ATLANTA—A low-income apartment building owned by Raphael Warnock’s church is plagued by pests, maintenance problems, and filth, according to residents—and at least two people have sued the building this year after the elevator allegedly collapsed on them.
Residents of the Columbia Tower at MLK Village complained about living conditions in the building, telling the Washington Free Beacon that garbage is left to pile up in the storage rooms for days, creating an "overwhelming trash smell," common areas aren’t maintained, and the air vents produce a "sickening" amount of dust.
Tenants also said the elevators often break down, and handicapped residents have had to call the fire department to carry them to their rooms.
The allegations follow a Free Beacon report that found Columbia Tower had attempted to evict at least eight low-income residents over unpaid rent since the start of the pandemic—including one tenant who owed just $28. Warnock serves as senior pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, which, through a charity it controls called the Ebenezer Building Foundation, owns 99 percent of Columbia Tower, according to records obtained by the Free Beacon . It’s not clear what Warnock’s role was in overseeing Columbia Tower. A repair grant Ebenezer Building Foundation filed in June, however, said Warnock "works closely" with Ebenezer’s executive pastor "in managing the overall vision, ministries, and operations" of the church.
The news raises questions for Warnock, who has campaigned as an ally of low-income Georgians and people with disabilities. It could also draw new scrutiny to Warnock’s compensation from the church, which paid him a $7,417-per-month, tax-free housing allowance last year—an arrangement that allowed him to circumvent federal limits on outside income for U.S. senators.
Court filings reviewed by the Free Beacon appear to back up claims from Columbia Tower residents that there are problems with the living conditions at the building.
Two men filed separate lawsuits against the building in February and May of this year claiming they were injured after the elevator ceiling collapsed on them in May 2020.
One of the alleged victims said he "was in an elevator at Columbia at MLK Village Towers as the elevator ceiling abruptly fell down," knocking him unconscious and resulting in injuries that cost him over $50,000 in medical bills.
"The collapsed elevator ceiling struck the Plaintiff about the head, neck, and back area," said the lawsuit. "The impact of the collapsed elevator ceiling caused the Plaintiff to immediately lose consciousness."
The judge granted the man default judgment in the case, after lawyers for Columbia Tower neglected to respond by the required deadline. The building’s attorneys are currently attempting to get the judgment overturned. The second case is still ongoing. An attorney for the alleged victim said he was unable to comment because that case is "still being litigated."
Residents told a Free Beacon reporter who visited the building in October the only two elevators in the building frequently break down. One resident said she has witnessed firemen physically carry wheelchair-bound tenants up to their rooms during instances when both of the elevators were broken at the same time.
"The firemen will come and help them up and down the stairs," one resident said. "For hours they’re stuck waiting on the bottom floor, or stuck on their floor for hours and hours."
Another resident described an incident in which a police officer and a firefighter had to "tote" a wheelchair-bound African-American man up the stairs because the elevators were broken down.
The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department has not returned numerous requests for comment asking if firefighters have been called to Columbia Tower to carry people up to their rooms. The fire department has also not returned an open records request seeking copies of all incident reports at Columbia Tower since the start of 2020.
Residents said they had no idea their building was owned by Ebenezer Baptist Church, or that it had just received a $5 million grant from Georgia in August to fund building repairs. The grant was bankrolled by funds provided to the state from the American Rescue Plan, legislation that Warnock voted in support of in March 2021.
"It’s not being seen here. They’ll cut the grass and the bushes, and fix the elevator sometimes," a resident said. "But the vents haven’t been blown out for years. The dust, it’s sickening, actually."
"They change the furniture. The furniture is new or different from when I moved in here, but that’s the most I’ve seen. I haven’t seen any upgrades or anything like that," the resident added.
Ebenezer ended 2021 with over $1.2 million in cash and "cash equivalents," according to audited financial statements obtained by the Free Beacon . Throughout 2021, the church received "general undesignated offerings" of $4.3 million and rental income of $202,000, the financial statements show.
Also in 2021, Ebenezer paid Warnock $120,964 in salary and housing benefits while he served in the Senate. That same year, Ebenezer incurred just over $69,000 in "repairs and maintenance" expenses across all its program areas, including pastoral services, local ministries, and support services, the financial statements show.
Warnock’s office did not return a request for comment.
Columbia Tower residents expressed concerns about the building’s living conditions.
"We have a smell here," one resident said. "The trash room has this overwhelming trash smell. As soon as you come in the building it inundates you. It’s just in your face. And it’s embarrassing."
The 12-story building has a garbage chute on every floor that connects to the trash room on the bottom floor. But residents said nobody clears out the trash over the weekend. With 96 rooms in the building, residents said the trash room quickly overflows with waste on Saturdays and Sundays.
"They’ll leave on a Friday, and the trash chute will fill up to the 12th floor. And they don’t come back until Monday to clean it out," the resident said.
"The aroma of the trash was so horrific and ridiculous," said another resident, who lives on the first floor of the building near the waste room.
Photo of the trash room at Columbia Tower at MLK Village provided by building resident
Photo of the trash room at Columbia Tower at MLK Village provided by building resident
One resident described horrific conditions living next door to her former neighbor, who she said suffered from schizophrenia.
"We complained. He had odors coming out of the apartment. He never cleaned. The maintenance didn’t want to go in. Never mind the pests. I was totally infested living near him," the resident said. "After people were complaining so much they did get someone to come in and clean up."
"There's a lot of turnaround when it comes to office management and, of course, with the upkeep of the building. They can't keep anybody, and they can't keep the building up," the resident said.
In lieu of regular maintenance staff, the mostly elderly residents of the building say they have to pool their own resources and labor to keep common areas clean.
Columbia Residential boasts on its website that the apartment has a community garden, but one resident said the garden is frequently littered with trash. The garden was nothing more than a plot of dirt and weeds when a Free Beacon reporter visited the property this month.
Columbia Tower’s "community garden"
Ebenezer itself acknowledged that the building’s lack of maintenance is a major cause of concern when it applied for $5 million from Georgia to fund building repairs.
"The cost of increasing annual capital repairs at the property is impacting the lives of the residents, making it increasingly difficult to fund the needed resident services and maintain housing stability for this vulnerable, formerly homeless population," Ebenezer wrote in the grant application. "The purpose of this grant request is to make the needed repairs to the building and preserve the ability to house and serve this specific population."
The Ebenezer Building Foundation also disclosed problems with Columbia Tower’s elevators in the grant application, writing that the "failures are becoming more frequent."
"When the elevator needs repair, it takes several days," said the group, calling the problems "detrimental" to residents.
