GwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwD T h e G R E E N Y w o r l d D o m i n a t i o n T a s k F o r c e Presents: "Bob Larson Parts 9 & 10" GwD, Incorporated is dedicated to the exposing of false prophets. We have found one such "prophet" in Bob Larson of Bob Larson: Live and formerly of Talk-Back with Bob Larson. A supposed Christian radio evangelist, Bob Larson is actually only motivated by financial gain. These 14 articles by Kenneth L. Smith prove this. From this point on, GwD is anti-Bob Larson. PART 9 Bob Larson: Patterns of Fleece This article started out as a journalistic post-mortem, explaining what we had learned from the Bob Larson investigation, and why it was of lasting import to the Evangelical community. But Bob had ideas of his own: On April 11, he announced his intentions to go secular, making a desperate bid to become the Christian Rush Limbaugh. No doubt, both Christians and Limbaugh will bristle at the comparison. Secular Bob: Travelin' in the Rush Hour? On Monday, April 18, 1994, the secular airwaves will be invaded by the "Christian" version of Geraldo. That's right, it's Bob Larson Live! As if two hours wasn't more than enough.... Bob explained his mission to his Talk-Back audience: "Do you know there has never been a national Christian voice in secular talk-radio? Never! And a couple of things finally drove this message home to me: Do you know that a recent Gallup poll shows that 59% of all Americans say religion is important, and 64% say that religion can solve all or most of today's problems? So, who are they going to get answers from? Who's out there to give them the answers? Are they going to get it from Jerry Brown or G. Gordon Liddy? They gonna get it from Larry King or Rush Limbaugh? With all due respects, Rush does a great job, but did you just read the headlines recently? Now, he's got a live-in lover -- moved in with a woman. Excuse me, Rush -- you're doing a great job and I respect it, but there's something called moral authority if you're going to deal with subjects like abortion or homosexu- ality that you'd better have...."1 Bob Larson has finally elevated hypocrisy to an art form. By comparison, Bob makes Jerry Brown look like a saint, and Rush Limbaugh, a paragon of virtue. For that matter, he makes Jim Bakker look like a choir boy (those who have read my previous Internet/Christian Press Report articles know why I say this). But Bob should take comfort in the fact that if he ever wants to become the Christian Bill Clinton, he'll win that title by acclimation. Both are compulsive liars, known womanizers, and dodged the draft in the Sixties. Both are accused of abusing their posi- tions for personal financial gain. And both complain that the press has treated them unfairly.... His plan to move into the secular arena was reasonably predictable, and has been rumored for some time now. But to me, the more intriguing story will be the financial structure of this new venture. While the information is still sketchy, the venture is likely to be structured as a partnership -- with the Ministry putting up cash as a limited partner, and Bob retaining a profits interest as a general partner. In other words, if the venture succeeds, Bob Larson will become embarrassingly rich, and if it fails, the Ministry will be left holding the bag. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if our Pentecostal Phil Donahue is able to pull this one off. Mix the Weekly World News with Rush Limbaugh (and throw in a little Howard Stern, for good measure), and you have a prescription for commercial success. Of course, if "Bob Larson Live" succeeds, Talk-Back will be an endangered species; once Bob moves mainstream, he no longer will have to pay even lip-service to Christian standards of morality. And when ghost-writers write "his" next series of novels for him, no one will even raise an eyebrow. He will have become a celebrity. Free enterprise at work -- isn't it exhilarating? Satanic Ritual Abuse: Shirley, Bob Jests! Bob Larson's sharpest critics have often suspected that, like other real-life Jonas Nightingales, he hires "shills" to lend a little controversy to his shows. Other opponents of Larson's claims concerning the pervasiveness of "satanic ritual abuse" are more charitable, dismissing him as a showman. But all agree on the fact that he has yet to produce any competent evidence that would lend even colorable support to his theory of a grand satanic conspiracy. Instead of answering the critics with hard evidence (or better yet, enlisting their aid), Larson greets them with harsh and bitter words. For instance, during his recent show on a Satanic murder in West Memphis, Arkansas, Bob delivered this Clinton-esque soliloquy: "All the time I sit behind this microphone I-- I hear the carping of the critics. And I'm not talking about the witches and the satanists -- I mean, I expect them to give me a rough time.... But you know, all too often, it's the Christians who are the worst critics -- who listen to this broadcast and say, 'He's just doing that for money and sensa- tionalism,' or, 'Where's the proof? Where's the proof?' Those of you who have said that, I'm really sick of it. Why don't you spend your own dime, pick up the phone, and call the parents of those three precious eight-year-old children who were sodomized, brutalized, and murdered, and say to them, , 'Where's the proof?' How many more kids have to be killed? We track Satanic crime here at our offices and cult activity, and there is so much evidence about what's going on around the country that it--you know, it never makes your local press."2 As a rule, Bob's more questionable callers are careful not to reveal enough of their stories to enable any outsider to check them out. But every once in a while, a caller will provide us something to work with, like Shirley, a hysterical grandmother who appeared on his show on the late Kurt Cobain's alleged suicide attempt in March of 1994: BL: "I've got Shirley from Bakersfield. Shirley, what's on your mind?" Caller: "Yeah, Bob--" BL: "Yeah." Caller: "Because of people like this man [Cobain] and others, my children became involved in drugs, and now, they've become involved in murder." BL: "What?" Caller: "Now, they're involved in murdering a man and chopping him up in little pieces and throwing him around the desert in Arizona. Okay? That's what this music promotes. That's what this kind of music promotes. Okay? [BL tries to interrupt.] They were raised in a Christian home, but they got involved with some boys who liked this music, and then they got involved in this music, and then they started doing drugs, and now, they're--now, they're going to prison for the rest of their lives for murdering somebody." BL: "Those are your--" Caller: "These are my two girls. These are my children. You know, and I don't want that boy who's in the hospital--I don't want him to die. I know he's some mother's son. But it's his kind of music that caused my children to be the way they are today." BL: "You're telling me your daughters chopped a man up and scattered his pieces in the desert?" Caller: "Yes, sir. You can check it out with the Yuma, Arizona police department if you want to. They were just up here last weekend to talk with me about it. They haven't even found all of the boy yet."3 Well, that's an invitation I couldn't resist. Let's face it: Yuma, Arizona isn't exactly South Central, the Dan Ryan, or Twelfth Street in Detroit. And while I don't claim any actual evidence on this, I'd suspect that they can still measure their yearly murder rate in fractions. When a reporter friend called the Yuma police department and asked about Shirley's story, they didn't have any clue as to what he was talking about. Ditto, the Yuma Daily Sun. We knew the story was a hoax -- almost by nightfall. As it was a particularly easy story to confirm, I thought it might be interesting to see just how hard Larson tried to confirm it. And in that venerable tradition of Mike Wallace and Ed Bradley, I called the HOPE Line -- nearly three weeks later, to give them a reasonable opportunity to do so: CC: "Compassion Connection." KS: "Yes, I just wanted to find out something I couldn't find out on the Victory Club line; I was sent over here. You know, Bob has mentioned Shirley a couple of times, and I was wonder- ing-- Did you guys actually follow up on her?" CC: "Well, I don't know what you're talking about. Shirley?" KS: "Yeah, Shirley. the one gal whose-- the grandmother whose daughters killed a man in Arizona?" CC [recognition in voice]: "Yeah. You know, Merilee [a.k.a., Debbie Reseigh] is the regular HOPE Line operator on, and we have not heard-- I know that we paid her Public Service bill. We overnighted that, and we were waiting to hear from her, as far as social services, and when she got adopted kids. So we are in the process of following up on her." KS: "So, you haven't called anything like the Yuma city police department or something just to see if the story--" CC: "No, because the-- she's not-- she's not in Arizona. She's in California." KS: "Well, I understand that. But what I was wondering about is the story itself. I would think that you'd want to find out to see if the story of having several