- The Post described the Orange County, California-based group as "a public policy organization that says it has more than 43,000 member churches." While the TVC is nominally a coalition, and can claim, superficially, to represent many churches, it is actually an umbrella for a variety of initiatives and affiliated groups that personally benefit the family of TVC's ethically-challenged founder and chairman, the Rev. Lou Sheldon.
Sheldon's TVC publicly campaigned against "card clubs" seeking approval in five cities, without revealing that his own son Steve was being paid $156,000 to rally churches against card clubs by competing gaming interests that wanted the field to themselves. This was discovered by investigators for California's Fair Political Practices Commission. Sheldon himself received a $10,000 consulting fee from a coalition funded largely by Nevada casinos.
Sheldon also committed a biblical-strength sin, betraying one of his own constituent ministers. The Reverend Steve Anderson, at the time a TVC board member, was engaged in exposing dubious contracting practices by a powerful California waste company, Taormina Industries, in his hometown of Colton, California. Unbeknownst to Rev. Anderson, while Sheldon was providing him with "guidance" in his struggle against Taormina (which had launched a vicious campaign to silence Anderson), Sheldon was quietly accepting money and computing resources from Taormina's owner -- and adding him to TVC's own board. (You can read the full story of Anderson's battle with Taormina here.)
"The whole Sheldon family is using TVC as a sham ministry," Anderson says. "They claim to represent thousands of churches, but, from being in good standing on the inside from 1994 to 1996, I can say it's a lie. Lou has switched to lobbying politicians and groups instead of ministering in actual churches. He's a lobbyist among politicians, yet claims to be a minister of the Gospel. Lou's latest sham is to be leading the war against homosexuals, in light of the recent Supremes decision. Follow the money. It's not from mainstream churches backing him. Just hatemongers!"
Of course, a little Scripture might be appropriate at this point:
- Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
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