In a court filing responding to one of the elevator injury lawsuits, however, a lawyer for Columbia Tower suggested the machinery was damaged by an individual. The "issue with the elevator may have been the result of persons who rode the elevator immediately before the plaintiff," said the attorney for Columbia Tower.
Columbia Residential told the Free Beacon that Ebenezer "contracted with Columbia Residential property management to manage the day-to-day operations of the property on their behalf." The property management company said Warnock has no involvement in the daily operations at Columbia Tower.
"Due to the age of the property, the need for capital repairs, and the desire to keep rents affordable to extremely low-income tenants, the owners applied for the Georgia Investments in Housing Grant, which was specifically targeted to support housing for individuals experiencing homelessness," Columbia Residential told the Free Beacon .
The grant, which Georgia Republican governor Brian Kemp awarded to Ebenezer in late August, will be used to fund building repairs, as well as to replace all faucets and toilets with low-flow systems, install LED lighting in the building, and upgrade major appliances in the building to energy star standards.
Ebenezer did not return requests for comment.
How Raphael Warnock Dodges Income Taxes
Warnock doesn't pay income taxes on a $90K ‘parsonage allowance’ from Atlanta church
Alana Goodman •Sen. Raphael Warnock (D., Ga.) has an unusual financial arrangement with an outside employer that allowed him to avoid income taxes on $89,000 in outside salary last year, according to tax experts.
Warnock, who works as the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, said the church paid him $89,000 last year as a "parsonage allowance"—as opposed to regular outside income, which is subject to strict limitations for senators under federal law. Lawmakers are not allowed to receive more than $29,895 in outside income.
The news raises questions about whether Warnock is taking a tax break that’s unavailable to the vast majority of Americans. Republicans say Warnock wants to raise taxes, pointing to his vote for a spending package in August that some analysts claim would increase taxes on low- and middle-income earners. The senator has also faced criticism for his outside financial arrangements from his opponent, Republican Herschel Walker. The Walker campaign has slammed Warnock for doubling his annual salary since taking office, raking in $120,000 from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and over $240,000 for a book deal.
Tax experts said the Internal Revenue Service created the modern "parsonage allowance" provision in the 1950s as a tax break for religious leaders, who historically lived in tax-exempt church-owned parsonages but now often rent or own their own homes. The provision allows pastors and other clergy members to deduct their estimated annual housing expenses—including mortgage payments, lawn care, furniture, and pool maintenance—from their income taxes.
Warnock’s campaign declined to comment on whether he paid income taxes on his housing allowance.
Some legal experts also questioned the Senate Ethics Committee’s decision to approve the arrangement, saying it appears to violate federal law that prohibits members of Congress from receiving more than $29,895 in outside income. Warnock’s campaign suggested that the "parsonage allowance" wasn’t subject to the same cap as regular income, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , which first reported on the arrangement last month.
"Sen. Warnock's arrangement appears to be an abuse of both the parsonage allowance provisions of the tax code and Senate ethics rules," Charlie Spies, a Republican campaign finance attorney with Dickinson Wright, told the Washington Free Beacon . "The parsonage exception in Sec. 107(2) is targeted for those who are pastors, not boondoggles for politicians."
Tax experts told the Free Beacon qualified clergy members are allowed to designate up to 100 percent of their salaries as tax-free under the parsonage exemption. Although clergy members need written acknowledgment from their church to participate, religious institutions have no say over the percentage the clergy requests and don’t provide oversight into how the employee spends this money, according to experts. Instead, participating clergy members are supposed to be regulated by the IRS.
While many pastors claim less than 40 percent of their salary as a parsonage allowance, one forensic accountant said he has seen some who take upwards of 70 or 80 percent—an amount he said was "bordering on abusive."
Warnock’s parsonage allowance adds up to nearly 75 percent of his income from the Ebenezer Baptist Church, which breaks down to about $7,400-per-month in housing expenses.
The senator owns a home in Atlanta that was recently appraised at around $1 million, according to property records. In addition to mortgage payments, the parsonage allowance can be used to cover any housing-related costs, including security, landscaping, and home furnishings.
Gil Rothenberg, the former chief of the Department of Justice tax division’s appellate section, told the Free Beacon the parsonage allowance was intended to "even the scales" between wealthy churches and poorer ones, which can’t always afford to provide a well-maintained home for their ministers.
But he said there have also been past cases where religious leaders have abused the system. In 2002, Rothenberg represented the government in a legal dispute with Rick Warren, a megachurch pastor who had claimed $80,000 of his salary as a "parsonage allowance"—an amount that the IRS claimed exceeded the value of his housing. The case prompted Congress to update the law, capping the parsonage allowance at the fair rental value of the home, plus furnishings and maintenance.
"The kinds of cases that got to me when I was at DOJ were basically the really abusive ones," said Rothenberg. "I don’t know how many other ministers are basically padding their parsonage allowance. Nobody knows. You hope that the CPA, or whoever is doing their taxes, is doing it correctly."
While churches note that the provision is crucial for many clergy members, who often don’t earn large salaries, the rule has also been controversial. Critics have accused some clergy members of taking advantage of the exemption, using it to pay for lavish vacation homes and other luxuries.
Peter Reilly, a certified public accountant who has written about parsonage allowances, said Warnock’s allowance "seems like a lot, but it’s not crazy" in comparison with others he has seen.
"Some of the parsonage [allowances] can tend to be enormous," he told the Free Beacon . "Some of the televangelists, it’s millions."
Senate records reveal that Warnock has voted with Joe Biden 96.4% of the time since getting elected to the Senate and 100% of the time in 2021.
Warnock voted with Biden for at least a trillion in new spending. Warnock voted with Biden to allow abortion up until the moment of birth. Warnock voted with Biden against restarting the Keystone XL pipeline. Warnock voted with Biden to send stimulus checks to illegal immigrants and dangerous criminals such as the Boston Marathon bomber. Warnock voted with Biden to block funding for our southern border security . Warnock voted with Biden to protect China and Iran. Warnock voted to expand firearm regulations. Warnock voted for the CDC's requirement of masks on planes, trains, and buses. Warnock voted to form a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Warnock voted for the Inflation Reduction act, which is actually a disguised version of the green new deal, along with 87,000 new tax agents to audit Georgia's small businesses. Warnock voted to send billions of dollars , without any tracking mechanism, to Ukraine. The case for Herschel Walker
The Senate race in Georgia between Herschel Walker and sitting Sen. Raphael Warnock is rapidly drifting away from the issues and focusing on the personal.
The Democrats have directed their media assassins to attack the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate, Walker.
Hence the Daily Beast claimed that Walker had impregnated a woman in 2009 and paid for her abortion.
