| We will leave it up to the reader to
determine whether Mike Huckabee has made serious errors in judgment. Mr Huckabee has
supported a Conservative Christian position especially when it comes to Church and State
issues, but he has raised taxes.
It
is apparent from the data collected, that the Constitution and First Amendment may be in
danger from his past and future actions.
There are several ethics violations involving his stint
as governor of Arkansas. We can not tolerate the continuation of the Bush philosophy
of violating ethics, breaking the law and ignoring the law breaking.
Mike Huckabee's office like others we called, stated that
his position is that Hinduism or Islam aren't "Real" religions." What
is a real religion, Mr. Huckabee? What you have been practicing? Read the
following and remember: "By their Works may they be known." This is a
summary of information collected from several sources about Mike Huckabee.
(Remember it is best to investigate on your own when
looking at allegations about anyone. Don't believe us, think for
yourself and investigate for yourself! And remember, the Religious Freedom Coalition
of the Southeast, does not represent any political party nor do we recommend any political
candidate, nor are we involving ourselves in the political process. This information
is only for students of Mike Huckabee)
Huckabee Is Going to
Run For President
We still have some basic doubts that the Mike Huckabee In 2012 thing is even happening. But the good
news is that Huck still
remains atop the Gallup poll of Presidential
aspirants:
Nineteen percent of
self-identified Republican adults nationwide chose Huckabee, who led
a crowded slate of potential candidates. Mitt Romney came in second
at 15%, followed by Palin (12%), Newt Gingrich (10%), Ron Paul (6%),
and Michele Bachmann (5%).
No matter what else happens,
that steady foundation of support remains a constant. And that's why
even if it looks like Huckabee may not even begin, we can't quit him
either.
But if Huckabee quits?
"But without Huckabee in the race, Romney leads with 19 percent, with
Palin trailing close behind at 17 percent."
General Information
Full Name:
Michael Dale
“Mike” Huckabee is a former governor, former
lard-ass, and former presidential candidate.
Political Office: Governor of
Arkansas, 1996-Jan. 2007; Lt. Governor of
Arkansas, 1993-96.
Business/Professional Experience: Huckabee is an evangelical minister, as well as an author and a rock
musician, thus allowing him the rare opportunity to publicly burn his own books
and records. He is also famous for having lost 110 pounds in a very short amount
of time, a feat he accomplished mostly by switching to low-carb communion
wafers.
Resume: Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church (Pine Bluff, Ark.), 1980-85; President
and Founder, ACTS 24 Hour Channel, 1983-1986; Pastor, Beech Street First Baptist Church
(Texarkana, Ark.), 1986-1992; President, KBSC-TV (Texarkana, Ark.), 1987-1992; President,
Cambridge Communications (Texarkana, Ark.), 1992-1996.
Associations/Non-profit: Part
time Director, Center for Education and Public Policy Ouachita Baptist University;
Co-chairman, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation; Founder, past president American
Christian Television Systems (Pine Bluff, Ark.); Former President Arkansas Baptist
Convention, 1989-91; Former Chairman, Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission; Former
Chairman, Southern Governors' Association.
Date of Birth: August 24, 1955
Place of Birth: Hope, Ark.
Education: B.A., Religion,
Ouachita Baptist University, 1976; Postgrad., Southwestern Baptist
Theological Seminary (Fort Worth, Tex.), 1977; L.H.D., John Brown
Univ, 1991; LL.D., Ouachita Baptist University, 1992.
Certification: Ordained to
ministry Southern Baptist Convention, 1974.
Spouse: Married Janet McCain,
May 25, 1974
Children:
Sons: John Mark and
David; daughter: Sarah.
Early Life
The Lord created Mike Huckabee in Hope, Arkansas, a town famous not only for
producing Bill Clinton, but also the world’s largest watermelons, the
Lewinskyan implications of which are too staggering to contemplate. Born August
24, 1955 to parents Mae and Dorsey, Huckabee shares his birthday with
international irritants Yasser Arafat and
Steve Guttenberg.
After finishing Hope High School in 1973, Huckabee attended Ouachita Baptist
University, aka “the Harvard of West Central Arkansas.” He graduated OBU
magna cum laude, Latin for “rapidly expanding backside,” before attending
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, where he dropped
out after only one year. Reportedly, it was too much of a party school for him.
Pastoral Career
At 23, Huckabee cut his teeth in the world of televangelism, serving as
public relations dick for Rev. James Robison, whose own take on spreading the
gospel entailed hawking vitamins on late night TV and funneling African aid to
himself and his wife.
From 1980-1992, Huckabee pastorized his own flock, first in Texarkana and
then Pine Bluff, Arkansas, starting local 24-hour Christian television stations
in both communities. As a minister, he preached the doctrine of “Biblical
inerrancy,” which essentially asserts that everything in the Bible is 100%
historically and scientifically accurate. Yes, even the part with the talking
snake and the guy who reaches into his own chest cavity, pulls out a bone, and
rubs dust on it to make himself a girlfriend.
Political Career
There’s only one place for Republican religious zealots in Arkansas:
politics. Also, Klan meetings.
Governor
In 1992, Huckabee made a wildly unsuccessful 1992 bid for U.S. Senate.
Crucified at the polls, his political career was resurrected several months
later, when then-governor Bill Clinton ascended to the White House, leaving open
the lieutenant’s seat—a seat into which Huckabee nonetheless managed to squeeze
his rather ample buttocks. Three years later he somehow wedged his even-wider
self into the unexpired governor’s desk, vacated by John Tucker, who was forced
from office in the wake of the Whitewater scandal.