kids -- having her daugh- ters cut up a kid and leave it in the desert -- I would think that was something you'd want to check up on." CC: "Um, boy-- I'm sure that the story was confirmed, but only probably through her. We would have no reason to call the authorities; there's a social worker involved. Normally, I'm the one who screens callers for the show, and I remember Shir- ley very well and did talk to the social worker. So I would assume that that's a type of verifying--" KS: "You talked to the social worker?" CC: "Uh-huh. Uh-huh, I sure did." KS: "And the social worker told you all about the daughters?" CC: "I didn't specifically ask any details. I just asked if there was a custody battle going with the children, and the daughters were in custody, and Shirley was trying to get cus- tody of the kids-- uh, the three grandchildren. That's all I asked about." KS: "So, you never really checked on the story of whether there was a Satanic murder, where they left the body in--" CC: "No, I didn't." KS: "No, you didn't check that out." CC: "Uh-uh." KS: "Okay. I was just curious. Thank you."4 Of course, that is not iron-clad evidence that Larson stages calls. However, it does cast grave aspersions upon his assertion that Satanism is rampant in America. When bona fide researchers like Jon Trott and Bob and Gretchen Passantino come to his doorstep whining for evidence, Bob has none to give. But that admission would destroy a most profitable ministry ... $atanism is simply too good of a scam to pass up. The "Gold" Standard (Robert Tilton)... My investigation of Bob Larson Ministries began rather innocuously. All I wanted to do was document one footnote in my book, The Curse of Thomas, and I needed a real-life example to substantiate my charges. Any disciple of Jim Bakker and Billy Sol Hargis would have done (and there are plenty of them in the cesspool of media evangelism), but as luck would have it, Bob Larson's financial information was available. And the rest is history. Still, my main interest is in the story behind the story -- the one I half-expected to find. It is a tale of pandemic corruption extending from the pulpit to the printing press. A plague, threatening the very fabric of Evangelical Christendom. The classic struggle between good and evil. An uncivilized civil war. While it is far beyond my power to end that war, the 'intelligence' we have gleaned from the Larson investigation may help those who want to restore Christendom's moral compass. It is with that goal in mind that I offer this article. The publisher of the erstwhile "Robert Tilton Fan Club Newsletter" (now Snake Oil magazine), who goes by the moniker, "Brother Randall," graciously provided me with a copy of his compilation of articles on Robert Tilton, _The Beast of Robert Tilton_. I had followed the Tilton scandal on a purely casual basis, but the good Brother's research put this entire problem in perspective. The Warnke, Tilton, and Larson stories were almost identical -- only the names had been changed. As this excerpt from a 1990 article by Dallas Morning News columnist Steve Blow suggests, the signs of impending scandal were clearly visible: "The next morning I stopped by Brother Bob's offices and TV studio, located not far from his home. The reception area was elegant, decorated in mauve and pale green. Photo portraits of Brother Bob hung on two walls. His secretary, Roseann Rueffer, came out to tell me that Brother Bob does not grant interviews. And she said he wasn't in town anyway. Roseann and I began to chat about the ministry. We sat in a couple of wing-backed chairs in the reception area and talked, off the record, for more than an hour. Suffice it to say that she believes Brother Bob is a man of great integrity. I told her that could very well be true, but that he operates his ministry in such secrecy that it's impossible for outsiders to make that judgment. Word of Faith is run as though it is Brother Bob's private, multimillion-dollar corporation. There is no board of trust ees, no deacons, no elders. He alone sets policy. He alone sets the budget. Brother Bob is 'totally, completely, and solely in control,' Mr. Joyce [Tilton's attorney] said. I asked Mr. Joyce how much Brother Bob pays himself. 'None of your business,' he said."5 For those familiar with the Larson investigation, this article is a sad but familiar refrain. Bob Larson displayed a portrait of himself on his recent appearance in an HBO special.6 He refuses to talk with anyone from the Christian press.7 Rather than submit his ministry to independent scrutiny, he resigned from the National Religious Broad casters.8 Brother Bob is in total, complete, and sole control of his Ministry; according to former BLM vice-president Lori Boespflug, its hand-picked Board of Directors has never held an outside meeting, and whenever Brother Bob is asked about the compensation he receives from Ministry sources, he consistently refuses comment. Snippets from other articles, such as the Dallas Observer's "Robert Tilton: Heart of Darkness," captured my attention. Scott Baradell's observations were remarkably familiar: "At home, charitable organizations have complained that they get referrals but no money from Word of Faith";9 Compassion Connection affiliates like the Arlington, TX office of Watchman Fellowship made the same observation concerning Bob Larson. "He [Tilton] has shrouded Word of Faith's finances in secrecy ever since."10 Bob Larson wouldn't release his ministry's audited financial statements unless a request is made in writing, and the inquirer states his reasons for asking.11 "Indeed, he [Tilton] almost never has offered doctrinnaire positions..."12 An internal memo, provided by a former Larson staffer, echoed a similar refrain: "Muriel, Margo and Becky all said that we totally avoid any theological responses."13 But his attempt to find the meaning behind the man was in my mind most revealing: "At the center of the growing storm, a fundamental question remains unanswered: Who is Robert Tilton? What sort of past creates such a man? Tilton's own account of his life is a classic tale of sin and redemption, of a drug abuser wandering in the spiritual desert until God, 'in an audible voice,' anointed him a prophet. Dis affected followers have cast him as a modern-day Elmer Gantry-- a preacher who once possessed noble intentions, but who money and power have led astray. In fact, an exploration of the unplumbed early years of Rob- ert Tilton reveals a tale of constancy, not transformation. The dark roots of the preacher's present character--the relent less ambition and overarching greed, the absence of a moral center, and the shameless manipulation of the oh-so-vulnerable faithful--run straight and run deep. Robert Tilton, seller of spiritual snake-oil, is and always has been a salesman. Even his autobiography is a con."14 Take out the reference to drug abuse, and those words easily could have been written about Bob Larson. In Hell on Earth, Larson claimed that he "achieved fame at the age of thirteen when his first hit song was published"; however, Sharla Turman Logan, the keyboard player for his high-school rock band, The Rebels, reported to Cornerstone's Jon Trott that she knew him at thirteen, and she "never heard of any hit song."15 Logan also refuted Larson's tales of debauchery -- in Western Nebraska, during the early Sixties, no less! -- following their concerts: "None of us ever did anything sexually or even drank. My father went with us to the concerts as a chaperon, and he would have picked up on any sexual stuff. We played at pizza parlors, rodeos, and churches. Everyone came, from little knee-high kids to grandpas and grandmas. But Bob talked about us like we were a bunch of sluts."16 Larson started his career as an itinerant evangelist, preaching on the evils of rock-and-roll music. He supported himself through sales of books and gospel records, some of which he wrote himself. And as the eyes often are said to be windows to a man's soul, his words are windows to his heart. One of those gospel records, "Peace Within My Soul," is highly persuasive evidence that Larson is as inept in his handling of a guitar as he is a word-processor. The album itself is an effective cure for insomnia: the lyrics are uninspired; the music, bland and formulaic. Featuring forgettable tracks like "Men and Machines" and "The Soap Opera Song," it was destined for oblivion. Yet, one song in particular is deserving of our attention -- not for any great lyrical value, but for what it reveals about the pathos of Larson's tortured soul. The avarice and envy unabashedly drips from his voice in this, the introduction to "Enjoy It While You Can": "I had just concluded a crusade, and boarded a plane for the flight home. They herded me into one of those economy-class seats that American technology has designed to put the maximum amount of body into the minimum amount of space. Tired and cramped, I was treated to a terrible cold-plate lunch. I felt miserable. All of a sudden, I heard a commotion up in first-class. I asked the stewardess what was going on. 'Oh, don't you know? That's the Jeff Beck rock group on their way to a concert,' she said. 