Forbes reports on Kent Hovind's Innocence Claims
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Larry: or the Shedd, or any number of other great places.
Thanks to Tyler for pointing out more clearly what I was trying to say. Since the state has invoked religion in the decision, the lawsuit stays alive. That leaves a very interesting question of why the tax scenario is so complicated in Kentucky—if taxes are supposed to be fair and equitable, that really ought not leave a lot of room for state officials to embarrass themselves in this way.
Enough of that from me, though. Maybe I should leave it as this; there is a great place for scholarly activism on the topic of origins, and it’s a shame when showmanship overtakes the scholarship.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
[TylerR]I completely disagree with what’s being said here about AiG. There have been several errors:
- Kentucky bailed on the tax incentive program because they’re concerned AiG’s will evangelize folks who come. Their letter to AiG said so. AiG has the letter on their website. It was not due to low attendance projections
- AiG was not getting money from Kentucky. They applied for tax breaks. That is quite different. AiG is funding the project; it is not being built with state money.
- The lawsuit is over alleged religious discrimination, because Kentucky, AiG alleges, has no right to deny tax incentives to projects because the state disagrees with the religious stance of an organization. I believe they make a good point. As a Baptist, I wouldn’t even want a group like American Atheists to lose out on similar incentives, if they were so inclined.
Disagree with AiG all you want - at least accurately report the issues. I could hunt around for hyperlinks for my bulletpoints (above), but I don’t have time. If you’re really interested, it won’t take you long to find documentation of what I said.
Right: tax-breaks. I understand that there would be no direct state funding (i.e. the state would not be “cutting them a check,” so to speak).
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It’s incorrect to say that “AIG is funding the project” though. Investors (by & large) would be funding it, through the purchase of (quote) “junk” bonds—rated as such due to their inherently high probability for default.
I remember reading through the prospectus (which was available online once—still might be) and thinking to myself: “Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker’s Heritage USA had a more realistic business plan than this.” (And everyone knows how that turned out.)
blah blah blah… legitimate or illegitimate reasoning for a lawsuit. Doesn’t really matter. The point is that is all one really hears from AiG about these days. Discrimination that. Billboard this. Debate washed up TV host, lets build and amusement park, etc. etc. etc…
Well, that’s strange, because AiG still has a web site up with many helpful articles and resources, and they still do conferences in churches that help to strengthen the faith of Christians in God’s Word and the creation account.
Honestly, I didn’t know anything about said billboard, and the whole Ark thing doesn’t bother me as much as it obviously does some of you.
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Greg Long, Ed.D. (SBTS)
Pastor of Adult Ministries
Grace Church, Des Moines, IA
Adjunct Instructor
School of Divinity
Liberty University
States and/or municipalities do not want to provide TIF to non-public projects that they believe may not be long-term viable.
The reason they will provide TIF is because they expect a long-term return on their “investment”: e.g. jobs creation (producing future, ongoing tax revenues); increased sales-tax revenue, corporate taxes, etc. as derived from the project. It is not in the best interest of the funding authority to “back” a project that is likely to go belly-up. Why? Because the state or municipality can end up being stuck with a “white elephant” that not only does not provide the expected return from their TIF “investment,” but which in fact may become an expense to them (in the form of it being needed to be kept physically secured, policed, and ultimately even demolished at public expense, if its infrastructure becomes a public-safety hazard).
And yes, KY has muddied this principle with their apparent statements to AIG.
AIG & TIF:
- To be opposed to the Ark project does not mean I am opposed to AIG (but to be clear, I think the Ark Encounter is folly!)
- To be opposed to TIF does not mean I am against AIG (TIF is a little complex and worth reading about to understand it)
- This linked American Conservative article is worth a read. (key quote below)
Now here is the multi-million dollar question: Why did Ark Encounter need to resort to such a dubious government/tax arrangement to begin with? The answer is simple: they could not raise enough money through direct investments or donations in the free market. And this was widely known: their fundraising efforts and investment efforts had largely failed. There are multiple reports at different times over the past few years (many linked below). The free market said we don’t want to fund an Ark. So, it appears that Ham and Co. got the local government to float the thing on indirect tax subsidies. It’s that simple. It appears to me that this project would not have continued without government intervention.
For what it’s worth, even if Hovind is a bit weird, he doesn’t deserve to be locked up for the rest of his life. Murderers and rapists and big business swindlers often don’t get that treatment. Something’s wrong here. I pray Hovind gets released, even as I pray he retreats into the background and allows his son to continue his good work.
Dr. Paul Henebury
I am Founder of Telos Ministries, and Senior Pastor at Agape Bible Church in N. Ca.
I tend to agree Paul.
Agreed that it’s breathtaking how guys like Hovind get the book thrown at them while Al Sharpton and others don’t even get their businesses shut down, but it’s worth noting that it does not appear that the sentence imposed would officially be a life sentence. Rather, Hovind is old enough so that any lengthy sentence imposed would be in effect a life sentence.
