I was going to try and write about this last week; however, my previously scheduled research time in Budapest, Hungary, was more critically time-urgent and stunningly more valuable. Despite the DHS anxiety and fingerprinting upon return, I will be sharing those incredible details in a password protected post to come shortly. Yes, I am pushing the envelope.
That said, Ad Rem made note of the Vander Plaats revelation {SEE HERE} as it highlights perfectly the fraud that is the Ron DeSantis campaign.
Yes, Ron DeSantis paid evangelical Iowa leader Bob Vander Plaats a $95,000 “indulgency fee” for his endorsement. However, providing even more sunlight upon the nature of the U.S political apparatus, the Vander Plaats payment was not the first, or even second or third. The club system, to construct the illusion of choice, long predates the current political race and carries multiple “indulgency fees” that are paid by professionally Republican candidates.
2011 – DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Iowa Christian conservative leader who bestowed his highly sought-after endorsement on presidential candidate Rick Santorum this week is now at the center of a controversy over whether he asked for cash in exchange for his public support.
Less than 48-hours after receiving the backing of Bob Vander Plaats, the head of the prominent evangelical group The Family Leader, Santorum disclosed that the prominent Iowan told him he needed money to make the most out of the endorsement.
And sources familiar with talks between the conservative heavyweight and representatives from several of the Republican presidential campaigns went a step further, describing Vander Plaats’ tactics as corrupt.
[…] ABC News has learned that Vander Plaats tried to solicit money for his endorsement during the last presidential cycle too. A former staffer for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential bid who is currently unaffiliated with a campaign said Vander Plaats came to them seeking money for his backing if he supported the former Massachusetts governor.
“He wanted to be paid,” the former staffer said. “He was clearly looking for a paycheck. There was a conversation about him getting a title, but being a paid consultant was much more important.”
The aide said they offered him a title, but never seriously considered paying Vander Plaats. He ended up endorsing Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee over Romney. (read more)
Why beat this dead horse and bring it up again now?
This is where honest, decent, hard-working American voters need to continue the awakening and realize the nature of our assembly, THE LAST REFUGE, where the truth has no agenda and doesn’t care about our comfort -or lack thereof- in discovering it.
Jeff Roe is the 2024 head of the Ron DeSantis Never Back Down SuperPAC. Jeff Roe was the previous head of the 2016 Ted Cruz campaign.
Now, how do you suppose Ted Cruz received the Vander Plaats endorsement in 2016?
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A prominent Iowa evangelical leader has endorsed Ted Cruz for president, a coup for the Texas senator, who has heavily courted churches and pastors in an effort to win the state’s leadoff Republican caucuses.
Bob Vander Plaats announced his endorsement Thursday in Des Moines, calling Cruz a “serious leader for serious times.” (more)
Does the reality of the ’12, ’16. ’23, party apparatus and the illusion of GOPe choice start to make us wonder how far back this control game actually goes.
Does the John McCain vote to retain Obamacare in 2017 contrast perfectly with the John McCain ’08 campaign?
Does the reality of the DeSantis operation built on fraud, pretense, manipulation and astroturf, take on a new clarity?
Once we see the strings… we start to question the visibility of the marionettes.
I will say it again for the final time… Ron DeSantis is a controlled UniParty operative who left congress in 2018 to run for Florida governor, specifically because the Sea Island plan to stop Donald Trump in ’24 goes all the way back to that 2018 origination.
Spygate, the impeachment schemes, COVID-19, etc were all supported by the Republican wing of the UniParty vulture.
The illusion of choice has always been just that, an illusion of choice.
Whores, all of them!
At least they are pricey whores…..supposedly with class too.
That’s an insult to ALL prostitutes!
I believe the Biblical term is, Harlots… and the Lord has something very special in store for them.
Plaats is a Hireling and not a true shepherd. He sells himself to the highest bidder.
He must have a gift for Gab if he is a popular Evangelical “preacher”, just like Creflo Dollar…… real name who is a super rich Name It and Claim it conman er, I mean “preacher”.
“Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” (Rev 17:1-2)
“The aide said they offered him a title, but never seriously considered paying Vander Plaats. He ended up endorsing Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee over Romney.”
I like Huckabee, and especially Sarah, but I wonder if he got paid by Huckabee for that endorsement. Or if he just figured he would get the most conservative brownie points by endorsing Huckabee. Makes you suspicious of all these endorsements: Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, the Moral Majority, etc.
I find that many of the principles churches ought to follow are best modeled by the 12 principles of AA — they ought never lend their name to any other organization… or something to that effect”
A.A. has a 7 th tradition that
IMO sets it quite apart from most other entities.
Cheers!
The Church should remain above the fray.
We as individuals are, however, in the fray.
Trump is the Fraymaster, imho
exactly!
This Mike Huckabee…a lot like Nikita Haley.
silly man.
Huckabee, nice guy, but he’s a huckster
By chance, I heard Gov Stilts on Gwen Beck a few days ago. The appearance was so scripted, so over the top sickening, I couldn’t listen to it. I wondered how much they paid Gwen to do the campaign commercial on the radio show. Then this hit.
I lost all respect for Beck years ago.
I never had any.
Oh please. Beck is having ALL candidates on, he’s not endorsing anyone, he had Trump on already and it was great. Beck is clearly a fan. And Beck certainly doesn’t need the money.
You are suffering from BCS. GB is a 1st class orange Cheetoh a-h013.
I’m sure Beck got much higher viewership for the Trump interview.
Beck is Romney… Hannity is DeSantis… O’Reilly is McCain… Ingram is Haley…
Get it? They speak to the issues that concern us… then steer us to the candidates that “support us” and then stab us in the back! It’s all a political manipulation tool. And they’re ALL in on it! Multi-million dollar contracts buy a lot of loyalty.
Excellent.
That segment was an over the top endorsement. Drink less Kool Aid.
30 pieces of silver
37.5 pieces of silver. You need to count for 25% inflation.
Didn’t Matt Gaetz say they had to pay Bob Menendez in gold bars otherwise his bribery payments would be worthless?
33.75 pieces of silver. Forgot the 10% for the Big Guy. Bribes got a bit more complicated over the last couple thousand years.
You have to wonder what is up with people jumping onto the DeSantis bandwagon at this point lol.
They’re covering their “spiritual bases” while hoping for a conviction/imprisonment/adverse Section 3 ruling/ whatever, of Trump. When you’re desperate, you gotta cover all angles. /s
DeSantis needs the evangelical vote and knows certain Judas’s er leaders are for sale.
They are saying DeSantis is pouring money into Iowa and that it might be his last stand as donors flee.
Trump 2024
Good thing is his campaign draws $ out/away from others.
You almost have to wonder if they are coordinating with those who control such far flung things as the Lawfare effort and Iranian death squads.
They are praying the Colorado Judge’s b.s. ruling that President Trump is a insurrectionist will allow them to remove him from ALL ballots. Dec 7 it goes before the CO Supremes.
we pretty much know what Ronnie’s grift is… and I don’t really follow the “evangelical” thing… but what must it feel like if you’re a follower of this guy who takes money in exchange for endorsements, instead of going with his heart and faith?
You are correct, it is meaningless. He has forfeited his integrity
Quite a lot of that going around.
Wait til you find out how corrupt organized Christianity in America often is. Wait til you find out how the Seminaries have been corrupted, truth is under assault on all fronts and maybe especially within Christianity. The Scriptures are true. Those who teach them are often not however. To quote Jeremiah 5:31 “The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way, but what will you do in the end?”
May God have mercy on myself and the rest of this generation as well. We need it.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done.
That’s not Christianity, it’s “churchianity”. There’s a big difference.
Yes. There are plenty of “churchgoers” and a lot less Christians in church than they would have you believe.
If all of our God given institutions have been corrupted by evil and destructive people then you can be sure that our churches have also been compromised.