'They're having a party.' I used to be a rock entertainer, too. But here I was now, serving Jesus, worn out and flying second-class, while those rock stars were living it up."17 These days, Bob is serving himself -- and gets to fly first-class. He 'rubs elbows' with the likes of Bob Guccione, Jr., Sam Donaldson, and reportedly, even Paul McCartney, and revels in the adulation of his devoted fans. Like Mike Warnke, Robert Tilton, and the phalanx of pecunious preachers before him, he's enjoying it while he can. A Higher Standard (Focus on the Family)... The best way to put the ministries of Robert Tilton and Bob Larson in perspective is to compare them to a "good" ministry, like Focus on the Family. Its fund-raising guidelines, set by founder James Dobson, are worthy of review: "We believe that the way an organization handles its finances is a reflection of its integrity in every arena. Therefore, we have established strict limitations on the way our resources are used. Here are the fund-raising policies I wrote years ago that have governed the ministry: 1. This ministry belongs to God, not to James Dobson. It is neither a monument to me nor a legacy to my memory. Focus on the Family does not bear my name.... [Contrast that with names like "Jimmy Swaggart Ministries" and "Bob Larson Ministries." There is one notable exception, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, but believers and skeptics alike will agree that Rev. Graham is a very special case.] 3. One of the ways we can discern the Lord's will regarding the continuation of our work is through the support He sends (or doesn't send) from His people. Therefore, dur- ing lean times we will make our obligations known to our friends--but we will not squirm, scratch or claw for con- tributions. We will never resort to disrespectful and dishonorable methods of fund-raising, even when the needs are serious...." [Even in the best of times, the Bob Larsons and Robert Tiltons use deceptive and dishonorable fund-raising tactics, almost as standard fare. Larson's modus operandi is to falsely claim that his ministry is on the edge of financial collapse; the fact that it had millions in cash and marketable securities in the bank when those claims were made is conveniently overlooked.18] 11. My wife, Shirley, and I will accept no salary for this work, and will pay a portion of the radio air time expenses to compensate for the publicity that increases our book sales. When our books are offered to listeners through the ministry, we will waive all royalties to allow Focus to obtain the lowest possible price from the pub- lisher. When we use secretarial or staff assistance for personal reasons, we will compensate the ministry for that intrusion.... [By stark comparison, Bob Larson Ministries' 1991 audited financial statements revealed that "the Ministry purchased books and materials totaling $67,982 from an officer of the Ministry [Larson]. The officer's cost of the books and materials sold was $45,215."19] 13. We will conform to the standards established by the Evan- gelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and the Canadian Council of Christian Churches (CCCC)--organi- zations created to ensure ethical fund-raising and admin- istration practices."20 Robert Tilton has never been a member of the ECFA.21 Likewise, Bob Larson Ministries' response to ECFA scrutiny was to quietly withdraw its' application for membership.22 And actions speak louder than words.... And the Bottom Line: In the March 7, 1994 edition of Christianity Today, former CT associate editor Ken Sidey wrote a glowing review of Selling Satan, the book by Jon Trott and Mike Hertenstein chronicling the expos‚ of Mike Warnke. In his opening salvo, Sidey asked an incisive question which troubles believer and unbeliever alike: "Ever since the Charlotte Observer 'broke' the PTL story, members of the religious press--at least those who consider themselves journalists rather than public relations flacks-- have asked, 'Why wasn't the story ours?' The question did not grow out of professional jealousy over a scandalous scoop. It came from a sense of community. Why was the exposure of such unethical behavior left to an 'outside' source and not per formed by a part of the evangelical body?"23 There really isn't a reason why the Evangelical community can't rid itself of the nest of vermin feasting atop its' spiritual food chain. Indeed, it seems clear from passages like 1Tim. 5:20 ("Those [elders] who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.") and 1Cor. 5:12-13 ("Are you not to judge those inside [the church]? ... Expel the wicked man from your number.") that it has a divine warrant to do so. But two elements are lacking: the will, and the way. Mike Warnke, Bob Larson, Robert Tilton ... these men are not rocket scientists. Warnke and Larson left trails that even Hansel and Gretel could have followed; super-sleuth Jon Trott, reporter Jay Grelen, myself and others have had no difficulty in doing so. The surprising challenge has been in capturing the attention of Evangelical leaders, who have been quite reluctant to lead the charge to confront the sin in their camp. The excuses given are as varied as the men themselves, but most say that it's simply not their calling. They'd rather preach the Gospel, ruminate over doctrinal issues, or attempt to influence the political process. Yet, whenever they fail to practice the Gospel, they preach a 'different gospel'. And whenever they consciously overlook the sin in their own camp, they squander that credibility needed to influence politics. While my Christian friends take umbrage at the stereotype of Evangelical leaders as sniveling, money-grubbing hypocrites, many recognize that it is, largely, their own fault. When miscreants like Billy Sol Hargis, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton, and Bob Larson are permitted to continue to masquerade as ministers, it makes legitimate ministries look bad -- and, on balance, hinders the transmission of the Gospel. In effect, if you are a Christian, the Robert Tiltons and Bob Larsons of the world are by definition your problem. According to long-time Larson listener Jack Farmer, even Bob Larson admits that. In a Prodigy post in April of last year, he offered the following observations: "Since 1987, we have witnessed the fall of Oral Roberts, Jim and Tammy Bakker, Marvin Gorman, Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton, Larry Lea, W.V. Grant, Peter Popoff, Mike Warnke, David Hock ing, and now Bob Larson. 12 ministers in the past 6 years; that's 1 too many. In 1986, Bob had a show in which he interviewed "The Amazing Randi." This was after Randi had exposed Popoff as a fraud on the Tonight show. Bob's concluding remark was, 'How long is the secular media going to do the Church's job? When are the people of God going to take a stand against this sort of thing'?"24 It's a job that needs to get done, and one that no one really wants to do. The challenge is to develop a regime of preventative medicine which would obviate the need for doing it. No one seriously suggests that a future David Koresh on the Pentecostal fringe will be stopped, but most scandals concerning mainstream ministers can be prevented. The most significant common thread running through the Hargis, Bakker, Tilton, and Larson scandals is that there was a complete lack of accountability in their ministries. If there had been a single independent voice on Larson's hand-picked board of directors, he wouldn't have been in a position to loot his ministry; I think the same can be said for Tilton, Lea, Grant, and others. A second, albeit less tangible, thread has to do with the men themselves. Bob Larson was the spiritual equivalent of Kurt Cobain -- an accident waiting to happen. Ditto, Robert Tilton. The Salem letters and Bob's faked illness in December of 1988 were clear indications of trouble to come. But, like a flare in the wilderness, no one was out there to see it. As I see it, the most practical solution is a minor modification to the National Religious Broadcasters' by-laws. As a condition of membership, NRB members governed by its' "watchdog" arm, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, would be supplied with outside directors on a rotating basis. These people would have the same powers as voting directors, but have the duty to report improprieties to the ECFA. Ministry employees could report complaints to the directors, who in turn, would investigate them on a confidential basis. If a complaint is held to have merit, it would be referred to an ECFA committee that would recommend corrective measures. If those measures were not followed, public censure would ensue. In theory, it should work. However, the fact remains that "problem ministries" like Bob Larson's and Robert Tilton's do their level best to avoid any kind of outside scrutiny. Therefore, the problem of how to convince wayward ministries to play within the rules remains. The only solution I can see is peer pressure. If a minister knows that large Christian publishers won't publish his books, other ministries won't invite him as a guest, and radio stations won't carry his broadcasts unless he joins the ECFA, it would be a powerful incentive to him. The final question I'd like to leave to my friends in the Evangelical community is whether you have the character to 'clean up your own house' -- or prefer to let characters like Bill and Hillary do it for you. _____________________________________________________________________ ENDNOTES: 1 Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson" (radio broadcast), 11 Apr. 1994 (tape on file). 