This is a fascinating story, not only because of the resignations, but also because the resignations tell us a great deal about how the [tag]Bush[/tag] gang operates.
Nearly all the religious leaders serving on a committee created by the Bush-Clinton [tag]Katrina Fund[/tag] to disburse money to [tag]churches[/tag] destroyed by [tag]Hurricane Katrina[/tag] have [tag]quit[/tag] their posts, claiming their advice was ignored.
Four of nine board members confirmed their [tag]resignations[/tag] on Thursday. Last week, two others — Bishop [tag]T.D. Jakes[/tag], the prominent Dallas megachurch pastor, and the Rev. [tag]William H. Gray[/tag] III, former president of the United Negro College Fund — resigned as co-chairs.
And Gray and Jakes say they have received the resignation letter of a seventh board member, the Rev. William Shaw, president of the National Baptist Convention, USA. He did not immediately return a phone call Thursday night.
In the religious community, these are some of the biggest heavy-hitters the White House could find. Bush brought them in, apparently, for public relations purposes. These pastors thought they could help make a difference, they offered sensible recommendations, and the president’s aides proceeded to blow them off. To their credit, the religious leaders decided to [tag]resign[/tag] rather than give Bush cover.
As Gray told the AP, “I’ve learned in life that if people say they want your advice and then they change it, ignore it, or undermine it, then they really don’t want it.”
The conflict between the ministers and the Bush gang started over a simple question of accountability.
The Katrina Fund created a committee devoted to helping rebuild houses of worship abd was set to receive about $20 million. Bush set up this advisory committee with interfaith leaders to help determine which churches, synagogues, and mosques faced the greatest need. It started well, but quickly deteriorated.
Initially, Gray said, the committee assumed it would make around 500 awards, each for $35,000. But as the applications began trickling in, staff members in New Orleans realized there were far fewer applicants than they had initially assumed. That meant they could increase the award amount, and the board agreed in consultation with the co-chairs of the fund that the grant ceiling would be increased to $100,000, Gray said. They also agreed each of the churches or religious institutions receiving the charity’s money would first be inspected, he said.
Numerous disagreements ensued, but Jakes and Gray said the last straw was the fund’s decision to cut checks to 38 houses of worship, each for $35,000, without first conducting an audit to ensure the church exists. (emphasis added)
Imam Abdelhafiz Bensrieti, who was also on the committee before resigning in disgust, said Bush aides simply wanted the religious leaders to “[tag]rubber stamp[/tag]” their decisions. Of course they did. Who would believe that the Bush gang would invite outsiders, who have not sworn loyalty to the president and a GOP agenda, to help actually shape a coherent policy?
It’s not necessarily about religion — Team Bush routinely likes to just cut checks without concern for accountability — but it’s of particular interest that the president seems to have offended some of the most prominent ministers in the country.
Karl Rove probably thought bringing them in would be a political coup; it backfired.