worthless Chinese bonds, federal prosecutors said. Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell was accused in an indictment of using his prominence as the pastor of a Houston mega-church to lure investors into the scheme, Shreveport (La.) U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook said Thursday. Caldwell, 64, is one of the most well-known and wealthiest ministers in the Houston area, Fox 26 Houston reported. His Village United Methodist Church has more than 16,000 members. The pastor has served as a spiritual advisor to President George W. Bush for years, the station reported. Bush asked Caldwell, a political independent, to introduce him at the 2000 Republican Convention. Caldwell offered the benediction at Bush’s 2001 inauguration and even joined the former president on his first visit to the World Trade Center after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Caldwell also officiated at the 2008 wedding of Jenna Bush, the former president’s daughter. An email sent Friday by Fox News to Bush’s office for comment was not immediately returned. The indictment alleges that the pastor and a co-defendant, financial advisor Gregory Alan Smith, 55, of Shreveport, promised investors exorbitant rates of returns. “Instead of investing the funds, the defendants used them to pay personal loans, credit card balances, mortgages, vehicle purchases and other personal expenses," Van Hook said in a news release. Caldwell and Smith were accused of peddling bonds that had been issued decades ago. Van Hook said that the bonds had been issued by the former Republic of China prior to losing power to the Communist government in 1949. “They are not recognized by China’s current government and have no investment value,” the prosecutor said. Both men face 20 years in prison for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fruad. They also each face 10 years in prison for money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Caldwell said through an attorney that he was innocent, Fox 26 reported. "Reverend KJC is not only a religious leader, he’s wrongfully accused,” the station quoted the attorney as saying. “He trusts the legal process but most importantly his faith. He will be absolved. We look forward to trying this case in the court of law." Link Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | ||
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| Mired in the Fog of Lucidity |
Devil made him do it. | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process |
Why do people take investment advice from preachers? It is something like taking accordion lessons from a SCUBA instructor. Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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Oriental Redneck |
Nah, there's no devil, because there is no hell. He learned that from the Pope. Q | |||
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| Mired in the Fog of Lucidity |
Hmmm, that's a rather drastic new position, isn't it? Looks like the Vatican is denying it though. | |||
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| Member |
It might have something to do with their personality profiles being similar to used car salesman. They both have a product to sell. Some of the most successful swindlers were preachers. | |||
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Political Cynic |
if there's no hell according to the Pope, what vehicle is he going to use to keep everyone in line... so there is no eternal damnation no matter what you do...interesting concept [B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC | |||
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Rule #1: Use enough gun |
Bless his heart... When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are undisturbed. Luke 11:21 "Every nation in every region now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists." -- George W. Bush | |||
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| Oriental Redneck |
Sounds familiar? Hmmm... Q | |||
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| Mired in the Fog of Lucidity |
 | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process |
Exactly! That’s why, coupled with what you can assume is significant lack of knowledge about such things, is why everyone ought to keep their money in their jeans around preachers. Render unto Caesar and all that. Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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| Freethinker |
But hardly unique to him. Polls, including one I conducted here years ago, regularly indicate that a significant percentage of people who believe that Heaven or a paradise exists also believe there is no hell. ► 6.4/93.6 “Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” — Plato | |||
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| Member |
But JALLEN, what if one wants to play underwater accordian? | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process |
Then you deserve to be swindled! Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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| Member |
The vehicle is that in order to have an orderly society there has to be a certain set of rules that keep a society from tearing itself apart. It has nothing to do with a "god" who sets out "commandments," but instead is about having a community that sets out basic rules of living with one another so that it doesn't tear itself apart by doing whatever comes to mind. It doesn't take fear of eternal punishment to instill that in its members - it takes fear of being punished by those in the community. ------------------------------- Inside every progressive is a totalitarian screaming to get out. - David Horowitz | |||
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| Political Cynic |
if there is no hell, how do you explain bagpipes? [B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC | |||
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| Member |
^^^Hey now, my Scottish roots object! ------------------------------- Inside every progressive is a totalitarian screaming to get out. - David Horowitz | |||
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| I believe in the principle of Due Process |
Anyway, if God wanted Methodists to be rich, He would have made them Episcopalians. Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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| His diet consists of black coffee, and sarcasm.  |
Some of the world's biggest assholes hide behind Jesus' robes. | |||
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| Mired in the Fog of Lucidity |
Yes, and the road to hell is littered with TV evangelists, to single out one high profile group. | |||
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SIGforum.com Main Page The Lounge President Bush's spiritual adviser accused of bilking investors in $1 million fraud scheme
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