2Ibid., 22 Mar. 1994 (tape on file). 3Ibid., 4 Mar. 1994 (tape on file). 4Telephone interview, 21 Mar. 1994 (tape on file). 5Steve Blow, "So Much Prosperity, So Little Candor," Dallas Morning News [Dallas, Texas], 27 May 1992, no page listed, reprinted in "The Beast of Robert Tilton," Snake Oil [Dallas, Texas], undated, p. 4. 6"In Search of Satan" (television broadcast), Home Box Office, 1993. 7Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson" (radio broadcast), 2 Feb. 1994 (tape on file). 8See, Pat Mahoney, Fax (to Ken Smith), 22 Sept. 1993; Gary Massaro, "Ministry Quits Audit Group Over Finances," Rocky Mountain News [Den- ver, Colo.], 24 Sept. 1993, p. 12A, col. 5. 9Scott Baradell, "Robert Tilton: Heart of Darkness," Dallas Observer [Dallas, Texas], 6 Feb. 1992, p. 13 (reprinted in "The Beast of Rob ert Tilton," Snake Oil [Dallas, Texas], undated, p. 25), (hereinaf ter, "Heart of Darkness"). 10"Heart of Darkness," p. 15 [p. 27]. 11Angelo Diasparra, Memorandum (to staff), 14 Aug. 1992. 12"Heart of Darkness," p. 15 [p. 27]. 13 Ministry mail meeting [ memorandum ], 15 June 1989, p. 1 14"Heart of Darkness," p. 14 [p. 26]. 15Jon Trott, "Bob Larson's Ministry Comes Under Scrutiny," Corner stone, Vol. 21, Issue 100, Feb. 1993, p. 18 (advance copy courtesy of Jon Trott). 16Ibid., p. 37. 17Bob Larson, "Enjoy It While You Can" (sound recording), Bob Larson Ministries, undated (circa 1970). 18See generally, Ken Smith, "The Two Faces of Bob," and "The $64,000 Question," both available on Internet. 19Bob Larson Ministries, 1991 Audited Financial Statements, p. 8 (obtained from Bob Larson Ministries, Aug. 12, 1992, copy on file). 20Focus on the Family, Guidelines for Fund-Raising (a copy is on my door; I don't have an actual cite). 21Confirmed via telephone with ECFA personnel, Apr. 7, 1994. 22ISee note 8, infra. 23Ken Sidey, "Selling Satan," Christianity Today, 7 Mar. 1994, p. 35. 24Jack Farmer, Post (to Kevin Mowery), Prodigy: "Bob Larson Exposed" bbs, Apr. 12, 1994. PART 10 Bob Larson: Sex, Lies, and Audiotape Documents. They are the stuff of history (unless you happen to be Ollie North ... then, they ARE history). They brought us Whitewater and Dead Air. And like his political soul-mate, the man wearing the clerical 'Clinton collar' (Bob Larson) is doing his best to forestall a coming catastrophe. Behind almost every miscreant minister, there's a woman: Jim Bakker had Jessica Hahn, Jimmy Swaggart had a procession of prostitutes, and Robert Tilton might have had Candice Caminati.1 David Hocking's fate was sealed with a kiss. And Bob Larson had his "harem." Still, it's not so much what 'Bobby's Angels' did between the sheets that got him into trouble, but rather, what they did on the sheets. The "Underground" Railroad... Dead Air was born in an unlikely place: a football game. God spoke to Bob (or, so the story goes) through His faithful servant, William T. Abbott, who pointed out that novels are more profitable than works of non-fiction. Bob took that divine advice, and immediately went to work on a plot sketch. Bob's original story was a trial concerning a Satanic crime, but Abbott, aware that Bob didn't know the first thing about the law, reportedly suggested that he would be better off writing about a talk-show host rescuing a child from a Satanic cult. And he was right. As far as can be ascertained, Bob made at least a nominal effort to write what we now know as Dead Air. But he couldn't make enough time to mount a credible effort, and editors tend to insist upon that. As this internal Ministry memo suggests, his own in-house editor, Muriel Olson, did what she could to salvage it (then titled, "Underground"): DATE: 4-2-90 TO: Bob FROM: Muriel SUBJECT: UNDERGROUND DRAFTS 1. I understand and share your concern about taking too much Larson flavor out and injecting too much Olson into the Underground drafts. It's not a rare problem under these writing conditions, but I wanted to give you my best cre- ative work, too. You accepted what I did with the first chapters and told me to run with it -- so I have. If I don't give you a descriptive phrase or elaborate on some scenes, you won't have the opportunity of accepting or rejecting, so I write as it comes to me. It would be hard -- probably impossible -- to tell you about all the changes, since they're interwoven throughout what you give me in dictation. You asked me to advise you about dramatic changes, but I'm sticking to your plot and just condensing, embellishing phrases or situations as you present them. Example is throwing in the bit about snakes in the exposed cellar -- which just enhances the scenario you're giving the reader. I'm not making changes, not add- ing plot; I'm filling out scenes and descriptive language, and I see no way to give you less. 2. I try to appeal to the five senses often and noticed on UNDFT5-2 that you had eliminated 'red or grey' barns and 'black and white' dairy cattle. Unless there is good rea- son to take out this stuff that appeals to the reader's sense of sight, such color might be better left in. In that particular paragraph, two of the four references to color have been deleted, and I don't think anything was gained by doing so. Your opinion? 3. UNDFT5-2 -- In the second paragraph, the last sentence was deleted. I wrote that to build suspense about the wolf and bear shapes in the Mounds. Did I miss my target or was the reference too obtuse? Just curious. 4. I get a total of 62 pages (double-spaced) for manuscript as of today, including Chapter Six as dictated. 5. On page 5 of Chapter Six, you dictated that Sheriff Hancock had been voted in 'last year.' On last page of this chap- ter, Sheriff Hancock states that he has been in office for 35 years. Will he be a newly elected sheriff or an old- timer? Just know that I'm sensitive to keeping your flavor and lan- guage, but don't know how to add creatively to the condensed dictated version without giving you what comes through my rewriting process. I'd rather give you too much than not enough. [emphasis added]"2 If the following memo -- dictated in his car -- is a clear indication of Bob Larson's writing skills, Olson didn't have a lot to work with: "UNDERGROUND -- Dictated in car by BL 3-12-90 The Columbus County library was one of those old Andrew Car- negie type, the kind that philanthropists built in Smalltown, America at the turn of the century -- red brick, unimaginative architecture, erected on the most prominent plot in town, sig- naling that knowledge should be the center of the community. It was many years since Wes Bryant had entered its weather beaten wooden doors. He remembered it as a kid spending Satur- day afternoons pouring over children's books. That was before the advent of television, when adventure on the pages of imagi- native children's novels was replaced by the dissociate experi- ence of watching cartoon characters dispassionately. Wes wasn't what you'd call a reader, unless you count the sporting news and an occasional Life magazine. But this visit to the Columbus County library had more in mind than the attainment of literary wisdom. As Wes stepped inside, he marveled how little things had changed: groove and tongue slat-board floors, high ceilings supporting symmetrically placed ceiling fans that sweeped occa- sionally, piercing the silence like an owl's shriek in a still forest, the musty smell of old wood mingled with even older books. 'May I help you?' The librarian looked the part, stern, bespectacled, not the kind of person you'd invite to an uproarious party. She tilted her head down slightly to peer through the top half of her bifocals, assuming the role of gendarme of Columbus County's sacred volumes of literature. 