In response to this report, Walker’s son Christian had a meltdown on social media as he accused his father of abandonment, violence, and lying about his past.
Just yesterday, Christian uploaded a 4-minute video on social media, further saying did not want to be involved further in his father’s campaign, and refuting allegations that he was paid by the Democrats to attack his father. He appeared unhinged.
Christian is almost like a dream come true for the Democrats.
His message was amplified on social media and the mainstream media.
Back in August 2021, Christian endorsed his father, and had even sold Herschel 2022 merchandise on his website.
Hershel Walker has rejected the claim about the abortion and has sued the Daily Beast.
Just yesterday, President Trump reiterated his support for Walker .
The Daily Beast previously claimed that Walker had fathered three children about whom he had not publicly acknowledged paternity as a candidate.
The Democrats are not only attempting to portray Walker as a hypocrite, i.e., that he is pro-life but paid for an abortion, but also the fact that he may be an absent, negligent father and abusive to his family.
Walker’s rival Rev. Raphael Warnock is senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Do we have more about Warnock’s background?
The picture isn't exactly rosy.
Back in March 2020, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Warnock was accused by his then-wife Ouleye Ndoye of running over her foot with his car during a heated argument days before he filed paperwork to officially seek the office.
Warnock wasn’t charged with a crime by Atlanta police and since then, medical officials ‘didn’t find visible signs of injury in the foot that his wife said was struck by the vehicle.'
Warnock denied the allegation that he harmed his estranged wife, telling the AJC in an interview that “it didn’t happen.”
Tucker Carlson aired the police bodycam video on Fox News showing that police responded to a call from Warnock's now ex-wife.
In the video, Raphael claims he was there to pick up their children from school when they got into an argument. However, Ouleye accuses Raphael of running over her foot with his car as she was standing next to it.
Ouleye said she remained quiet (presumably about Raphael’s abusive behavior) for the sake of her children and his reputation, however, the car incident crossed the line.
She rejected Raphael’s claim of innocence, saying he was lying.
“….he’s a great actor. He is phenomenal at putting on a really good show.”
This wasn’t the only legal domestic dispute that Raphael was involved in.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Ouleye was seeking legal action to make changes to their child custody arrangement.
The 11-page filing by Ouleye requested the court to grant her additional custody of their two young children so that she can complete a Harvard University program, citing an agreement she struck with Warnock while he was campaigning for the U.S. Senate in early 2020.
Ouleye also requested that Warnock’s child support payments be recalculated because of a “substantial” increase in income after his victory in the Senate race.
So what do we have here?
Both Senate candidates in Georgia have been accused of abusive behavior and neglecting their families. Both men have had their close family members make these accusations. Both men haven't been charged. Both men have denied these allegations.
So what is the difference?
On the personal front, Herschel Walker still emerges the winner.
He is an accomplished sportsman. He won the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1982 and played in the National Football League for 12 seasons. He is a self-made man who has also given back to society.
Now for Warnock.
Senate records reveal that Warnock has voted with Joe Biden 96.4% of the time since getting elected to the Senate and 100% of the time in 2021.
Warnock voted with Biden for at least a trillion in new spending. Warnock voted with Biden to allow abortion up until the moment of birth. Warnock voted with Biden against restarting the Keystone XL pipeline. Warnock voted with Biden to send stimulus checks to illegal immigrants and dangerous criminals such as the Boston Marathon bomber. Warnock voted with Biden to block funding for our southern border security . Warnock voted with Biden to protect China and Iran. Warnock voted to expand firearm regulations. Warnock voted for the CDC's requirement of masks on planes, trains, and buses. Warnock voted to form a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Warnock voted for the Inflation Reduction act, which is actually a disguised version of the green new deal, along with 87,000 new tax agents to audit Georgia's small businesses. Warnock voted to send billions of dollars , without any tracking mechanism, to Ukraine. Like most Democrats contesting in the midterms, Warnock isn’t talking much about Biden on the campaign trail owing to Joe’s unprecedented unpopularity. But Warnock is a staunch ally of Biden or perhaps more accurately, he supports all that Biden’s handlers stand for.
The voters in Georgia must understand that this isn’t a contest about past personal behavior that hasn't been proven, it is about the future of the nation.
Warnock's voting record makes him culpable for the hardships that have occurred due to Biden's misgovernance.
It is perfectly obvious that the Democrats are focusing on the personal life of Herschel and perhaps even concocting allegations because they cannot defend their abominable record of misgovernance.
A vote for Warnock is a vote for more hardships and persecution of political opponents.
A vote for Herschel Walker is a vote against Biden’s tyranny.
The choice should be obvious!
Image: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, via Wikipedia // public domain
Raphael Warnock’s Muddied Past Resurfaces as Camp Child Abuse Questions Go Unanswered Paras Griffin/Getty Images 6:48
Gasoline was poured on the Georgia Senate race this week as both candidates now have a series of allegations lodged against them, detailing alleged aspects of their personal lives which could seriously impact the midterm election race. But while the current focus remains on Republican candidate Herschel Walker, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is no stranger to scandal.
The race rocketed to the national spotlight this week following anonymous allegations that the former NFL star not only encouraged a woman he was with to abort their child, but paid for it. All the while, the Republican candidate’s 23-year-old son, Christian, is lashing out on social media, accusing Walker of giving their family “the middle finger.”
Walker has denied the Daily Beast story, which appeared on Hannity on Monday night. He said he had no idea who the accuser is, adding, “It is a flat-out lie.” He also outlined his intention to sue the Daily Beast for defamation and, separately, publicly expressed love for his son, despite the young man’s bitter allegations against his father.
“You’re not a ‘family man’ when you left us to bang a bunch of women, threatened to kill us, and had us move over 6 times in 6 months running from your violence,” Christian wrote.
Facebook/Cristian Walker
While the spotlight remains on Walker as he battles these twin scandals, Warnock, a former pastor, is no stranger to being placed in the hot seat, as he has faced allegations of abuse and was famously accused of running over his then-wife’s foot with his 2014 Tesla. He and his ex-wife, Ouleye Ndoye, went through an ugly divorce, which was finalized in 2020 amid Warnock’s Senate bid runoff against former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA).
Tucker Carlson Tonight aired body cam footage of the alleged incident, in which Ndoye tells authorities that her husband is a “great actor” and “phenomenal at putting on a really good show.”
“I’ve tried to keep the way that he acts under wraps for a long time, and today he crossed the line,” she said.
Notably, her foot did not show signs of injury as she accused Warnock of only caring about his reputation as he ran for Senate.
