Should we be concerned that Religious groups housing for politicians in DC

[LynneSin]

I heard Howard Stern rant about this morning and I was interested in finding out more information about this "Fellowship" group that organizes the National Prayer Meeting and provides cheap housing to 6 elected officials in a million dollar home in Washington DC (monthly rent in the place - $600 and in DC most $600/month rent will put you in some very dangerous neighborhoods



http://www.tennessean.com/government/archives/03/04/31786118.shtml

Fellowship finances townhouse where 6 congressmen live

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
Associated Press


WASHINGTON — Six members of Congress live in a million-dollar Capitol Hill townhouse that is subsidized by a secretive religious organization, tax records show.

The lawmakers, all of whom are Christian, pay low rent to live in the stately red brick, three-story house on C Street, two blocks from the Capitol. It is maintained by a group, alternately known as the ''Fellowship'' and the ''Foundation,'' that brings together world leaders and elected officials through religion.

The Fellowship is host of receptions, luncheons and prayer meetings on the first two floors of the house, which is registered with the IRS as a church. The six lawmakers — U.S. Reps. Zach Wamp, R-Chattanooga; Bart Stupak, D-Mich.; Jim DeMint, R-S.C.; and Mike Doyle, D-Pa.; and U.S. Sens. John Ensign, R-Nev.; and Sam Brownback, R-Kan. — live in private rooms upstairs.

Rent is $600 a month, DeMint said.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I have vague recollections about this

being an issue when Baldacci ran for governor here in Maine. Dunno that anything much came of it, though.

[htuttle]

2. Good article in Harper's last March about them

http://www.harpers.org/JesusPlusNothing.html

Actually, I'm not entirely sure this is the same group, since their house was supposed to be in Arlington, VA ,but otherwise it sounds identical:

Ivanwald, which sits at the end of Twenty-fourth Street North in Arlington, Virginia, is known only to its residents and to the members and friends of the organization that sponsors it, a group of believers who refer to themselves as “the Family.” The Family is, in its own words, an “invisible” association, though its membership has always consisted mostly of public men. Senators Don Nickles (R., Okla.), Charles Grassley (R., Iowa), Pete Domenici (R., N.Mex.), John Ensign (R., Nev.), James Inhofe (R., Okla.), Bill Nelson (D., Fla.), and Conrad Burns (R., Mont.) are referred to as “members,” as are Representatives Jim DeMint (R., S.C.), Frank Wolf (R., Va.), Joseph Pitts (R., Pa.), Zach Wamp (R., Tenn.), and Bart Stupak (D., Mich.). Regular prayer groups have met in the Pentagon and at the Department of Defense, and the Family has traditionally fostered strong ties with businessmen in the oil and aerospace industries. The Family maintains a closely guarded database of its associates, but it issues no cards, collects no official dues. Members are asked not to speak about the group or its activities.

(added additional snippet on edit)

The organization has operated under many guises, some active, some defunct: National Committee for Christian Leadership, International Christian Leadership, the National Leadership Council, Fellowship House, the Fellowship Foundation, the National Fellowship Council, the International Foundation. These groups are intended to draw attention away from the Family, and to prevent it from becoming, in the words of one of the Family's leaders, “a target for misunderstanding.” <1> The Family's only publicized gathering is the National Prayer Breakfast, which it established in 1953 and which, with congressional sponsorship, it continues to organize every February in Washington, D.C. Each year 3,000 dignitaries, representing scores of nations, pay $425 each to attend. Steadfastly ecumenical, too bland most years to merit much press, the breakfast is regarded by the Family as merely a tool in a larger purpose: to recruit the powerful attendees into smaller, more frequent prayer meetings, where they can “meet Jesus man to man.”

[KoKo]

3. Thanks htuttle, that Harper's article deservs a repost. Quite creepy and

worth a read for the many newcomers, here. I wonder if this Washinton House is a "branch." Interesting. They may be "franchising." :D

[dmr]

4. I definitely think so

As far as I'm concerned the religious groups act as a Special Interest Group. Power and money is involved, and they both constitute influence. Is it any different if the pharmaceutical or tobacco industry helped to fund their housing? This is a perk for them. Do they report it as a perk? As income?

[izzie]

5. I do know that our gov. in Maine lived in one.when he was at the House.

I think we have to face the fact that Bush has this religious thing going every place now and they are getting money from something in DC. I am willing to bet it is tax payers money and no one dares to say a thing.

[KoKo]

6. OMG! LynnSinn It IS the same group. I did a Google on this Richard

Carver who's involved with the C-Street House and turned up a WaPo article which describes the house in Arlington that htuttle links to.

