An August 30 article in The Gazette of Colorado Springs reported the negative reaction to an email request for funding by Ted Haggard, founder and former senior pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. But, in contrast to the newspaper's previous reporting on the subject, the article omitted that Haggard asked that donations be sent to a nonprofit organization run by a registered sex offender.

According to The Gazette, Haggard recently sent an email to ABC affiliate KRDO NewsChannel 13 in Colorado Springs to publicize his request for donations to support his family while he ministered to a halfway house in Phoenix. The article by Brian Newsome reported, “Disgraced minister Ted Haggard's e-mailed plea for money and his announced intention to return to religious work was 'unacceptable' and 'inappropriate,' according to a statement Wednesday by pastors overseeing his restoration.” But the article omitted the information, reported in an August 28 Gazette article by Newsome, that “Haggard directed would-be donors to Families with a Mission, an organization led by Paul G. Huberty. Huberty, a former lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, was convicted of sex crimes in 1996 and 2004.”

According to an August 28 Rocky Mountain News online article, “Pastor Ted Haggard's dream of ministering to fellow 'broken people' at a Phoenix halfway house has foundered amid revelations that he urged donations to support his family be sent to a Monument group run by a twice-convicted sex offender.” The News further reported:

Haggard, 50, last year quit as president of the National Association of Evangelicals and was fired as pastor of a Colorado Springs megachurch after he admitted to purchasing drugs and unspecified “sexual immorality” involving a male prostitute.

The August 28 Gazette article similarly reported, “The Rev [sic] Ted Haggard's recent pleas for cash and his plan to return to ministry work were doused by a pastor Monday, who said the former New Life Church leader would not work in a Phoenix halfway house.” The article added, “Compounding the former pastor's troubles, the organization Haggard chose to handle tax-deductible contributions for his family is led by a twice-convicted sex offender.” It further reported:

Haggard directed would-be donors to Families with a Mission, an organization led by Paul G. Huberty. Huberty, a former lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, was convicted of sex crimes in 1996 and 2004.

Huberty wrote in an e-mail to The Gazette on Monday afternoon that Haggard acted on his own:

“Our non-profit organization never authorized a mass public appeal for donations for the Haggard family, nor were we even aware of it until published by the media. Not one donation has been solicited by our non-profit organization designated to or supporting the Haggard family -- and our organization has not sent any solicited financial support to Pastor Haggard,” he wrote.

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Military court records show Huberty, an 18-year veteran, was convicted in 1996 of consensual sodomy, fondling his genitals in public, indecent acts and adultery. He was dismissed from the military and sentenced to six months in confinement.

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In Hawaii, Huberty was convicted of second-degree attempted sexual assault in January 2004.

His sentencing included stipulations that he not contact minors over the Internet, visit area schools or possess pornography.

Despite that previous reporting, the August 30 Gazette article failed to mention Haggard's connection with Huberty. As the article reported regarding the statement from “pastors overseeing [Haggard's] restoration”:

The fourpastor team of overseers said in the statement that Haggard must seek secular employment to support himself and his family.

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Last week, Haggard, who moved to Phoenix after he was fired by the Colorado Springs megachurch, sent an e-mail to ABC affiliate KRDO about his plans to work in a faith-based halfway house known as the Dream Center. The Dream Center is run by Tommy Barnett, one of Haggard's spiritual mentors and head of the 15,000-member Phoenix First Assembly of God, which Haggard now attends.

Haggard asked for two years of monthly support while he worked and lived in the Dream Center and he and his wife finished earning degrees at the University of Phoenix.

The announcement came as a surprise to the overseers and the Dream Center.

According to the overseers' statement:

“After their fact-finding was complete, they (overseers) informed Mr. Haggard that his plan and his communications about it were unacceptable. Mr. Haggard's solicitation for personal support was inappropriate. It was never the intention of the Dream Center that Mr. Haggard would provide any counsel or other ministry. Mr. Haggard will not be moving in or working with the Dream Center. He will not be doing any ministry. He will be seeking secular employment to support himself and his family.”