His then-wife said:
This man’s running for United States Senate, and all he cares about right now is his reputation.
I work at the mayor’s office, and this is a big problem. I’ve been trying to be very quiet about the way that he is for the sake of my kids and his reputation.
I’ve tried to keep the way that he acts under wraps for a long time, and today he crossed the line. So that is what is going on here, and he’s a great actor. He is phenomenal at putting on a really good show.
At the time, Warnock told police, “I barely move, and all of the sudden she’s screaming that I ran over her foot. I don’t believe it.”
He was not charged in that incident. However, his scandals do not end there, as he also faced allegations of child abuse occurring at a church camp overseen by Warnock. He was arrested in 2002 over accusations of obstructing a child abuse investigation at a church camp in Carroll County, Maryland.
As Breitbart News reported :
Warnock and Wainwright interrupted a police interview of a camp counselor in 2002. After investigators moved the interview to a picnic area, the reverends interfered against and tried to prevent one camper from directing police to other potential witnesses.
Maryland State Trooper Diane Barry of the state police Child and Sexual Assault Unit said, “I’ve never encountered resistance like that at all.”
Barry contended that the counselors consented to be interviewed after they were told they were free to go at any time and were not obligated to answer Barry’s questions. After being arrested and charged, Warnock and Wainwright were released.
The charges were dropped, and Warnock’s campaign spokesperson claimed that Warnock was simply “protecting the rights of young people to make sure they had a lawyer or a parent when being questioned.”
Washington Free Beacon spoke to an attendee of the camp who described some of the abuse:
Washington’s account is buttressed by records from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, obtained by the Free Beacon earlier this month, which indicated that campers were routinely left unsupervised; staffers were not subject to required criminal background check; and at least five cases of child abuse or neglect were brought against the camp’s director, who was ultimately forced to resign.
…
Washington’s sister, Dominique, who also attended Camp Farthest Out the summer her brother says he was abused, corroborated the family’s involvement in the lawsuit when contacted by the Free Beacon . Another source close to the Washington family told the Free Beacon that the lawsuit was related to an incident when counselors “poured urine on [Anthony], at the camp.”
At the time, Loeffler described the report as “disgusting,” contending that it “should be disqualifying for serving in the U.S. Senate.”
Yet, perhaps stunningly, the establishment media has remained relatively uninterested in allegations of abuse at this church camp. Further, as he faced these allegations and disputes with his wife, he continued to raise money on ActBlue, “ despite the company’s policy to not host candidates or causes that are linked to sexual or domestic violence allegations,” as the GOP noted at the time.
During this race in 2022, Walker has attempted to capitalize on Warnock’s muddied past, including accusations of neglecting his own children and “failing to pay court-mandated child care costs, despite being worth more than $800,000 and making $174,000 a year from taxpayers,” as the ad detailed
“When officials tried to serve him papers, Warnock ran from the process server,” it added.
VIDEO
Indeed, Warnock’s ex-wife took legal action over the custody of their children, citing a “substantial change of circumstances regarding the welfare of the children” after his Senate win. She ultimately accused Warnock of skipping out on child care costs.
“The fact that (Warnock) has failed to reimburse (Ndoye) has left (Ndoye) financially strapped, leaving the children in her care when she should be concentrating on work-related and school-related responsibilities,” the filing stated, alleging that Warnock’s reimbursements “often” were “accompanied with an extended questioning regarding the value of and need for the services provided.”
It remains unclear what effect the current allegations lodged against Walker will have on the highly anticipated Senate race, which could help determine the balance of the Senate. However, the establishment media’s attack does not change the fact that mounting allegations still stand against Warnock, many of which the establishment media happily swept under the rug.
Warnock Fundraises With Steyer After Voting for Legislation That Poured Billions Into Green Energy Events come amid global surge in energy prices as Democrats vilify fossil fuels
Alana Goodman •
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D., Ga.) raked in cash from wealthy green energy moguls at a series of San Francisco fundraisers last weekend, a month after voting to pass legislation that steered billions to climate initiatives and the green energy industry.
During his West Coast fundraising swing, the senator partied with billionaire investor Tom Steyer, biofuels CEO Wade Randlett, and "Defund the Police" advocate Meena Harris, the niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to photos. Steyer cohosted an event for Warnock in San Francisco on Saturday, along with NextGen America board member Andrea Evans, according to an invitation for the fundraiser. Randlett cohosted an event for Warnock on Friday.
The parties came weeks after Warnock voted for the Biden administration’s budget reconciliation bill—officially dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act—and highlight the cozy relationship between Democratic political leaders and the lucrative green tech industry. The legislation poured billions into green energy initiatives and is expected to benefit industries in which Steyer is an investor, according to analysts. The fundraisers also come amid a global surge in energy prices, with many Americans struggling to pay utility bills, and as Democratic lawmakers continue to vilify the fossil fuel industry.
Steyer, a Democratic donor who ran a short-lived campaign for president in 2020, launched a "climate investment fund" called Galvanize in 2021 with a goal of investing "billions" into decarbonization companies. The fund’s reported investments include Regrow Ag, a startup that "aims to help accelerate the shift to climate-friendly farming" and Arable, which seeks to "create a more sustainable food supply."
Both Regrow Ag and Arable were named as companies that are likely to benefit from a $20 billion earmark in the federal spending bill, according to an analysis published by the clean energy investment firm G2 Venture Partners on Aug. 17, the day after the bill was signed by President Joe Biden.
The bill "has earmarked $20B to (1) target methane and nitrous oxide emission reduction (e.g. Arable, Trace Genomics), (2) improve soil carbon and nitrogen content (e.g. Pivot Bio), and (3) avoiding / sequestering GHG emission (e.g. ProducePay, Regrow, Cloud Agronomics)," wrote G2 Venture Partners.
Steyer praised the passage of the bill as the "culmination of a decade of advocacy and persistence." Earlier this month, he attended a party at the White House celebrating the legislation.
The Friday fundraiser was cosponsored by Randlett, a biofuels mogul and CEO of the transportation fuels division at General Biofuels. The spending bill extended the biodiesel tax credit and was praised by leaders in the biofuels industry.
"This bill represents the most significant federal commitment to low-carbon biofuels since the Renewable Fuel Standard was expanded by Congress in 2007," said Renewable Fuels Association president Geoff Cooper in a statement applauding the bill.
Andrea Evans, a board member at Steyer’s nonprofit group NextGen, also cohosted the Saturday Warnock fundraising event.
The Inflation Reduction Act has faced some criticism, with Republicans arguing that it will raise taxes while steering federal funds to Democratic constituencies. Warnock praised the bill, saying it will "help lower costs for families in every corner of our state—all without raising taxes for hardworking Georgia families. That’s a win-win."