And as I noted above, Hovind’s sentences are not just because he evaded taxes a la Sharpton and many others. He is also trying to create a pseudo-intellectual justification for these—he’s also inciting others to do the same. Hence the harsher treatment, same way the courts deal out harsher sentences for Gambinos and Columbos than they do for lesser gangsters.
So while I would agree that it’s a shame that the IRS is not going after people like Geithner and Sharpton more vigorously, and I’d agree that there’s evidence to indicate it could be political, I shed no tears for the “persecution” of Kent Hovind. To paraphrase Smith Barney, he got his sentence the old fashioned way; he earned it.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
He is due for release in August of this year. He received a fair trial.
Now the other thing, another trial upcoming for mail fraud. If he is guilty one would think he would have learned!
Hovind did little to help himself at his 2006 trial:
Federal criminal tax-related trial and convictions in 2006:
After being indicted, Hovind claimed incomprehension to the charges, telling the court: “I still don’t understand what I’m being charged for and who is charging me.” Magistrate Miles Davis asked Hovind if he wrote and spoke English, to which Hovind responded “To some degree”. Davis replied that the government adequately explained the allegations and the defendant understands the charges “whether you want to admit it or not.” Hovind stated that he did not recognize the government’s right to try him on tax-fraud charges. At first he attempted to enter a plea of “subornation of false muster,” but then entered a not guilty plea “under duress” when the judge offered to enter a plea for him. At the time of the arrest Hovind’s passport and guns were seized. Hovind protested, arguing that he needed his passport to continue his evangelism work, and that “thousands and thousands” were waiting to hear him preach in South Africa the following month. The court refused to reconsider, accepting the argument that “like-minded people” might secret Hovind away if he left the country. Because of reports of weapons on the Hovind property, the indictment was originally sealed for fear of danger to the arresting agents. More than a half-dozen guns were seized at the Hovind’s home, including an SKS semiautomatic rifle. Also, “During an IRS raid at the home, agents found and seized numerous cash stashes totalling $42,000.” Evidence produced at the trial revealed that Jo Hovind had requested financial assistance from Baptist Healthcare claiming that the Hovinds had no income. “ ‘Dr. and Mrs. Kent Hovind do not earn salaries,’ wrote Martha Harris, the trust secretary of Creation Science Evangelism to Baptist Healthcare. ‘As health insurance is not provided for this couple, we would appreciate (financial assistance).’” However, continues the article, “Kent Hovind, a tax protester, makes a substantial amount of money”. The Pensacola News Journal noted, “On the day the IRS searched the Hovind home, Kent Hovind withdrew $70,000 from the Creation Science Evangelism account. Half in a check; the other in cash.”
More:
On October 21, 2006, the trial began in which he hoped to convince a jury that his amusement park admission and merchandise sales belonged to God and cannot be taxed. Former and current workers, IRS agents, a bank employee, and a lawyer of a non-profit Christian organization testified in the trial. The IRS agents told the court how Hovind attempted “bullying tactics” and sued the government three times, which were thrown out, to pressure them to stop investigating. Several people who worked for Hovind testified that they had to punch time cards, and had vacation and sick days, while others testified that Hovind claimed he had “beat” the tax system. During the trial, the judge “admonished” Hovind’s attorney for wasting time and asking irrelevant questions. The trial concluded on November 1 with the defense deciding not to present a case. After closing arguments were presented on November 2, the jury deliberated three hours before finding the Hovinds guilty on all counts, 58 for Hovind and 44 for his wife. The Pensacola News Journal noted, “The saddest thing: Had they cooperated with the agents, they probably wouldn’t be worrying about prison sentences now.”
I personally take paying taxes very seriously. I am very careful in tax preparation and make sure I pay everything required. Why? As a Christian I am commanded to do this!
Turns out that back in the early 80’s I had a mistake on my taxes. It was related to renting a room in my home that I owned when I was in seminary school. About 3 years after I had filed, the IRS contacted me and asked me to explain. I hired a man who was both an attorney and a CPA to sort the thing out and file an amended return to resolve. I had to pay some back taxes and a penalty (it wasn’t much … as I recollect much less than $ 1000. I think I paid more for the attorney than the back taxes.
I had another incident in my tax life where I had failed to renew my license plate tabs on my old truck (2002 Chevy S-10). The amount in question was less than $ 100 (as I recollect $ 96). An aggressive cop arrested me for this, my truck was towed and I was charged with intent to evade taxes (a 5th degree misdemeanor). Because I work for an major financial institution, a conviction would have resulted in my termination. The issue was finally resolved in being reduced to a petty misdemeanor and a fine of a couple hundred bucks (actually just checked … was $ 378). It was not a fun time but it was a learning experience.
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