'Could you please direct me to the section where I might find some books on local history?' Wes asked. [all sic]"3 Needless to say, Olson wrote almost as much on that draft as Larson dictated. It is a great feeling to see your book in print, but writing fiction is hard work. And Bob had better things to do. Enter Lori Boespflug. Lori signed on as Bob's secretary -- and was promoted to Vice-President of Creative Services in a mere two years. Like Olson, her primary job was to write books for Bob. And perhaps, as the following letter indicates, she did that job too well: "July 8, 1991 Mr. Bob Larson Bob Larson Ministries P.O. Box 36480 Denver, CO 80236 Dear Bob, With the passing of each day, I become more and more con- cerned about your potential liability to Lori in connection with Dead Air and its sequels. The time table is immediate. You will soon know if Dead Air is to be a publishing success and, quite possible, if theatri- cal rights are to be optioned. Assuming success, and knowing the role Lori has played, it would amaze me if she is not suf- ficiently astute to use this opportunity to both secure her financial future and to launch her own literary career. More specifically, she will demand recognition and/or profit partic- ipation in connection with sequels and possibly Dear Air [sic] itself. I know how I would advise her in this regard, and it is unrealistic to think that my insights are unique. Her delay in contacting me, of course, increases my concern. What should you be doing now to anticipate her? I will first address a legalistic solution which I know is doomed - allowing her to write sequels but contractually establishing that they are works for hire. Even if she agreed to this and signed a confidentiality agreement, her liability for breach could never equal the value of public recognition of her authorship. Even beyond that financial consideration, her ego, like that of most creative people, could not be satisfied with anonymity after the risk of Dead Air's failure had passed. Instead, I believe that you have two more realistic choices. First truly and simply use Lori as a researcher and document that as her role. You will be required to write more, but after all, it is you who will enjoy the benefits. Second, if you want Lori to write, give her credit, (ideally under a pen name because of past gossip) and a negotiated percentage of profits, but not copyright ownership, in any sequels. This is not an unusual solution and has the benefit of obviating any question of who wrote how much of either Dead Air or the sequel. Also under such an arrangement, where her profits are tied to yours, she has no interest in embarrassing you regard ing the authorship of Dead Air. Please call me regarding this matter at your convenience. Sincerely, /s/ Bill William T. Abbott"4 This letter was excerpted in World's January, 1993 expos‚ of Larson,5 and printed in its entirety in Cornerstone's February, 1993 follow-up.6 When Abbott was confronted with this letter, he merely expressed surprise: "How in the **** did you get that?"7 But when Bob Larson was asked about the "Abbott letter" by a Talk-Back caller, he did his best Bill Clinton imitation: "What they [Cornerstone] printed was plain and simple: An attorney, that represented this ministry a couple of years ago, became concerned about an employee who might try to assert unreasonable rights, claiming contributions to the book that were lies, and he was warning me in advance about that. In fact, that very employee was fired for immoral reasons [sic], turned around and did make the allegations I was warned about in that idiotic letter that was a stolen document of confiden- tial private information between attorney-client privilege [sic], had to do with an attempt by this very individual, and all the attorney was trying to do was warn me that that might happen. That's all!"8 Getting an honest answer out of Bob Larson with respect to Dead Air is almost as difficult as getting one from President Clinton concerning Whitewater. Yet, in the courtroom, where flagrant dishonesty is frowned upon, Bob sang quite a different tune: "12. In the World Magazine article, the authors quoted a confidential letter sent to BLM by one of its attorneys. Upon information and belief, the letter was given to the authors by Defendant.... 16. In the Cornerstone article paragraphs from the April 7, 1992 agreement between Larson and Defendant were quoted ver- batim. The authors stated, 'She (Boespflug) provided us with a copy of her agreement dated April 7, 1992.' 17. The Cornerstone article also quoted verbatim the same confidential letter sent to BLM by one of its attorneys that was quoted in World Magazine. Upon information and belief, the letter was given to the Cornerstone authors by Defendant. 18. Defendant disclosed business information and propriet- ary information pertaining to BLM and Larson to the authors of the Cornerstone article. [emphasis mine]"9 In bringing his lawsuit against Boespflug, Bob Larson was forced to admit that the Abbott letter was both authentic and unaltered. As an added bonus, by authenticating the contract excerpted below, Bob confessed to the fact that Boespflug wrote the early drafts of Abaddon: "You hereby agree to provide me on or before May 1, 1992 an outline of the first two hundred pages of the sequel; and on or before July 1, 1992, an outline of the remaining 200 pages of the sequel. If so requested by me, said outlines shall contain or be accompanied by character sketches, narratives, fact research and sample dialogue...."10 The plot, characters, and storyline all belonged to Lori Boespflug (except Wes Bryant, of course, which everyone recognizes to be Bob). Mark Reynolds was patterned after one of her former husband's fellow police officers ... who had left seminary prior to joining the force. Glint Blade [NOT Clint Blade] was a young man she had encountered at a SOKS event. The publisher's deadline was fast approaching. What was a best-selling author and commentator to do? As this internal BLM memo suggests, he turned to former Compassion Connection director Margo Hamilton: MEMORANDUM TO: BOB FROM: MARGO DATE: 6/16/92 SUBJ: BOOK (I have no idea what I'm doing, just thoughts) _____________________________________________________ Ideas: Chapter One: * Wes and Annette are separated * Annette calls Wes, frantic that Jennifer's been arrested and now sits in detox * Her unpredictable, rebellious nature has caused juvenile courts to get involved * Jennifer's been actively participating in sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll * Her trend is gothic, and her clothes, hair, nails and attitude reflect this, but not consistently * The courts decide to put Jennifer in the foster care system (infiltration of the foster care home(s) will enter in later chapters) * Annette blames Wes for the family's dysfunctionalism as he's absorbed himself in business and career * Annette refuses family counseling as she wants no one to know about their past Chapter Two: * Jennifer is moved into the foster home * Wes's job becomes more demanding as finances are failing and his board is gaining more control * Strange messages are left on Wes's answering machine (Jean- nifer's alters.) * In frustration, he takes a late night drive, and there on E. Colfax is a young girl, dressed as a prostitute, that looks identical to Jennifer. (In actuality, it's her twin that Annette assume died at birth.) Chapter Three * Annette and Wes meet at what once was the family home * Wes asks to go through Jennifer's room and finds: death box, odd assortment of clothing, Book of shadow, pic- tures of odd people participating in odd activities, rune stones, tarot cards, and an assortment of crystals. The death box, which is black lacquer and has a tiny paddle lock, is a mystery as they can't get inside...."11 Hamilton, a physical education major in college, wasn't much help. But Larson's young second wife, the former Laura Ann Harris Anderson, was. She picked up where Lori left off -- and the rest is history. And "Railroading" Your Ex-Wife: Malachi 2:15 warns us that a man should not deal treacherously with the wife of his youth. That advice is as divine today as it was when it was given ... and while the war of the Larsons did not end as violently as the cinematic "War of the Roses," it may well have been his doom. Divorcing a wife is generally considered bad form among Christian circles [technically, it is adultery11a], but more to the point, the incriminating financial disclosures Bob was forced to make to get a divorce laid the foundation for the Larson investigation. The following document is the 'smoking gun': "DISTRICT COURT, JEFFERSON COUNTY, STATE OF COLORADO Case No. 91DR226, Division 9 _____________________________________________________________________ AFFIDAVIT WITH RESPECT TO FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF BOBBY E. LARSON _____________________________________________________________________ BOBBY E. LARSON, Petitioner, and KATHRYN G. LARSON, Respondent. _____________________________________________________________________ Bobby E. Larson, Social Security No. 505-56-3XXX, declares under oath: 1. I am employed by Bob Larson Ministries, Inc. and International Broadcasting Network, Inc., 575 Union Blvd., Lakewood, Colorado. I am President of both entities. I am paid twice each month. 2. Monthly salary and deductions are: Bob Larson Ministries, Inc. Gross salary 6,792 Expense allowance 2,750 Retirement allowance 4,208 Housing allowance 2,291 FICA (12 month average) -427 Federal withholding -1,064 State withholding -76 125 Cafeteria Plan deduction -333 125 Cafeteria Plan reimbursement 333 Net monthly salary 13,432 In 1990 I received a bonus of $25,000. I do not know at this time if I will receive a bonus in 1991. [Our information shows that Bob received a $50,000 bonus in 1991, which was paid in February of 1992.] International Broadcasting Network, Inc. Gross salary 3,333 FICA -255 Federal withholding -432 State withholding -144 Net monthly salary 2,502 3. Average net monthly income from other sources, 4,459 based on 1990 federal income tax return: Honoraria 1,000 Personal auto use 362 Personal life insurance 94 Interest and dividends 2,860 Interest (from Husband's separate 419 property) BLM Canada consulting fees 4,257 ------ Total (before taxes) 8,992 * Less monthly average of 1991 -4,533 * federal and state tax estimates ------ Total (after taxes) 4,459 * Note: Excluding royalty income from publishing con- tracts, and the income tax thereon, which has been valued as an asset. See K.47 and 48, page 13. 