The "orthodox" seem to be selective in designating what constitutes sin. This is a very sad story of a moral compass gone awry.

Several years ago Bishop Akinola made a speech in Pittsburgh about being honorable and ¨leaving Church properties/etc. behind¨ as ¨stand aloners¨ gathered to promote their purity through the exclusion of fellow Episcopalians/Anglicans at Church...in his next evangelizing adventure he promoted +Minns and CANA started poaching on parishes at TEC diocese of Virginia...then, Grace and St. Stephens in Colorado (knowingly with a cloud over Armstrong+)...all in the name of a exclusive kind of ministry that glorifies the persecution and demonization of LGBT Christians/others in Nigeria and abroad.

So, the Attorney General John Newsome was a member of Grace Cathedral? How interesting.

Now that Newsome is under a cloud of suspicion as well that caused him to lose the primary - and his job - how interesting that the last thing he does as he departs is see that the allegations (no charges, mind you) against the rector of Grace Church is release to the press.

Fascinating that the story doesn't mention Newsome's connection to Grace, nor the allegations against Newsome himself.

The story allegedes that Newsome distanced himself from the investigation - but of course, isn't that in doubt since the Governor has been investigating Newsome's own use of state funds? Who's telling the truth here?

Here's the story: http://billritterwatch.blogspot.com/2008/07/gov-ritter-directs-review-of-da-newsome.html

Gov. Bill Ritter today designated Attorney General John W. Suthers as a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that John Newsome, district attorney for the 4th Judicial District, misspent taxpayer funds. Suthers has, in turn, appointed two former district attorneys from outside his office to oversee the investigation.

Newsome traveled to Chicago last October to interview a witness in a Colorado Springs homicide case. While there, he drove to SouthBend., Ind., to watch a Notre Dame vs. University of Southern California football game. He initially received reimbursement from his office for those travel expenses, about $700. But after a media inquiry in April, he paid that money back.

The case was initially referred to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation by the Colorado Springs Police Department.

And here's the Order:

D 015 08

EXECUTIVE ORDER

Designating State's Prosecutor to Investigate Conduct of District Attorney John Newsome


Pursuant to the authority vested in the Office of the Governor of the State of Colorado, and in particular Colorado Revised Statute § 24-31-101(1)(a), I, Bill Ritter, Jr., Governor of the State of Colorado, hereby issue this Executive Order designating John W. Suthers, Attorney General for the State of Colorado, as the State's prosecutor, to investigate and, if appropriate, prosecute criminal matters related to possible criminal conduct by John Newsome, District Attorney for the Fourth Judicial District.

I. Background and Purpose

On October 20, 2007, Fourth Judicial District Attorney John Newsome traveled at state expense to Chicago, Illinois to interview a witness in a Colorado Springs homicide case. Mr. Newsome did not return to Colorado until Sunday, October 22. In the intervening days, he traveled from Chicago to South Bend, Indiana to attend a University of Notre Dame football game. The travel costs associated with this trip – car rental, gas, per diem, and hotel expenses, totaled $699. Mr. Newsome requested and received reimbursement for these costs. In April 2008, after a media inquiry, Mr. Newsome reimbursed the county for the majority of these expenses.

Mr. Newsome is a sitting district attorney and, thus, not subject to investigation by his own office. Because the allegations against Mr. Newsom concern official misconduct, it is not appropriate to request a sitting district attorney in another judicial district to investigate this matter. I am, therefore, designating the Attorney General to appear for the State of Colorado to investigate, and if appropriate, to prosecute any potential criminal wrongdoing related to Mr. Newsome's conduct.

II. Directive

Pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute § 24-31-101(1)(a), I hereby appoint John W. Suthers, Attorney General for the State of Colorado, to be the State's prosecutor and authorize him to take all necessary actions to investigate and, if he deems it appropriate and if supported by the evidence, prosecute, on behalf of the State of Colorado, misuse of state funds or abuse of the public trust by John Newsome, including conduct related to his October 2007 trip.

III. Duration

Unless modified or rescinded by future Executive Order of the Governor, this appointment and the directive in this Executive Order shall expire upon completion of the Attorney General's investigation and, if deemed appropriate and supported by the evidence, the prosecution of Mr. Newsome.

Given under my hand and the Executive Seal of the State of Colorado, this twenty-eighth day of July, 2008.


Bill Ritter, Jr.
Governor

Why isn't this part in the article? Obviously we have some "Brotherhood-style" politics going on in Colorado. Sad, isn't it?

-Mary Ailes

Mary--A slender reed you are asking to bear a great deal of weight.

Thank you for the oddly telling comment, Mary.

I am not sure if Mary Ailes is a poor reader, or, as is usually more to the case, just focused on her personal agenda of diversion and subterfuge, hence that long, boring and ultimately unrelated post, which could more easily have been linked. Because; 1.) John Newsome is a District Attorney, not an Attorney General, 2.) Grace Cathedral is in San Francisco, CA not Colorado Springs, CO, where one finds the mentioned Grace Church and St. Stephen's parish, and lastly 3.) that she overlooked this plain written fact from the linked article in the Colorado Springs Gazette;
If they find probable cause that a crime has been committed, they will turn the case over to a special prosecutor from the 10th Judicial District Attorney's office in Pueblo. Fourth Judicial District Attorney John Newsome, who will leave office next week, was a Grace member and recused himself from any involvement in the case.

When Stand Firm posted an account of the police raid on Grace Church & St Stephen's last November, BB - a post to which you contributed - Matt Kennedy commented "Hmmm, this is an interesting story but I think it is best to simply wait for the civil authorities to find the truth of the matter". Most prudent people would agree with Fr Kennedy. This is one of those incidents where the appearance of possible impropriety is so strong that it is wisest to shelve the "four legs good, two legs bad" mantra and wait and see how the case plays with a grand jury and, should it reach that level, at trial.

It is my understanding that John Newsome was one of Donald Armstrong's supporters and that he remained a member of the CANA congregation's council (was he not a warden?) until very shortly before the Diocesan Court handed down its verdict. His downfall was not prompted by the Notre Dame business, but by news reports and videos aired last May by a Colorado TV station of him and a deputy drinking, on several occasions, in a local bar during work hours and driving official vehicles after imbibing.

Be interesting to see if the Grace Church business in any way clarifies the AI/Grace Church connection.

Roger Mortimer

Leonardo Ricardo puts it nicely over at Thinking Anglicans: "This looks like a fine opportunity for +Minns and +Akinola to appear as ¨character¨ witnesses for Fr. Armstrong during the upcoming trial. Afterall, both knew the pending difficulties and outright PROBLEMS at Grace and St. Stephens for Armstrong+ but proceeded to support and welcome his ongling ministry by making him a priest of CANA/Anglican Church of Nigeria."