Photos from Warnock’s California fundraising trip also show him posing with his arm around Meena Harris, an Instagram lifestyle influencer and the niece of Kamala Harris. Meena Harris is a vocal advocate for the "defund the police" movement.
"Defund the police and reallocate funds to mental health and social services. This shouldn’t be controversial," wrote Harris in one Twitter post.
She later expanded on this by adding: "To everyone in my mentions policing my language, let me clarify: Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police."
The senator is the party’s top fundraiser for the midterm cycle, pulling in a whopping $17 million last quarter in his competitive faceoff against Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
Kamala cackles at Korea's DMZ . Braindead Biden speaks to ghosts . Wicked Witch Hillary curses America with lies. Halloween season must be here. Except the evil that Democrats do lasts all year long. Filled with racists, butchers, killers, liars, misanthropes, thieves, and snobs, the commie coalition of leftists in America pursues nothing but harm. Feasting on children, spreading fear and hate, they are the carnival horror show no sane person would dare permit through the gates. Wherever their power grows, Dems bring darkness (thanks, Green New Deal!), scary times, and frightening monsters. (Jeffrey Epstein didn't kill himself, after all.)
It is clear that the commie coven has cast a spell upon the country, transfixing too many otherwise rational-thinking Americans into supporting wicked things. Who could be in favor of explicitly judging people by the color of their skin? Who could support secretly grooming innocent children to partake in sexual fantasies? Who could promote mutilating a child's body as if "transgenderism" were a sacred rite? Who could demand that babies be sacrificed on the altar of convenience? Who could preach that freedom is sinful and that obedience to government is divine? Who could maliciously scare billions with the unscientific doomsaying of imminent climate apocalypse? Who could steal food and fuel from the poor, while global elites choose who will be lucky enough to eat? Who could teach Westerners self-loathing on such a grand scale? Surely only very wicked people could do such things. Or people who have become lost in the delusions of malevolent magicians who seed discord, spread lies, feed on pain, despoil innocence, and thrive on hate.
Leftism really is a curse because it twists minds into believing hideous things. Saying, "All lives matter," is somehow racist. Wanting to "Make America Great" somehow spreads hate. Treating people equally regardless of skin color promotes "white supremacy." Rewarding merit and hard work does, too. The less someone thinks of race, the more that person is condemned as "racist," while the more someone obsesses over race, the more "virtuous" that person is said to be. Only "racists" today treat people of all shades the same.
What a sick world the commies have built. White adolescent males have been intentionally left behind . Their rates for academic achievement have plummeted , while their rates for alcohol and drug dependence continue to rise . They are lonely, without purpose, and suicidal as never before, yet the merciless Marxists beat them over the head with allegations of their miraculous "supremacy." There are no scholarships for "white boys." There are no clubs where they are encouraged to belong. They are not invited to succeed. Books, television shows, and movies relentlessly paint them as the villains. The federal bureaucracy treats them as potential "domestic threats." The stories of their ancestors are rewritten as shameful tales best to forget. They have become the eternal whipping post for the hideously racist political left.
Where has compassion gone? To where has the dream of a colorblind world vanished? Why must young innocents be punished for perceived "sins" committed in the distant past? Who could possibly justify looking through a person's character and seeing instead nothing but oppressive hues? Only a race-obsessed commie coalition seeking to divide. Only hateful demagogues who maintain power by teaching others to despise.
In America, former president but lifelong Marxist Barack Obama can slander proponents of secure borders as racists , and nobody bats an eye. Babbling Vice President Harris can promise to disburse federal funds for victims of Hurricane Ian based on Americans' skin color , and corporate news talking heads applaud. Nancy Pelosi can justify millions of illegal aliens as necessary for picking crops , and America's most race-obsessed pretend not to hear. White victims can be violently targeted on the street by criminal gangs, and Democrat mayors cover up their race-based crimes. Beloved statues and monuments honoring the world historical achievements of America's Founding Fathers can be defiled and toppled, and no arrests are ever made. A white male waving the American flag or singing the National Anthem too proudly, however, is condemned for not proactively apologizing for the color of his skin. Hidden "racist" intent is seen lurking in every corner of society. Americans insufficiently dedicated to racial grievance are "canceled" for imaginary sins. Those unwilling to rewrite history are punished. Those who refuse to believe in "woke" delusions are derided. That's how the left helps evil win.
It has been said often that a culture can be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable, and by any measure the West will soon be harshly judged. It was not enough to legalize abortion while promising to keep it rare. The killing of children had to be embraced, then universalized, then celebrated, and finally used as an absurd "human right" cudgel against its opponents . It was not enough to redefine the ancient institution of marriage when destroying the traditional family was the Marxists' ultimate goal. It was never about preaching "tolerance" for others when the political left steadfastly refuses to leave God-fearing Americans alone.
Young students forced to endure Marxist indoctrination may be surprised to learn that a short time ago there was no confusion over biological sex . Nowhere in the world did any culture, scientific body, or human rights group find it controversial to believe in the existence of biologically-defined women and men. Parents had no trouble distinguishing their daughters from their sons. Schools had no need to invent hundreds of "genders" to account for each human's uniqueness. Medicine had not been so politicized as to turn basic genetics upside-down. Only a few years of propaganda and brainwashing, though, were sufficient for thousands of years of human history to be tossed out. What unbelievable witchcraft it is to transform a basic fact of life into a divisive curse for argument and division. How sinister it is to teach toddlers outright lies. How barbaric it is to encourage boys and girls to take life-altering hormones and undergo irreversible surgeries before ever growing up. What ghoulish monsters the Marxists are for mangling bodies, manipulating psyches, and ruining lives.
As if teaching racism, butchering children, and killing babies were not enough, the left's horror tale is not complete without the frightful terrors of global warming. So committed they are to centralized government power and so obsessed they are with unchecked population growth that the Marxists would rather terrify the world with visions of destruction than let children grow up with hope. To tell kids that their parents are killing them with "fossil" fuels. To spread outrageous propaganda that the world does not have long to live. What sinister intent inspires such apocalyptic prevarications? What kind of evil people spread such fear and dread?
It takes a certain kind of monster to intentionally hurt and scare the weak. It takes a certain kind of villain to terrorize the poor. It takes awfully racist people to obsess over the color of children's skin. It takes misanthropic Marxists to spin lies of planetary horror. Yet the evil that men do succeeds only when good men choose to remain silent. So speak up loudly every day. Break the leftists' spells. Chase the wicked far away. And never be compliant.
Image via Max Pixel .