4. Estimated net monthly income from all sources 20,393 5. Total income reported on our 1990 federal tax return 403,310 6. I believe the monthly gross income of the other party to be Unknown I believe the monthly net income therefrom to be Unknown 7. My estimated monthly living expenses for a household consisting of one adult are: A. HOUSING (1) Mortgage payment 0 * (2) Utilities 0 * (3) Homeowners fee 80 (4) Household help 85 (5) Home/yard maintenance 75 TOTAL 240 * Bob Larson Ministries, Inc. pays the $1,876 monthly mortgage payment and an average of $350 per month for utilities from my housing allowance. B. FOOD (1) Groceries 140 (2) Eating out 150 TOTAL 290 C. MEDICAL (1) Doctor 20 (2) Dentist 20 (3) Counseling 200 (4) Eye exams and glasses 30 (5) Vitamins and supplements 20 TOTAL 290 D. INSURANCE (1) Personal property 113 (2) Medical insurance 0 * (3) Life insurance 0 * TOTAL 113 * Bob Larson Ministries, Inc. pays $163 monthly for medical, dental, vision and life insurance and $116 monthly for life insurance as an employ- ment benefit. E. TRANSPORTATION * * Bob Larson Ministries, Inc. provides an automobile for my use and pays all expenses. I pay income tax on personal use of the automobile, which is reflected in Section 3, page 2. F. CLOTHING 166 G. LAUNDRY AND CLEANING 100 H. EDUCATION 0 I. RECREATION (Estimate includes concerts, 1,000 theater, sporting events, skiing and travel.) * Bob Larson Ministries, Inc. pays a $140 monthly athletic club membership fee as an employment benefit. J. MISCELLANEOUS (1) Charitable contributions 1,339 (2) Support of parents 850 (3) Gifts 165 (4) Hair cuts and personal 40 grooming (5) Records and tapes 25 (6) Pet care: Veterinarian 15 Kennel 150 (7) Personal accounting services 170 (average based on 1990) (8) Summit County condominium: Condo fee 369 Taxes 145 Insurance 18 Public service 70 Water and sewer 41 Cable TV 7 Cleaning 50 Maintenance and repairs 183 (9) Genesee land: Taxes 122 Genesee Foundation fee 71 Homeowners fee 58 Water and sewer 13 (10) Clear Creek County condominium: Taxes 58 Insurance 14 Homeowners fee 2 Maintenance and repairs 13 Public Service 8 Water and sewer 19 TOTAL 4,015 ------ TOTAL REQUIRED MONTHLY EXPENSES 6,214 K. MONTHLY PAYMENTS TO CREDITORS 0 (FROM DEBT SCHEDULE) ------ TOTAL MONTHLY EXPENSES PLUS DEBTS 6,214 8. DEBTS A. Campbell & Rosenbaum CPA expert fees Unknown B. Plaut/Lipstein/Cohen Attorney fees Unknown SUMMARY OF MARITAL ASSET VALUES A. REAL ESTATE 539,200 B. FURNITURE, ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT AND HOUSEHOLD Not valued GOODS (divided by Husband and Wife in a manner which they believe to be equitable) C. FURNITURE KNOW TO HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BY WIFE 7,874 SINCE 4/26/91 D. CHINA, CRYSTAL, ARTWORKS, JEWELRY, FURS, COINS 86,677 AND COLLECTIBLES (divided by agreement of Husband and Wife) Value to Husband 39,381 Value to Wife 47,296 E. AUTOMOBILES 10,000 F. BANK ACCOUNTS AND CASH ACCOUNTS 382,191 G. CASH ON HAND Husband Minimal Wife Unknown H. STOCKS AND BONDS 156,597 I. LIFE INSURANCE 3,265 J. DEFERRED BENEFIT PLANS AND RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS 69,876 Held in Husband's name 51,672 Held in Wife's name 18,204 K. TAX SHELTERED ANNUITIES 152,882 Held in Husband's name 127,468 Held in Wife's name 25,414 L. PUBLISHING CONTRACTS, ROYALTY INTERESTS AND COPYRIGHTS 31,500 M. MISCELLANEOUS ASSETS 4,641 --------- TOTAL 1,444,703 9. ASSETS Total Net Value A. REAL ESTATE (1) Townhouse at 867 Hill and Dale Road, #C, 20,000 Golden, Colorado, titled in names of Husband and Wife. Property is to be sold. Appraised value is $215,000, less encumbrance of $180,000 and estimated sale commission (7%) of $15,000. (2) Condominium Unit 2, Building 1, Hearthstone 225,000 Mountainhomes at Aspenridge Condominiums, Summit County, Colorado; no encumbrance; appraised value of $225,000 (3) Lot 3, Genesee Filing No. 13, Parcel 1, vacant 136,700 land known as 1356 Preserve Circle, titled in Husband's name. Property is to be sold. Appraised value is $147,000, less estimated sale commission (7%) of $10,300. Property is not encumbered. (4) Unit No. 21 and Unit No. 25, Winterland Condo- 32,500 minium East (Silver Lake), Clear Creek County, Colorado; titled in names of Husband and Wife; appraised value $32,500; no encumbrance (5) Governor's Park patio home purchased by Wife 125,000 June 3, 1991; purchase price; no encumbrance TOTAL 539,200 [sections B-K (pp. 8-12) deleted for brevity] Total Net Value L. PUBLISHING CONTRACTS, ROYALTY INTERESTS AND COPYRIGHTS (46) Husband's agreements with Thomas Nelson 25,000 Communications for literary works in print; value net of required income taxes (47) Husband's exclusive Copyright License Agreements 6,500 with Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. for literary works in print, value net of required income taxes (48) Copyrights to videos 0 TOTAL 31,500 [section M (rest of p. 13) deleted for brevity] TOTAL VALUE OF NET MARITAL ESTATE 1,444,703 N. HUSBAND'S SEPARATE PROPERTY (54) 1stBank Certificate of Deposit 683-2121 in Husband's name; balance per statement dated 6/14/91 of $76,950; original deposit of $64,500 bequest from the Estate of Ann C. Benson to Husband on 12/8/88 (see section E. p. 8 for marital portion) [sic] (55) Brass, carvings, ivory, novelties, porcelain, tables, sculpture and miscellaneous (see Exhibit A, and also Section C, page 8) TOTAL [sic] O. WIFE'S SEPARATE PROPERTY (56) Chair, porcelain and silver (see Exhibit A, and also Section C, page 8) STATE OF COLORADO ) ) ss. County of Jefferson ) I declare, under penalty of perjury, that I have read the foregoing affidavit and the statements contained therein are true to the best of my knowledge. /s/ Bobby E. Lar[son] SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me this __12__ day of July, 1991, WITNESS my hand and official seal. 10/12/91 /seal/ /s/ Frank Plaut Notary Public"12 _____________________________________________________________________ According to the Court's order, Kathy Larson got the patio home, some $500,000 in stocks and bonds, $3,700 a month in maintenance ... and I would argue, the shaft. But while Bob Larson won that battle, he may have lost the war. In revealing his personal financial condition, he gave substance to widespread suspicions that he was making an exorbitant living from his ministry. I saw this document as a blueprint, which enabled me to reconstruct Bob Larson's financial empire. I used this, his divorce transcript, Ministry tax returns, and other public domain material to reconstruct Bob's income for 1990. I chose 1990 on the grounds that every component of Bob's compensation package -- salary, bonuses, housing allowances, retirement benefits -- either was or should have been reported on a document signed under penalty of perjury. The figures could not reasonably be disputed ... but, then again, Bob Larson has never been known for his ability to be reasonable. The only figure missing was that of royalties. I had hard evidence that Larson used Ministry funds to pay staffers to write "his" books, sent out a direct mailing to donors specifically to promote Dead Air, and made similar use of Ministry-paid air time. Bob even admitted to me that he didn't pay for those 'spots' (not that it was necessary -- related-party transactions have to be reported on the Ministry's Form 1990). Likewise, I had testimonial evidence that he sold his books to the Ministry at a profit -- and had done so for years. In accordance with IRS regulations [Regs. =1.61-21(b)(1)-(2)], I made an attempt to estimate the fair market value of Bob's unreported 'fringe benefits', clearly outlining my assumptions for all to see. As for the document itself, I had every reason to believe that it was authentic. First, it bore the stamp of the Jefferson County District Court, and was signed under penalty of perjury -- which creates a reasonable presumption of authenticity. Second, the material accuracy of the figures contained therein was confirmed by Ministry general counsel Chris Johnson.13 Finally, the figures for Bob's compensation from Bob Larson Ministries were in substantial agreement with those listed on the Ministries' 1990 tax return, as obtained from the IRS. Considering that Bob's divorce file remains sealed to this day, and he has offered no evidence that would bring my work into legitimate dispute, it takes a certain chutzpah to insist that I fabricated these figures from whole cloth. A related document, used in my estimate of Bob Larson's income, is Larson's agreement with Thomas Nelson concerning Dead Air. It is not particularly scintillating as bed-time reading goes, but it betrays a fascinating self-assessment of the moral bankruptcy of his behavior. The standard book royalty contract contains a morals clause, which gives the publisher the right to terminate the contract if the author engages in unseemly conduct. This is taken from Thomas Nelson's pre-printed agreement: "Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Author is publicly accused of an act of moral turpitude, the violation of any law or any other conduct which subjects or could be reason ably anticipated to subject author or Publisher to public ridi- cule, contempt, scorn, hatred or censure, or could materially diminish the potential sales of the Work, Publisher shall have the right to terminate the terms of this agreement...."14 Most authors don't have that many 'skeletons' in their closets, and such a clause is rarely disturbed. But Bob Larson, probably knowing that his sins were likely to find him out, made a point to alter that clause as follows: "Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that Author is indicted for, or it is proven that he has engaged in acts of moral turpitude or he acknowledges such, or of said event, Pub lisher shall have the right to terminate the terms of this agreement....