Here's the quote from your Post: ''Our goal is singular — and that is to hope that we can assist them in better understandings of the teachings of Christ, and applying it to their jobs,'' said Richard Carver, a member of the Fellowship's board of directors. He served as an assistant secretary of the Air Force during the Reagan administration.

The house, valued at $1.1 million, is owned by the C Street Center, a sister organization of the Fellowship. It received more than $145,000 in Fellowship grants between 1997 and 2000, according to IRS records — including $96,400 in 1998 for reducing debt.


So they did "franchise it." I was joking, but if it's the same group this is very Creepy. Note the names of the Congressment who are involved with from both articles if anyone reads both.

--------------------------------
N.Va. Neighbors Up in Arms Over Secretive Enclave
Dignitaries' Visits Prompt Complaints on Quiet Street

Washington Post/December 8, 2003
By Annie Gowen


The Fellowship, best known for its National Prayer Breakfast every February, is described by backers as a loosely knit group of friends who advise the rich and powerful on the teachings of Jesus Christ.

In its mission to create global harmony, the Fellowship has for decades quietly brought together Third World leaders, disgraced captains of industry, members of Congress and ambassadors for talks at an imposing white mansion that sits on a hill overlooking the Potomac River. Pop star Michael Jackson was a guest last year.

More than 16 Fellowship families have moved into homes around the Cedars' dead-end street, forming a tight-knit enclave that prays, socializes and home-schools its children together.

The Woodmont neighborhood has long been divided into "Cedars people" and "non-Cedars people." But once news of the burglaries hit, the non-Cedars people were incensed, charging the organization with running group homes for transient and troubled young people without proper permits.

Richard Carver, the Fellowship foundation's president, does not deny that Ivanwald, a male-only house, and Potomac Point, a nearby house for women, meet the county's definition of group homes. That is, more than four unrelated people live in each.



http://www.rickross.com/reference/general/general607.html
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N.Va. Neighbors Up in Arms Over Secretive Enclave
... Richard Carver, the Fellowship foundation's president, does not deny that Ivanwald,
a male-only house, and Potomac Point, a nearby house for women, meet the ...
www.rickross.com/reference/general/general607.html - 15k - Cached - Similar pages

Government Human Rights Commissions in Africa - Origin and Mandate
... Afronet) and a Zambian human rights activist, also received a fellowship from Human ... Human
Rights Watch is indebted to Richard Carver for his keen insight and ...
www.hrw.org/reports/2001/africa/ overview/acknowledgements.html - 17k - Cached - Similar pages
Charleston.Net: News: World/Nation Congressional house tied to ...
... can assist them in better understandings of the teachings of Christ, and applying
it to their jobs," said Richard Carver, a member of the Fellowship's board of ...
www.charleston.net/stories/042103/wor_21renters.shtml - 37k - Cached - Similar pages

[LynneSin]

7. What if the Sierra Club decided to buy a house and rent it out cheap?

or the ACLU or a woman's choice group.

hmmmmm!!!

[KoKo]

8. Are you saying you think this is a good idea? Did you read the Harpers

article or the one I linked from WaPo? These people are quite scary and their view of females is really bizarre. This ain't your local Sierra Club!

[LynneSin]

9. I'm saying if groups like Sierra Club had homes for politicians...

the repukes would be up in arms screaming UNFAIR!!!!

[KoKo]

12. Sorry, for reading your post wrong, Lynne. This just seemed to

be so creepy, I overeacted thinking you were making light of it...:-(
apologies.

[veganwitch]

10. 600 a month will get you a two bedroom apartment in anacostia

(but not for much longer if williams has his way) or that could be your rent if you are sharing a house with 5 other people in the far east of NW.

rent in dc is absolutely re-fucking-diculous. it has got to be the most gentrified city in the country. rich yuppie white people are slowly seeping into every affordable neighbourhood. honestly, you cross the street from broken glass and iron gates on the main level to posh townhouses. you can have a halfmillion rowhouse in a block of boarded up store fronts.

and the city and the world bank owns lots all over the city that they refuse to give to non-profits to make affordable housing and yet dont pay taxes on any of them thus decreasing the tax pool for public schools (the average of which is 70+ years old) but if you wanna build a charter school, the city and the bank of america will help you out real quick.



holy slop thats big but i cant make it any smaller

[KoKo]

11. Vegan could you please do something with that graphic....for dial-ups

it's really hard to deal with. It would be much appreciated! :-)'s