Warnock doesn't pay income taxes on a $90K ‘parsonage allowance’ from Atlanta church
Senate records reveal that Warnock has voted with Joe Biden 96.4% of the time since getting elected to the Senate and 100% of the time in 2021.
Warnock voted with Biden for at least a trillion in new spending. Warnock voted with Biden to allow abortion up until the moment of birth. Warnock voted with Biden against restarting the Keystone XL pipeline. Warnock voted with Biden to send stimulus checks to illegal immigrants and dangerous criminals such as the Boston Marathon bomber. Warnock voted with Biden to block funding for our southern border security . Warnock voted with Biden to protect China and Iran. Warnock voted to expand firearm regulations. Warnock voted for the CDC's requirement of masks on planes, trains, and buses. Warnock voted to form a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Warnock voted for the Inflation Reduction act, which is actually a disguised version of the green new deal, along with 87,000 new tax agents to audit Georgia's small businesses. Warnock voted to send billions of dollars , without any tracking mechanism, to Ukraine. The case for Herschel Walker
The Senate race in Georgia between Herschel Walker and sitting Sen. Raphael Warnock is rapidly drifting away from the issues and focusing on the personal.
The Democrats have directed their media assassins to attack the GOP candidate for U.S. Senate, Walker.
Hence the Daily Beast claimed that Walker had impregnated a woman in 2009 and paid for her abortion.
In response to this report, Walker’s son Christian had a meltdown on social media as he accused his father of abandonment, violence, and lying about his past.
Just yesterday, Christian uploaded a 4-minute video on social media, further saying did not want to be involved further in his father’s campaign, and refuting allegations that he was paid by the Democrats to attack his father. He appeared unhinged.
Christian is almost like a dream come true for the Democrats.
His message was amplified on social media and the mainstream media.
Back in August 2021, Christian endorsed his father, and had even sold Herschel 2022 merchandise on his website.
Hershel Walker has rejected the claim about the abortion and has sued the Daily Beast.
Just yesterday, President Trump reiterated his support for Walker .
The Daily Beast previously claimed that Walker had fathered three children about whom he had not publicly acknowledged paternity as a candidate.
The Democrats are not only attempting to portray Walker as a hypocrite, i.e., that he is pro-life but paid for an abortion, but also the fact that he may be an absent, negligent father and abusive to his family.
Walker’s rival Rev. Raphael Warnock is senior pastor of Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church.
Do we have more about Warnock’s background?
The picture isn't exactly rosy.
Back in March 2020, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Warnock was accused by his then-wife Ouleye Ndoye of running over her foot with his car during a heated argument days before he filed paperwork to officially seek the office.
Warnock wasn’t charged with a crime by Atlanta police and since then, medical officials ‘didn’t find visible signs of injury in the foot that his wife said was struck by the vehicle.'
Warnock denied the allegation that he harmed his estranged wife, telling the AJC in an interview that “it didn’t happen.”
Tucker Carlson aired the police bodycam video on Fox News showing that police responded to a call from Warnock's now ex-wife.
In the video, Raphael claims he was there to pick up their children from school when they got into an argument. However, Ouleye accuses Raphael of running over her foot with his car as she was standing next to it.
Ouleye said she remained quiet (presumably about Raphael’s abusive behavior) for the sake of her children and his reputation, however, the car incident crossed the line.
She rejected Raphael’s claim of innocence, saying he was lying.
“….he’s a great actor. He is phenomenal at putting on a really good show.”
This wasn’t the only legal domestic dispute that Raphael was involved in.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Ouleye was seeking legal action to make changes to their child custody arrangement.
The 11-page filing by Ouleye requested the court to grant her additional custody of their two young children so that she can complete a Harvard University program, citing an agreement she struck with Warnock while he was campaigning for the U.S. Senate in early 2020.
Ouleye also requested that Warnock’s child support payments be recalculated because of a “substantial” increase in income after his victory in the Senate race.
So what do we have here?
Both Senate candidates in Georgia have been accused of abusive behavior and neglecting their families. Both men have had their close family members make these accusations. Both men haven't been charged. Both men have denied these allegations.
So what is the difference?
On the personal front, Herschel Walker still emerges the winner.
He is an accomplished sportsman. He won the prestigious Heisman Trophy in 1982 and played in the National Football League for 12 seasons. He is a self-made man who has also given back to society.
Now for Warnock.
Senate records reveal that Warnock has voted with Joe Biden 96.4% of the time since getting elected to the Senate and 100% of the time in 2021.
Warnock voted with Biden for at least a trillion in new spending. Warnock voted with Biden to allow abortion up until the moment of birth. Warnock voted with Biden against restarting the Keystone XL pipeline. Warnock voted with Biden to send stimulus checks to illegal immigrants and dangerous criminals such as the Boston Marathon bomber. Warnock voted with Biden to block funding for our southern border security . Warnock voted with Biden to protect China and Iran. Warnock voted to expand firearm regulations. Warnock voted for the CDC's requirement of masks on planes, trains, and buses. Warnock voted to form a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Warnock voted for the Inflation Reduction act, which is actually a disguised version of the green new deal, along with 87,000 new tax agents to audit Georgia's small businesses. Warnock voted to send billions of dollars , without any tracking mechanism, to Ukraine. Like most Democrats contesting in the midterms, Warnock isn’t talking much about Biden on the campaign trail owing to Joe’s unprecedented unpopularity. But Warnock is a staunch ally of Biden or perhaps more accurately, he supports all that Biden’s handlers stand for.
The voters in Georgia must understand that this isn’t a contest about past personal behavior that hasn't been proven, it is about the future of the nation.
Warnock's voting record makes him culpable for the hardships that have occurred due to Biden's misgovernance.
It is perfectly obvious that the Democrats are focusing on the personal life of Herschel and perhaps even concocting allegations because they cannot defend their abominable record of misgovernance.
A vote for Warnock is a vote for more hardships and persecution of political opponents.
A vote for Herschel Walker is a vote against Biden’s tyranny.
The choice should be obvious!
Image: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, via Wikipedia // public domain
Raphael Warnock’s Muddied Past Resurfaces as Camp Child Abuse Questions Go Unanswered Paras Griffin/Getty Images 6:48
Gasoline was poured on the Georgia Senate race this week as both candidates now have a series of allegations lodged against them, detailing alleged aspects of their personal lives which could seriously impact the midterm election race. But while the current focus remains on Republican candidate Herschel Walker, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) is no stranger to scandal.
The race rocketed to the national spotlight this week following anonymous allegations that the former NFL star not only encouraged a woman he was with to abort their child, but paid for it. All the while, the Republican candidate’s 23-year-old son, Christian, is lashing out on social media, accusing Walker of giving their family “the middle finger.”