[alterations in italics]"15 Larson also had a special clause written into the contract which is worthy of note -- not because it is particularly unusual, but rather, because it is evidence that Bob Larson Ministries does not benefit in any material way from the sales of Bob's books: "XXVI. SPECIAL SALES Communications Consultants Group, Inc. may purchase copies of the book [Dead Air] at the following special discounts: 1-1,000 copies at a discount of sixty percent (60%) off sug- gested retail price; 1,000-2,500 copies at a discount of sixty-five percent (65%) off suggested retail price, provided that the purchase is part of the Publisher's print run; Over 2,500 copies at a discount of seventy-five percent (75%) off the suggested retail price, provided that the purchase is part of the Publisher's print run. No royalty shall be paid on these sales."16 And of course, it should come as no surprise that the sole owner of Communications Consultants Group is one Bobby E. Larson.17 Despite the fact that Ministry employees wrote the book on Ministry time, Bob Larson Ministries, like everyone else, stood out in the cold. "Secular Bob" -- The Singapore Sting? Most of the documents are mundane business records: correspondence, internal memos, show lists, supplier contracts ... the kind of information a typical American business throws away as a matter of course. And, like pottery shards at an archaeological site, they mean little in and of themselves ... but when you put them together, they paint a frighteningly accurate picture. Most of the bits and pieces are illustrative, like the resum‚ which Larson supposedly provided to publisher Thomas Nelson indicating that he attended the University of Nebraska from 1962-196418 (in fact, his freshman year was spent at McCook Junior College, and he dropped out of the University of Nebraska in September of 1964).19 I doubt that Nelson gave a damn about Bob's lack of education, but Bob has no compunctions about lying to anyone at any time whenever he feels it will serve his purposes. And on the radio, it usually does. Bob told us just how bad things were on April 14, 1994: "Now, I looked back at the statistics over the last couple of years on this particular week -- 'tax week' -- and they're bad. They're really bad! And part of me says, 'Bob Larson, why would you pick a week like this as the critical week to evaluate the stations of this network as to who is going to be able to con- tinue carrying Talk-Back? And why would you launch this unpre- cedented incredible opportunity in secular broadcasting?' Well, folks, I didn't pick the date and the time. In fact, if I would have had my druthers, I'd have been happy to have waited...."20 A quick check of the Ministry's weekly statistics for 1991 and 1992 suggests otherwise: Week 1991 1992 Number TOTAL $ TOTAL $ ~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ 1 $ 62,312 $ 32,582 2 56,377 38,968 3 43,751 39,731 4 42,425 35,936 5 61,866 39,965 6 40,011 44,241 7 32,056 40,598 8 48,229 34,680 9 57,241 27,052 10 50,029 36,716 11 39,164 35,122 12 47,230 40,444 13 65,023 33,623 14 66,257 40,073 15 57,854 38,352 16 75,046 35,277 17 63,444 46,721 18 69,711 33,117 (wks 19-38 omitted) Totals: ---------- ---------- Thru 38 wks. $ 1,883,961 $ 1,302,709"21 ========== ========== Weekly Ave. 49,577 34,282 ========== ========== Historically, April 15th has been an auspicious time for Bob's ministry: In 1992, donations for that week ran 36% ahead of average, and in 1991, the week before tax day (the 16th or 17th week of the year, depending upon the calendar) was his second-best of the year. And it makes sense, when you think about it -- most people get their refunds in late March or early April. But if Bob doesn't face a 'crisis', he is obliged to invent one. Larson's bread-and-butter ploy is threatening to cancel any station that doesn't meet its air-time costs. Long-time Talk-Back listeners should recall times when Bob has claimed that thirty, forty, and even fifty percent of his stations have fallen far short. But despite his advertised ruthlessness, as this memo suggests, the stations are surprisingly hardy perennials: "TO: BOB, ANGELO, LORI, MARGO, BONNIE, LAURA T., DEEANN, CHRIS, LISA FROM: PAM K. [IBN Director Pam Koczman] RE: STATION CANCELLATION STATUS DATE: 5-20-92 Seven cancellation letters have been sent out in May. Of these seven, four have lowered rates or opted out to revenue share with our premium costs taken out and with limits on total monies sent to them. Previously for 1992 we had already can- celled two other stations for lack of support (WSHO, New Orleans and KOPY in Austin). (Nine total stations have been cancelled because of lack of financial support.) The stations receiving letters of cancellation are listed below: 1. WBFJ - Winston/Salem, NC - Letter of Amendment - PI basis through August 31, 1992. Then re-negotiate. 2. WOLY - Battle Creek, MI - June, July, August go to $10 a day instead of $20. 3. WRKP - Wheeling, WV - Letter of Amendment to a PI basis June July and August. 4. WXLN - Louisville, KY - Letter of Amendment to do $20/day instead of $35. 5. KTSJ - Pomona, CA - John Boyd has not responded to cancel- lation letter. We pay $40 per day for both hours. We do not want to keep unless they carry for free. 6. WSCW - South Charleston, WV - They are accepting cancella tion for June 12, 1992. 7. KJAY - West Sacramento, CA - 3-month non-cancellable is up June 30, 1992. Letter has been sent stating we discontinue at that time. _______________________________________________________________ OTHER MARKETS WHERE WE ARE EXPERIENCING LOSSES YTD BUT WEREN'T SENT LETTERS OF CANCELLATION YET BECAUSE THEY REDUCED THE RATE FOR A PROBATIONARY PERIOD. 1. KIEV - LA - $1440 per day reduced to $1100 per day- June through August. 2. WPIT - Pittsburgh - $210 per day for both hours now reduced to $160 per day June through August. 3. KDAZ - Albuquerque - $100 per day for both hours now reduced to $75 per day June through August. 4. WFUR - Grand Rapids, MI - $50/2nd hr. to $30/hr. May through August [other stations omitted for brevity] ... The above stations are all the stations not bringing in a plus margin YTD at the end of April. These 18 are all the stations we have to trim away extra expense. I realize you are using the campaign of every station pled ging a gift everyday which I think is working when you read those you didn't hear from. By the end of summer if the above stations have not recouped or rebounded, then I suggest you go back to listing these stations which aren't going to make it."22 The cancellation letters are thus simple negotiation tools, permitting Bob to play hard-ball with both stations and listeners. According to a September 9, 1992 memo, BLM added 22 stations year-to-date, while losing only 19.23 Of the 19, only 6 were cancelled by BLM, and 'lost' markets (e.g., Lansing, MI) were recaptured shortly thereafter. Bob is secretly building his empire, while publicly proclaiming that it is burning down. So, Bob told a fib. So, Bob told lots of them. What's the point? What is the point??? As Rush Limbaugh is wont to put it, it's character. In a recent Time editorial, Charles Krauthammer places the character issue into perspective, as it relates to Larson's favorite whipping-boy: "Why Whitewater Matters At the heart of the Clinton presidency lies an oddity. Bill Clinton has been plagued by questions of character and trust worthiness throughout his career. He earned the name Slick Willie long before he ran for the White House. The man who 'didn't inhale' is a man the public does not trust. His slick ness is such a given that in a column defending the President, Michael Kinsley quite casually, indeed parenthetically, con cedes that Clinton all but lied about Gennifer Flowers. And yet this is a presidency that makes a public fetish of its virtuousness. The Clintons really do believe they are doing God's work on health care, welfare, national service, etc. and those who oppose them do so for the most venal, usu ally pecuniary, motives. They really do believe theirs is the politics of virtue. Hillary Clinton spent so much time cham- pioning the politics of virtue that she earned a cover photo- graph in the New York Times Magazine last year showing her dressed in purest white, with the accompanying article head- lined SAINT HILLARY. It is this contradiction between the claim to saintliness