New allegation of past sexual misconduct surfaces against former minister Ted Haggard

by Eric Gorski / Associated Press

Tuesday January 27, 2009, 3:40 AM

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A young man who formerly attended New Life Church says that then-pastor Ted Haggard performed a sex act in front of him in a hotel room in 2006 and sent him explicit text messages.
His hidden relationship with Haggard, the man said, was followed by a period of isolation, struggles with drinking, drugs and suicide attempts.
Those latest allegations against Haggard, once an influential national evangelical leader, were reported Monday night by KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs, which interviewed the man, now 25.
In a statement earlier Monday, Haggard apologized for his "inappropriate relationship" with the former church volunteer, but said it did not involve physical contact.

[...]
The latest revelations involve Grant Haas, who told the TV station that he met Haggard in 2005 when he was 22. He said he told Haggard that he had been kicked out of a Moody Bible Institute in Chicago for his "struggles with homosexuality."
"It seemed like at that moment his eyes lit up and his whole attitude toward me changed," he told KRDO. Reached by text message Monday, Haas agreed to be identified by the Associated Press. Haggard's statement also identified him.
"I'm like, 'This must be God,' " said Haas, who described wanting to be a pastor himself. "Why would this big guy, this big evangelical leader, be taking such an interest in me?" [Замечательно!]
Haas told KRDO that one night in Cripple Creek, a casino town west of Colorado Springs, Haggard "asked me if we were going to be godly or bad that night." He said he told Haggard that he wanted him just to be his friend and pastor -- but Haggard masturbated in front of him.

Haas also said Haggard at certain times sent him between 1,000 and 2,000 text messages a month, some describing his sexual experiences and drug use from the road.

http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2009/01/new_allegation_of_past_sexual.html