Walker has denied the Daily Beast story, which appeared on Hannity on Monday night. He said he had no idea who the accuser is, adding, “It is a flat-out lie.” He also outlined his intention to sue the Daily Beast for defamation and, separately, publicly expressed love for his son, despite the young man’s bitter allegations against his father.
“You’re not a ‘family man’ when you left us to bang a bunch of women, threatened to kill us, and had us move over 6 times in 6 months running from your violence,” Christian wrote.
Facebook/Cristian Walker
While the spotlight remains on Walker as he battles these twin scandals, Warnock, a former pastor, is no stranger to being placed in the hot seat, as he has faced allegations of abuse and was famously accused of running over his then-wife’s foot with his 2014 Tesla. He and his ex-wife, Ouleye Ndoye, went through an ugly divorce, which was finalized in 2020 amid Warnock’s Senate bid runoff against former Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA).
Tucker Carlson Tonight aired body cam footage of the alleged incident, in which Ndoye tells authorities that her husband is a “great actor” and “phenomenal at putting on a really good show.”
“I’ve tried to keep the way that he acts under wraps for a long time, and today he crossed the line,” she said.
Notably, her foot did not show signs of injury as she accused Warnock of only caring about his reputation as he ran for Senate.
His then-wife said:
This man’s running for United States Senate, and all he cares about right now is his reputation.
I work at the mayor’s office, and this is a big problem. I’ve been trying to be very quiet about the way that he is for the sake of my kids and his reputation.
I’ve tried to keep the way that he acts under wraps for a long time, and today he crossed the line. So that is what is going on here, and he’s a great actor. He is phenomenal at putting on a really good show.
At the time, Warnock told police, “I barely move, and all of the sudden she’s screaming that I ran over her foot. I don’t believe it.”
He was not charged in that incident. However, his scandals do not end there, as he also faced allegations of child abuse occurring at a church camp overseen by Warnock. He was arrested in 2002 over accusations of obstructing a child abuse investigation at a church camp in Carroll County, Maryland.
As Breitbart News reported :
Warnock and Wainwright interrupted a police interview of a camp counselor in 2002. After investigators moved the interview to a picnic area, the reverends interfered against and tried to prevent one camper from directing police to other potential witnesses.
Maryland State Trooper Diane Barry of the state police Child and Sexual Assault Unit said, “I’ve never encountered resistance like that at all.”
Barry contended that the counselors consented to be interviewed after they were told they were free to go at any time and were not obligated to answer Barry’s questions. After being arrested and charged, Warnock and Wainwright were released.
The charges were dropped, and Warnock’s campaign spokesperson claimed that Warnock was simply “protecting the rights of young people to make sure they had a lawyer or a parent when being questioned.”
Washington Free Beacon spoke to an attendee of the camp who described some of the abuse:
Washington’s account is buttressed by records from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, obtained by the Free Beacon earlier this month, which indicated that campers were routinely left unsupervised; staffers were not subject to required criminal background check; and at least five cases of child abuse or neglect were brought against the camp’s director, who was ultimately forced to resign.
…
Washington’s sister, Dominique, who also attended Camp Farthest Out the summer her brother says he was abused, corroborated the family’s involvement in the lawsuit when contacted by the Free Beacon . Another source close to the Washington family told the Free Beacon that the lawsuit was related to an incident when counselors “poured urine on [Anthony], at the camp.”
At the time, Loeffler described the report as “disgusting,” contending that it “should be disqualifying for serving in the U.S. Senate.”
Yet, perhaps stunningly, the establishment media has remained relatively uninterested in allegations of abuse at this church camp. Further, as he faced these allegations and disputes with his wife, he continued to raise money on ActBlue, “ despite the company’s policy to not host candidates or causes that are linked to sexual or domestic violence allegations,” as the GOP noted at the time.
During this race in 2022, Walker has attempted to capitalize on Warnock’s muddied past, including accusations of neglecting his own children and “failing to pay court-mandated child care costs, despite being worth more than $800,000 and making $174,000 a year from taxpayers,” as the ad detailed
“When officials tried to serve him papers, Warnock ran from the process server,” it added.
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Indeed, Warnock’s ex-wife took legal action over the custody of their children, citing a “substantial change of circumstances regarding the welfare of the children” after his Senate win. She ultimately accused Warnock of skipping out on child care costs.
“The fact that (Warnock) has failed to reimburse (Ndoye) has left (Ndoye) financially strapped, leaving the children in her care when she should be concentrating on work-related and school-related responsibilities,” the filing stated, alleging that Warnock’s reimbursements “often” were “accompanied with an extended questioning regarding the value of and need for the services provided.”
It remains unclear what effect the current allegations lodged against Walker will have on the highly anticipated Senate race, which could help determine the balance of the Senate. However, the establishment media’s attack does not change the fact that mounting allegations still stand against Warnock, many of which the establishment media happily swept under the rug.
Warnock Fundraises With Steyer After Voting for Legislation That Poured Billions Into Green Energy Events come amid global surge in energy prices as Democrats vilify fossil fuels
Alana Goodman •
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D., Ga.) raked in cash from wealthy green energy moguls at a series of San Francisco fundraisers last weekend, a month after voting to pass legislation that steered billions to climate initiatives and the green energy industry.
During his West Coast fundraising swing, the senator partied with billionaire investor Tom Steyer, biofuels CEO Wade Randlett, and "Defund the Police" advocate Meena Harris, the niece of Vice President Kamala Harris, according to photos. Steyer cohosted an event for Warnock in San Francisco on Saturday, along with NextGen America board member Andrea Evans, according to an invitation for the fundraiser. Randlett cohosted an event for Warnock on Friday.
The parties came weeks after Warnock voted for the Biden administration’s budget reconciliation bill—officially dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act—and highlight the cozy relationship between Democratic political leaders and the lucrative green tech industry. The legislation poured billions into green energy initiatives and is expected to benefit industries in which Steyer is an investor, according to analysts. The fundraisers also come amid a global surge in energy prices, with many Americans struggling to pay utility bills, and as Democratic lawmakers continue to vilify the fossil fuel industry.
Steyer, a Democratic donor who ran a short-lived campaign for president in 2020, launched a "climate investment fund" called Galvanize in 2021 with a goal of investing "billions" into decarbonization companies. The fund’s reported investments include Regrow Ag, a startup that "aims to help accelerate the shift to climate-friendly farming" and Arable, which seeks to "create a more sustainable food supply."
