Word: dortch
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...defrocking was proclaimed to the world by the national head of the ministers' denomination. The ousted preachers are Jim Bakker, who confessed to adultery last March and then gave up his multimillion-dollar PTL television network and theme park at Fort Mill, S.C., and his former top executive, Richard Dortch, who was accused of orchestrating a cover-up of Bakker's lapse...
...Raymond Carlson, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, said "many people" were willing to confront Bakker and Dortch with their charges but the accused clergymen declined to participate in the investigation. "There is a very large file on this," said Carlson. "Other evidence could be used," but the officials "felt this was sufficient." Church observers noted that adultery alone justified defrocking. The homosexual charge may have been put on the record so that Bakker would have to respond to it if he ever sought to regain ministerial credentials. Under Assemblies bylaws, a minister ousted for adultery can apply...
...Dortch briefly succeeded Bakker as PTL president and host of its TV show until he was forced out last month. Dortch was found guilty of failing to notify church leaders of Bakker's misconduct and of subsequent deceit (the two men arranged hush-money payments of $265,000 to Hahn and her advisers). Dortch's downfall after 33 years in the ministry was especially awkward. He had been the Illinois superintendent for the denomination and had served 14 years on the very body that ordered his defrocking. Bakker and Dortch, who had no immediate response to the action, have...
...board hired new auditors and ordered a full review of compensation. The Bakkers apparently will no longer have use of the residence provided by PTL, but they own two comfortable homes elsewhere. PTL is expected to unload the lakefront home near Fort Mill where Dortch lives, along with five resort properties and assorted boats and luxury cars...
...against Bakker that had been leveled, without public documentation, by Baptist Televangelist John Ankerberg of Chattanooga, Tenn. Falwell disclosed last week that part of Bakker's hush-money payment was made by PTL and that the remainder was provided by a major PTL contractor, Roe Messner of Wichita. At Dortch's request, Messner then billed PTL for the sum, but Falwell described that as a mere "error in judgment...