I stopped attending church when I realized pastors/ ministers were merely human beings in robes & they can be just as corrupt as politicians.
Would you stop going to work or the grocery store because the people around you were possibly corrupt?
Churches are just buildings… the belief you may harbour in your ‘self’.
You should reread the New Testament. We are exhorted all over to gather together to worship.
Such Biblical illiteracy on this thread.
Who said we don’t gather? “Where 2 or 3 are gathered in my name, I am there…”
If you can’t find a Pastor who even opens the Word anymore but only posts it on a screen because the congregation is unwilling to open The Word of God lest it take effort, then even when they open it teaching things like Prosperity doctrine, and focused primarily on moral teachings when that only makes up 1/4 of the Scriptures, then you gather with those who are likeminded, humble, not powerful orators with strong public speaking skills, but power servants of the Most High. I meet twice weekly within my circle, it just doesn’t have a building attached to it, and no commentaries are needed. The Scripture alone speaks the Spirit of God into our hearts. Especially when you can see the full testimony of all 66 books, and how the books themselves written over thousands of years are interlaced with connected testimony that it alone fully proves God’s truth.
Sorry a physical church might have been useful at times, and certainly if you can find one that is less compromised then blessings be to you. But don’t assume not going to a brick and mortar building with a name on it means that you don’t attend service or worship in His name.
Well the Holy Spirit through the writer of Hebrews already knew pastors and ministers and priests were merely human and He told us to gather together.
Your stated reason for not attending is silly.
A church is a community of believers not a building and certainly not one clergyman. The word “church” is a translation of the Greek word ekklesia, which is defined as “an assembly” or “called-out ones.” Romans 16:5 says, “Greet the church that is in their house.” Paul refers to the church in their house—not a church building, but a body of believers.
And yet they continue to go and support him.
Fingerprinting has a distinctly Soviet feel to it.
Obviously they can track anybody and everybody without their knowledge. This is a public warning to the traveler. They want you to know they are watching you to cow you. I always wonder what Lincoln or Frederick Douglass would think of these people trying to turn this country into a technological terror/slave state. I read somewhere years ago for the slave state to be born the jailer must first murder his own soul.
In my opinion, there is enough right and wrong clearly visible on the national scene today that churches should be speaking up about who is right and who is wrong and about what. Many are afraid if they do they will lose their nonprofit tax status.
But the good side of not speaking up is, many of the churches that take the Bible seriously also took very seriously the part about obeying the governing authorities (i. e. IRS) and refused to endorse anyone at any level anywhere even when you could see they were dying to say “vote for this guy!”
So back in 2011 I would have suspected a church that endorsed a political candidate of being Biblically squishy. If money changed hands, then I would have questioned whether it was even Christian.
Yes! The Church should address the issues, and refrain from endorsing candidates.
It should be clear to the faithful how to proceed…
In my humble opinion
Black churches are exempt from those standards already. Sundance has talked about the AME church and its involvement in supporting democrat candidates.
Christian churches sold their birthright long ago, by accepting the 501-C3 tax exemption, thereby abandoning their right and duty to call out evil and corruption wherever it rears its ugly head.
A pot of stew or 30 pieces of silver indeed!
Obeying the government is the same as obeying Satan.
The Holy Spirit through Paul the Apostle in Romans would disagree.
Everything’s for sale, isn’t it??
Almost, except what really matters!
Joe Biden can be heard saying “Sale, always for sale. As long as I get 10%”
such a sad commentary on our country explained so beautifully!
Thank you for confirming my instinct about Ron DeSantis another dog in the game.
When you finally understand that the WHOLE thing, whether politics, covid, you tubers, broadcast news, and just about anything else you can think of, is driven by money and profit, it all becomes abundantly clear. The first question in your mind., regardless of scenario, should be ‘how much are you being paid (for your opinion, endorsement, etc.?’
If someone’s getting demonetized on Youtube, that’s generally a good sign of their integrity. Paul Joseph Watson just as an example.
So what did Steve Deace have to say? No surprise this has been going on for along time take a look at Faith and Freedom.
Is it just me? Ron dude look sick/ill or under nourished it those photos. Something looks “not right” about him. Maybe it “lie’itist” stage 2. I dunno.
I AM TRUMP 100%
I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE CORRUPTION IN BOTH PARTIES
100% PATRIOTIC AMERICAN……..GOD-COUNTRY-FAMILY
This is why i dislike organized religion. Growing up in Minneapolis, I saw first hand how crooked and sinful certain members of the church were.
Humans are ALL sinful. That’s what makes saints so attractive.
Know any?
I live in Iowa and wonder how much Kim the gov took to endorse slow Ron?
Exactly my thought…wonder what her “Indulgence Fee” was–six figures is my guess
A significant reveal is the utter stupidity of Glenn Beck and his support for DeSantis.
He’s not endorsing any candidate. He’s having them all on. Why not listen for yourself.
Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson would be proud!
Naah, they would be embarrassed for him.
He sold out way too cheap.
PS: I need to check to see what my endorsement would be worth.
Envious?
“Denny Crane!”
Question re. potential upcoming post. I’m a regular reader, very sporadic commenter. I don’t think this is OT because he mentioned an upcoming password protected post, and I don’t know where else to ask. I thought I knew what the password was (ten-letter word that starts with “w” and ends with “s”), but the last time there was a protected post I couldn’t log on. Any help would be appreciated.
Lowercase “w” I believe, but you’re spot on!
You are correct. But all letters lower case.
This Vander Plaats fellow is the furthest thing from a Christian that one could possibly be. It is “men” like him that cause people to be cautious about following God. May he repent for his greed, before it’s too late. “Men” like him will be held to account for every person that he caused to steer away from Christianity.
That other evangelical media whore in Iowa Steve Deace has been out of his mind over this transparency – However he has yet to confess.
Thank you Sundance. I had no idea that “ministers of the Gospel” were taking money for political endorsements. That’s wrong and evil. I don’t care what they call it. I’m fully disgusted and spit upon these Pharisees.
“The Church” is in for a reckoning at the hand of God. It would be better to withdraw membership from any organized religion and engage in home Bible study/worship than be a part of this apostasy. “Evangelical leader” my arse. Sad.
“Ministers of the gospel” that attain the honorific of “conservative Christian heavyweight”, “evangelical leader”, and other such will always be found to be taking money from dubious sources, all in the interest of “spreading the gospel.” And one by one they are found out and disgraced, thus sullying the name of Jesus Christ by their seeking of filthy lucre. These “churches” are the synagogues of satan and rely on money rather than the power of God.
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Tim 3:5
If you look for them you can find Trump’s tweets from 2016 where he put Vander Putz on blast for trying to sell him his endorsement. If you need a reason why the republican apparatus hates Trump it’s because he’s pulled about 2 billion dollars out of their economic ecosystem over the last 3 elections.
And opened up a lot of eyes to the corruption of the uniparty.
DeSanctus seems to be a tyrant. Loomer just put out a story about a gentleman who died outside the Governor’s office and nobody noticed for almost thirty minutes.
If Romney’s guy ratted out Vanderplaatz, that means the bulk of the Uniparty has abandoned the Meatball. Next comes strongarm tactics. Pass the popcorn.
Always “Follow the money”.
It is as simple as that.
Corruption in organized religion?
Corruption in organized religion was what caused Luther to nail his 95 theses to the church door. The hierarchy was collecting money from grieving family members to pray for people who might not be in Heaven. Not money, but the love of money is the root of all evil.
DeSantis is a typical establishment politician, I think we all know that now. If money needs to change hands, it will. If support needs to be AstroTurfed, then a carpet will be laid down. And all the while he’ll coo conservative notes and waltz conservative dance moves to rope as many patriots into the act as he can.
But he still hasn’t attempted to answer the signal question – with one of the strongest Republican leaders we’ve had in decades running away with the nomination, and beating the Democrat incumbent in the polls, against the backdrop of a proven conservative record, why is Ron pulling out all the stops to derail him? What does that say about him as a person?
Ironically, the longer DeSantis continues with this insurgent effort, the more labored and elaborate will be the schemes to preserve a semblance of weak viability and so the weaker he becomes. He might faithfully execute the role of Establishment Cuck Boy and go down swinging, but he’ll never after this be seen as man enough to be entrusted with the confidence of the people, for whom the shtick has worn embarrassingly thin.
Excellent post.
“What does that say about him as a person?”
He’s no longer the person of “Ron DeSantis.” He’s now “Ron Desantis Inc.,” having sold his soul.
Go read Vander Plaatz’s tweets, and you’ll soon wonder, if these “Evangelical Leaders” fought for Christian causes half as much as they fight for their personal meal tickets, maybe Christians would start winning a battle or two.
I call the Republican Party The Stupid/Silent Party….now I should add Corrupted!
Ronnie & the other 2024 “GOPe candidates” belong to the Republican wing of the UniParty vulture Kabal .
Shame on them !!!
Ronnie ! It is high time to DROP-OFF and say goodbye to your misadventure called DeSantis-2024-POTUS-campaign.!
The first person that needs to be jettisoned is RONNA MCDANIEL! She is a big problem. We are seeing the defeat of our chance to regain strong majorities in the House and Senate. This election year is absolutely crucial for us and to see Ronna blowing is very disheartening.
Now I understand why Rubio was one of the quietest about Russsia Russia Russia. Rubio had clout at that time at didn’t utter a peep!
How do we make sure we get the password for the upcoming article? A few years ago there was one that someone leaked so I got that one but a few weeks ago there was one that I could not figure out and missed out on the article. I usually spend at least an hour a day here for the last 10 years.
Thank you
way to go ,vander platts, you smeared your faith.
The prophets of God have been told that everything will be exposed. They have been told that the church will be cleaned out first!
This.
I’ve never seen this much money put into a tithing plate.
It still amazes me how brazen DeSantis is screwing over everyone who believed in him, all the while pretending to give a flip about us. He screwed Florida, Trump, and America, all as a willing tool of a bunch of Trump haters. Merge that with the fact DeSantis knew he was going to run for President when he asked for Trump’s endorsement, and you have a special kind of crap weasel. Only really bad people do that kind of crap.
The key question in my mind, how is it that Bob VanDerPlatts continues to be characterized as “An Iowa Christian conservative leader” given his obvious proclivity to graft and extortion? These are the same character flaws that brought down a whole host televangelists over the past 30 years.
Koch Brothers endorsed Birdbrain Nikki this morning. She’s also meeting with a DeStupid donor sometime this week. I guess she’s going for the kill shot on DeStupid”s campaign.
I wonder how much DeStupid paid Gov. Reynolds to get her endorsement or did he promise her a job in his Administration?
As always, Sundance, you rock on the straight & narrow & sunlight.
The Koch Brothers org just endorsed Nicky Halley and how sad, guess they have not stopped being a war monger and will throw their money away
on someone who in all honesty cant run this country any more than she did when she was Gov.
How do I get the password? Long time reader here
Me too. I’ve been busy in RL and not here as frequently. When did they add passwords?
Love you, MAGA Brother! 👊👊🇺🇸🇺🇸❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
So, the Evangelical leader can also be bought for an endorsement. Who wears it best?
Hmm.. I wonder whom Plaats will be endorsing next year, and just how coveted it will be.
BTW that brings to mind the Tenth Commandment.
Deceivers! The Bible is full of warnings. Where? Inside our church.
Looks like Plaats is a Hireling and not a true shepherd.
He must have a gift for Gab if he is a popular Evangelical “preacher”,kinda like Creflo Dollar ( a real name, one of those Name it and Claim it preachers).
DeSantis: Giving the 16th century popes a run for their money! (Pun intended!!)
I have been amongst these branches since 2015. I cannot for the life of me recall the “password”. I thought it began with the letter “w”. Can someone please point me in the right direction?