Both Regrow Ag and Arable were named as companies that are likely to benefit from a $20 billion earmark in the federal spending bill, according to an analysis published by the clean energy investment firm G2 Venture Partners on Aug. 17, the day after the bill was signed by President Joe Biden.
The bill "has earmarked $20B to (1) target methane and nitrous oxide emission reduction (e.g. Arable, Trace Genomics), (2) improve soil carbon and nitrogen content (e.g. Pivot Bio), and (3) avoiding / sequestering GHG emission (e.g. ProducePay, Regrow, Cloud Agronomics)," wrote G2 Venture Partners.
Steyer praised the passage of the bill as the "culmination of a decade of advocacy and persistence." Earlier this month, he attended a party at the White House celebrating the legislation.
The Friday fundraiser was cosponsored by Randlett, a biofuels mogul and CEO of the transportation fuels division at General Biofuels. The spending bill extended the biodiesel tax credit and was praised by leaders in the biofuels industry.
"This bill represents the most significant federal commitment to low-carbon biofuels since the Renewable Fuel Standard was expanded by Congress in 2007," said Renewable Fuels Association president Geoff Cooper in a statement applauding the bill.
Andrea Evans, a board member at Steyer’s nonprofit group NextGen, also cohosted the Saturday Warnock fundraising event.
The Inflation Reduction Act has faced some criticism, with Republicans arguing that it will raise taxes while steering federal funds to Democratic constituencies. Warnock praised the bill, saying it will "help lower costs for families in every corner of our state—all without raising taxes for hardworking Georgia families. That’s a win-win."
Photos from Warnock’s California fundraising trip also show him posing with his arm around Meena Harris, an Instagram lifestyle influencer and the niece of Kamala Harris. Meena Harris is a vocal advocate for the "defund the police" movement.
"Defund the police and reallocate funds to mental health and social services. This shouldn’t be controversial," wrote Harris in one Twitter post.
She later expanded on this by adding: "To everyone in my mentions policing my language, let me clarify: Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police. Defund the police."
The senator is the party’s top fundraiser for the midterm cycle, pulling in a whopping $17 million last quarter in his competitive faceoff against Republican challenger Herschel Walker.
Published under: Georgia Raphael Warnock Tom Steyer
How Raphael Warnock Dodges Income Taxes
Warnock doesn't pay income taxes on a $90K ‘parsonage allowance’ from Atlanta church
Alana Goodman •Sen. Raphael Warnock (D., Ga.) has an unusual financial arrangement with an outside employer that allowed him to avoid income taxes on $89,000 in outside salary last year, according to tax experts.
Warnock, who works as the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, said the church paid him $89,000 last year as a "parsonage allowance"—as opposed to regular outside income, which is subject to strict limitations for senators under federal law. Lawmakers are not allowed to receive more than $29,895 in outside income.
The news raises questions about whether Warnock is taking a tax break that’s unavailable to the vast majority of Americans. Republicans say Warnock wants to raise taxes, pointing to his vote for a spending package in August that some analysts claim would increase taxes on low- and middle-income earners. The senator has also faced criticism for his outside financial arrangements from his opponent, Republican Herschel Walker. The Walker campaign has slammed Warnock for doubling his annual salary since taking office, raking in $120,000 from the Ebenezer Baptist Church and over $240,000 for a book deal.
Tax experts said the Internal Revenue Service created the modern "parsonage allowance" provision in the 1950s as a tax break for religious leaders, who historically lived in tax-exempt church-owned parsonages but now often rent or own their own homes. The provision allows pastors and other clergy members to deduct their estimated annual housing expenses—including mortgage payments, lawn care, furniture, and pool maintenance—from their income taxes.
Warnock’s campaign declined to comment on whether he paid income taxes on his housing allowance.
Some legal experts also questioned the Senate Ethics Committee’s decision to approve the arrangement, saying it appears to violate federal law that prohibits members of Congress from receiving more than $29,895 in outside income. Warnock’s campaign suggested that the "parsonage allowance" wasn’t subject to the same cap as regular income, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , which first reported on the arrangement last month.
"Sen. Warnock's arrangement appears to be an abuse of both the parsonage allowance provisions of the tax code and Senate ethics rules," Charlie Spies, a Republican campaign finance attorney with Dickinson Wright, told the Washington Free Beacon . "The parsonage exception in Sec. 107(2) is targeted for those who are pastors, not boondoggles for politicians."
Tax experts told the Free Beacon qualified clergy members are allowed to designate up to 100 percent of their salaries as tax-free under the parsonage exemption. Although clergy members need written acknowledgment from their church to participate, religious institutions have no say over the percentage the clergy requests and don’t provide oversight into how the employee spends this money, according to experts. Instead, participating clergy members are supposed to be regulated by the IRS.
While many pastors claim less than 40 percent of their salary as a parsonage allowance, one forensic accountant said he has seen some who take upwards of 70 or 80 percent—an amount he said was "bordering on abusive."
Warnock’s parsonage allowance adds up to nearly 75 percent of his income from the Ebenezer Baptist Church, which breaks down to about $7,400-per-month in housing expenses.
The senator owns a home in Atlanta that was recently appraised at around $1 million, according to property records. In addition to mortgage payments, the parsonage allowance can be used to cover any housing-related costs, including security, landscaping, and home furnishings.
Gil Rothenberg, the former chief of the Department of Justice tax division’s appellate section, told the Free Beacon the parsonage allowance was intended to "even the scales" between wealthy churches and poorer ones, which can’t always afford to provide a well-maintained home for their ministers.
But he said there have also been past cases where religious leaders have abused the system. In 2002, Rothenberg represented the government in a legal dispute with Rick Warren, a megachurch pastor who had claimed $80,000 of his salary as a "parsonage allowance"—an amount that the IRS claimed exceeded the value of his housing. The case prompted Congress to update the law, capping the parsonage allowance at the fair rental value of the home, plus furnishings and maintenance.
"The kinds of cases that got to me when I was at DOJ were basically the really abusive ones," said Rothenberg. "I don’t know how many other ministers are basically padding their parsonage allowance. Nobody knows. You hope that the CPA, or whoever is doing their taxes, is doing it correctly."
While churches note that the provision is crucial for many clergy members, who often don’t earn large salaries, the rule has also been controversial. Critics have accused some clergy members of taking advantage of the exemption, using it to pay for lavish vacation homes and other luxuries.
Peter Reilly, a certified public accountant who has written about parsonage allowances, said Warnock’s allowance "seems like a lot, but it’s not crazy" in comparison with others he has seen.
"Some of the parsonage [allowances] can tend to be enormous," he told the Free Beacon . "Some of the televangelists, it’s millions."
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