White House meetings illegal, church-state watchdog says
watchdog is demanding a halt to meetings
between the Trump administration and an
informal group of evangelical advisers who have
proved to be among the president’s staunchest
supporters.
Americans United for Separation of Church and
State said the group is violating the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, a 1972 law that
provides transparency and procedural standards
for committees created to meet with the
executive branch. The watchdog called for a
stop to the group’s meetings and advising
“unless and until” it complies with the law.
“It is clear that the President’s Evangelical
Advisory Board is doing substantive work with
the Trump Administration behind closed doors —
without any sunlight for the public to understand
how and why decisions are being made,” wrote
Americans United Associate Legal Director Alex
J. Luchenitser in a Thursday (Aug. 30) letter
addressed to White House counsel Don McGahn
and other administration officials. It also was
sent to Johnnie Moore, who has served as an
unofficial spokesman for the evangelical group.
The letter comes in the same week that
President Trump hosted a dinner for close to
100 evangelicals in the White House’s State
Dining Room. The president welcomed them on
Monday by saying “these are very special
friends of mine, Evangelical pastors and leaders
from all across the nation.” Ticking off the
names of leaders in attendance, including
Florida megachurch pastor Paula White,
evangelist Franklin Graham and Liberty
University President Jerry Falwell Jr., Trump
added: “I know you, I watch you, I see you.
Yours are the words we want to hear.”
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