Robert Morris, the megachurch pastor who resigned last year amid sexual abuse allegations, has been indicted in Oklahoma for child sex crimes that date back to the 1980s. Via the Texas Tribune:
Morris is a former spiritual adviser to President Donald Trump, and Gateway — one of the nation’s largest megachurches — has been particularly active in politics. In 2020, Trump held a “Roundtable on Transition to Greatness” there that was attended by then-U.S. Attorney General William Barr and other prominent Republicans.
Morris faces five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child, the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office said in a Wednesday evening press release.
The indictment comes less than a year after Morris resigned from Gateway Church in Southlake after an adult woman, Cindy Clemishire, said Morris repeatedly sexually assaulted her while she was a child in Oklahoma in the 1980s. Morris was at the time working as a traveling preacher.
Morris's lawyer blamed the then-12-year-old girl for "inappropriate behavior."
Clemishire said through an attorney that she was grateful for the indictments.
"It was kissing and petting and not intercourse, but it was wrong," Morris said in a statement. "In March of 1987, this situation was brought to light, and it was confessed and repented of. I submitted myself to the Elders of Shady Grove Church and the young lady's father. They asked me to stop out of ministry and receive counseling and freedom ministry, which I did. Since that time, I have walked in purity and accountability in this area."
This is what always happens in churches of all stripes. They ask the clerical perp to repent and receive counseling, which essentially blames the victim if he or she isn't happy with the "purity and accountability."
Sounds like a little bit more accountability is coming his way! Unless he gets a Trump pardon, of course.