and the evidence of slickness that gives the Whitewater affair such drama and urgency. We would not be half so interested in the personal failings and shady dealings of a First Family that did not so insistently engage in arrogant, high-handed moralism.... [Whitewater] is a tangled web of, for now, obscure dealings involving political favors, real estate speculation, and con- flicts of interest--with a dead man. It is important less for its possible criminal violations than for the light it sheds on the ethical norms, the greed and ambition, of our moral betters in the White House. [emphasis added]"24 If the White House should be a bastion of morality, then the pulpit certainly ought to be. When a minister of the Gospel finds the truth to be a 'cross' too heavy to bear, perhaps it is time for him to find another line of work. And what Bob says about Bill Clinton, we might likewise say to him: "Nothing would make me happier than to see the President get on national television and say, 'I have sinned! I have sinned! I've sinned against God, and I've sinned against this country. I ask your forgiveness. I'm going to change. ... I'm going to apologize to you for lying about what I did, with smoking pot and the affairs I've had ... God has forgiven me, and I am going to be the Godly president God wants me to be...."25 In the same way you judge others, Bob, you will be judged (Mt. 7:2, NIV).... _____________________________________________________________________ ENDNOTES 1"Gospel Grapevine," Brother Randall, ed., Snake Oil, Issue 2, p. 14: "STOP THE PRESSES. The following report ran Friday, November 5, 7:25 am on WFAA Channel 8 in Dallas: 'Lawyers for TV evan- gelist Bob Tilton go to court this morning in Houston. Candice Caminati of Houston claims Tilton raped her when she worked for him in 1982. She claims she never filed a complaint because Tilton paid her hush money for 11 years. Lawyers for ex-fol- lowers of Tilton want to talk to Caminati. They believe she could help in their lawsuits against the minister.' That same evening Channel 8 retracted the story saying, 'We broadcast that report without first speaking to Caminati or Tilton. Today spokesmen for Caminati and Tilton deny the statements. The report was broadcast as a result of a mistake by Channel 8. Channel 8 retracts the report in its entirety, and we apologize to Candice Caminati and Robert Tilton for our error'." [Inter- esting, no?] 2Muriel Olson, Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 2 Apr. 1990, pp. 1-2. 3Bob Larson, Memorandum (to Muriel Olson), 12 Mar. 1990, pp. 1-2. 4William T. Abbott, Letter (to Bob Larson), 8 Jul. 1991, pp. 1-2. 5Jay Grelen and Doug LeBlanc, "This Is Me, This Is Real," World, Vol. 7, No. 32, 23 Jan. 1993, p. 9 (hereinafter, "World"). 6Jon Trott, "Bob Larson's Ministry Comes Under Scrutiny," Corner stone, Vol. 21, Issue 100, p. 41 (advance copy, courtesy Jon Trott) (hereinafter, "Cornerstone"). 7World, p. 9. 8Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson" (radio broadcast), 28 Jul. 1993. 9Complaint at 2-3, Bob Larson Ministries v. Boespflug, No. 93 CV 442 (Jefferson County (Colo.) Dist. Ct., filed 5 Mar. 1993). 10Cornerstone, p. 41. 11"Margo" [Hamilton], Memorandum (to Bob Larson), 16 Jun. 1992, p. 1. 11aMk. 10:11-12; see also, e.g., Mt. 5:32, Lk. 16:18 (although the innocent victim of an adulterous spouse is allowed to remarry). 12Affidavit With Respect to the Financial Affairs of Bobby E. Larson at 1-14, Larson v. Larson, No. 91 DR 226 (Jefferson County (Colo.) Dist. Ct., filed 28 Jan. 1991). (The document in question was filed on July 18, 1991; the divorce file itself was sealed by order of the Court on 13 Feb. 1992. Larson's SSN is altered for obvious reasons.) 13Michael Roberts, "The Evil That Men Do," Westword, May 27-Jun 2, 1992, p. 12. 14Thomas Nelson Communications, Agreement (with Bob Larson), 27 Feb. 1990, p. 5 (portions of standard contract typed over with x's). 15Ibid., ibid. 16Ibid., p. 8. 17Records can be obtained from the Colorado Secretary of State [(303) 894-2251] 18"Thomas Nelson Author Information," undated, p. 1. 19World, p. 11. 20Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson" (radio broadcast), 14 Apr. 1994 (tape on file). 21Bob Larson Ministries Graphs: 1991-1992 Comparisons, Spreadsheet, undated (The figures represent pledges made during Talb-Back broadcasts, which until recently have accounted for roughly one-half of BLM revenues). [Everyday financial reports speak volumes about the "ministry" that bears Bob's name, and what they tell us is not often kind. Consider the following memo: NOVE BOB LARSON MINISTRIES FOR HALF THE DONATIONS POSTED THRU 07/21/92 July 22, 1992 20% RADIO STATIONS RSP DONATIONS EXPENSE PREM COST MARGIN __________________________________________________________ __________ ANON Anonymous 1 20.00 20.00 K108 Honolulu, HI KALV Alvis, OK KARI Blaine, WA 27 948.12 645.84 189.62 112.66 KATB Anchorage, AK 102 12,078.87 1,207.96 2,415.79 8,455.22 KAYR Ft. Smith, AK 9 335.00 0.00 67.00 268.00 KBBO Yakima, WA 2 80.00 16.00 64.00 KBBW Waco, TX 49 1,692.31 1,275.90 338.46 77.95 KBLE Seattle, WA 203 9,931.64 2,300.00 1,986.33 5,645.31 KCBC Springfield, MO 1 15.00 3.00 12.00 KCFO Tulsa, OK 48 3,569.38 1,840.00 713.88 1,015.50 KCRO Omaha, NB 48 3,211.05 2,668.00 642.21 -99.16 KCVO Camdenton, MO 4 170.00 34.00 136.00 KDAZ Albuquerque, NM 40 1,334.12 1,725.00 266.82 -657.70 KDBS Alexandria, LA 1 40.00 8.00 32.00 KOMI Des Moines, IA 43 1,016.40 460.00 203.28 353.12 KELP El Paso, TX 22 1,877.56 1,150.00 375.51 352.05 KERI Bakersfield, CA 149 5,363.19 3,783.50 1,072.64 507.05 [other key cities] KIEV Los Angeles, CA 150 7,765.59 25,300.00 1,553.12 -19,087.53 KLTT Denver, CO 133 5,057.66 4,140.00 1,011.53 -93.87 K_NP Portland, OR 105 4,724.83 3,850.00 944.87 -70.14 KPLA Oakland, CA 138 9,945.52 5,000.00 1,989.10 2,956.42 KVTT Dallas, TX 540 33,739.11 1,666.68 6,747.82 25,324.61 KXEG Phoenix, AZ 129 6,000.59 1,840.00 1,200.12 2,960.47 WCVO New Albany, OH 139 5,875.42 0.00 1,175.08 4,700.34 WDCT Washington, DC 34 1,688.55 1,955.00 337.71 -604.16 WDRZ Cleveland, TN 33 8,123.80 2,070.00 1,624.76 4,429.04 WFIF New Haven, CT 37 4,560.24 1,943.50 912.05 1,704.69 WLQV Detroit, MI 36 2,307.59 1,656.00 461.52 190.07 WLVJ W. Palm Bch., FL 41 1,710.51 3,933.00 342.10 -2,564.59 WPIT Pittsburg 68 2,919.12 3,680.00 583.82 -1,344.70 WTOF Canton, OH 116 8,591.14 3,565.00 1,718.23 3,307.91 ---- --------- --------- --------- ---------- TOTAL (all cities) 4,628 247,356.35 145,309.43 49,471.27 52,575.65 Two-thirds of the way through the month, Larson covered his monthly air time costs, with plenty to spare. Moreover, with the obvious exceptions of Los Angeles and a few East Coast cities, nearly every station contributed to the bottom line. And that is why Bob so rarely cancels stations, despite his constant whining to the contrary. His track record in individual cities is of interest as well. Dal las stands out like a sore thumb: Bob grosses nearly $50,000 a month there, and doesn't pay a dime for air time. He does give the station regular gifts, but they don't even come close to the value of the air time that KVTT gives him. The second is Los Angeles -- which was one of his top markets prior to his divorce. Bob doesn't do that well in secular markets, which is why he is going to have to make significant format changes to give Bob Larson Live a chance to succeed. Third is his unexpected strength in markets like Anchorage, Seattle, and other West Coast cities, as compared with the East. I understand that the hours between 5:00 and 7:00 P.M. are considered as "garbage time" for purposes of talk radio; drive-time listeners want weather reports and traffic updates.] 22Pam K. [Koczman], Memorandum, 20 Apr. 1992. 23"1992 General Talk-Back Station Info Update," Memorandum (to Bob), 9 Sep. 1992. 24Charles Krauthammer, "Why Whitewater Matters," Time, 28 Mar. 1994, p. 76 (material particularly applicable to Larson is emphasized). 25Bob Larson, "Talk-Back With Bob Larson" (radio broadcast), 19 Apr. 1994. _____________________________________________________________________ Copyright 1994 Kenneth L. Smith. All rights reserved. Copying is permitted for non-commercial use only. Please direct your questions to the author at P.O. Box 280305, Lakewood, CO 80228. Posted by Scott Mikusko: 21922sm@msu.edu or smikusko@nyx.cs.du.edu ----------------------------------------------------------- Chaos (806)###-#### | PCI (806)794-1438 GridPoint Durant (405)920-1347 | The Sprawl (806)797-0820 Federation Slayers' (806)885-2954 | Tacoland (215)750-0392 The Snake's Den (806)793-3779 | The Lagoon (203)638-3712 The Siege Perilous (806)762-0948 | Altered Reality (203)925-8349 Brazen's Hell (301)776-8259 | Cell Block 4 (806)612-8694 Pirate's Cove (806)795-4926 | Static Line (806)747-0802 PCI (806)794-1438 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ftp =-= etext.archive.umich.edu /pub/Zines/Greeny ftp.fc.net /pub/deadkat/misc/GWD -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /---------------\ Published by GwD, Inc. in September 1995 :FIGHT THE POWER: GREENY world Domination Task Force copyright (c) 1993 by Lobo : GwD : \---------------/ GwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwDGwD46