Lankford Campaign Backer in the News After Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit Filed in Texas
An interesting story surfaced recently about a huge supporter of Senator James Lankford. Paul Pressler, one of the powerhouses behind Lankford's rise to public office has been sued for decades of rape and sodomy. Pressler was the leader of the Southern Baptist Convention, the national organization, but with deep roots in the Oklahoma Baptist organization.
Back in 1979 Pressler and one Paige Patterson started a movement called the Conservative Resurgence aimed at booting out the liberal influence in the Baptist organization. It took about a decade before they succeeded in removing the liberals. That part is okay, a look at the Methodists shows what happens when a line isn't drawn. Over these years SBC presidents and committee members were replaced with those under the sway of Pressler and eventually they owned the entire Baptist organization including the publishing arm, the Baptist Messenger. The religious community has their politicians too and they are as ruthless and conniving as any at 23rd and Lincoln.
Pressler has an interesting past. He was tapped by Bush Senior to head the Office of Government Ethics in 1989 but was dropped from consideration, some saying because he failed an FBI background check. He taught Bible study classes for years, a bit unusual for someone running an organization but the lawsuit perhaps pulled back the curtain as to why he taught the classes. Pressler settled a lawsuit in 2004 with a man named Rollins who is also the person alleging the sexual assault, allegedly over a battery charge during an incident in a Dallas hotel room. Shortly after that settlement Pressler severed his ties with First Baptist Church in Houston and returned to his previous church, Second Baptist Church of Houston.
Some claimed that there were always whispers of impropriety, young people, hot tubs, praying naked, and showers in the prestigious Houston Country Club. Pressler is a former Texas State Judge yet he finds himself facing a trial in Harris County Texas. Duane Rollins alleges that Pressler began abusing him several times a month, starting when he was 14 years old, calling it a "God sanctioned secret". Pressler was a Texas state house member in the late 50's and retired from the 14th Court of Appeals.
Pressler claims that Rollins is a deeply troubled man with a criminal past that includes felonies and that the new lawsuit is bizarre and frivolous. Yet the case is asking for millions of dollars from Pressler and the former church that Pressler lead, the First Baptist Church of Houston where he allegedly met Presser in a 1970 Bible study class. Rollins claims that he was hired as a "boy Friday" when he was in his mid teens, serving in the judge's home office, with his employment ending in 2014 after being convicted of DUI and entering prison.
Pressler denies the allegations in the 40 page lawsuit that claims that Pressler told Rollins to consider the acts as "our secret, our freedom, no one but God would understand." The attorney representing Rollins is Daniel Shea, a Houston lawyer and former Catholic deacon who has represented several young men in a 2008 case involving sexual abuse. Pressler wrote letters to the Pardon and Parole board on several occasions including once where he offered Rollins a job if he was granted parole.
The lawsuit covers Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, its current president Paige Patterson (the same man from the Baptist takeover that started in 1979), and Houston's First Baptist Church, claiming the professional, personal, or denominational connections with Pressler made them liable. Another Houston based law firm along with its main owner, Jared Woodfil of the Woodfil Law Firm. Both Woodfil, the Seminary, and the First Baptist Church deny any involvement and deny the allegations which claim that the co conspirators were enablers and not actual physical perpetrators.
Rollins is alleged to have kept quiet about the alleged abuse until a prison psycologist uncovered "suppressed" memories, leading to the 2004 settlement over the battery charge in the Dallas hotel room. This psychiatrist, Harvey Rosenstock, had written a letter for Rollins which claimed childhood sexual trama lead to the alcohol and drug problems that landed Rollins in prison.