In this way, Huckabee owes his entire political career to the Clintons, a
favor he intends to repay by saving them front-row seats at the Rapture.
Presidential Candidacy
Emboldened by two gubernatorial terms that many actually characterize as
fairly decent—a dubious distinction considering Arkansas is one of the poorest,
least literate states in America—Huckabee decided to run for the 2008 Republican
presidential nomination.
As far as anyone could tell, Huckabee had no real campaign platform aside
from the usual Republican spate of anti-anything fun (aside from legalized
assault weapons). As a candidate who existed just to appease the crackpots on
the far right, Huckabee was in essence the Republican Dennis Kucinich, only he
didn't know he couldn’t win and his wife wasn’t nearly as hot.
Between Huckabee’s initial announcement and the Iowa Straw Poll—a non-binding
vote that serves as an opportunity for Midwest Republicans to eat funnel cakes
and check out the new John Deere models—Huckabee’s campaign didn’t do much of
anything.
Then, he received an endorsement from Chuck Norris, who threatened to kick
every Iowan’s ass if Huckabee didn’t take the state caucus. The Missing in
Action star also struck fear into the hearts of West Virginians, Alabamians
and Kansans, leading to Huckabee victories in those states. Despite this,
Huckabee still got his ass handed to him by John McCain, who carried all the
states that still teach evolution in their public schools.
Despite the near mathematical impossibility of winning the nomination,
Huckabee refused to concede, stating: “I majored in miracles, not math.” He has
drawn a lot of fire for that comment, because technically miracles were just his
concentration. He really majored in Feminist Theory.
After dropping out of the election, Huckabee did what any ultraconservative
addicted to the attention would do: got a show on Fox News. It is expected that
this will help launch his 2012 presidential campaign by giving him proper time
to craft even more of the worst jokes anyone has ever heard.
Baptist Bassist
The only cool thing about Mike Huckabee is that he’s a pretty sick bassist in
a southern-fried rock band, Capitol Offense, which has opened for such artists
as REO Speedwagon and Grand Funk Railroad. In the non-chance he would have been
elected, Huckabee could have been the first U.S. President to front a band since
Martin Van Buren’s eponymous shred-heavy juggernaut “Van Buren.” There is also
every indication he would have packed his cabinet with all the surviving members
of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Fat Baptist
In 2003, an obese Mike Huckabee, who admitted to weighing 280-300 pounds
(meaning an actual tally probably closer to 350), followed in the footsteps of
other diet-conscious politicians like Mohandas K. Gandhi and became cadaverously
thin almost overnight. He has since received several accolades for his work as a
“health crusader,” despite his strong ties to the tobacco industry and his
flip-flop on the federal smoking ban.
Fox News Show
In late 2008, Mike Huckabee joined the cracker-jack Fox News team with
weekend talk show called Huckabee. On it, Mike interviews Chuck Norris,
gives his fans gifts like ties with pictures of his guitar on them, performs
"comedy," and plays the guitar. This has put Huckabee at the top of his time
slot because America is also a dick.
Ethics Violations:
June 25, 2002 Excerpt from an article about Mike
Huckabee in the New York Times: The state's former executive chief information officer,
Randall Bradford, said he and other employees were pressured to donate to Gov. Mike
Huckabee's re-election campaign. Governor Huckabee, a Republican, fired Mr. Bradford last
month, saying he was not trustworthy. Mr. Bradford, who was paid $150,000 a year, told The
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he was fired for refusing orders to stonewall legislators
about the state's troubled new computer system.
October 31, 2002 Excerpt from and article about Mike
Huckabee in the New York Times: Mr. Huckabee was already being accused of having
pretensions to royalty. For example, he accepted $23,000 in clothing and gift certificates
from Jennings Osborne, a wealthy supporter and appointee, in 2000 alone, then sued to
block the state ethics commission from investigating such gifts.
November 21, 2007, Excerts from and article by Kenneth P.
Vogel in Politico.com: At present, his career has also been colored by 14 ethics
complaints and a volley of questions about his integrity, ranging from his management of
campaign cash to his use of a nonprofit organization to subsidize his income to his
destruction of state computer files on his way out of the governor’s office.
Some of the ethics complaints deal with fairly penny ante stuff, and most were dismissed.
They did, however, yield five admonitions and $1,000 in fines from Arkansas' Ethics
Commission and, perhaps more significantly, a pattern-of-corruption theme Democrats used
to pound Republicans in the 2006 midterm elections.
In fact, when Huckabee entered the presidential race in January, the Democratic National
Committee was quick to
highlight a couple of the ethics issues that have dogged him and urged him to come
clean about his … history of ethical lapses:
Huckabee Depletes Emergency Fund, Destructs Government
Property as He Leaves Office. "Former Gov. Mike
Huckabee depleted the governor's office emergency fund in the final weeks of his
administration in part to pay for the destruction of computer hard drives in his office.
That left Gov. Mike Beebe, who replaced Huckabee on Jan. 9, with no emergency funds for
the last half of fiscal 2007. Documents that the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette obtained under
the Freedom of Information Act, describe the destruction of the computer drives, as
ordered by Huckabee's office, and Huckabee complaining strongly about his cell phone and
Blackberry not working" [Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 1/19/07]
Huckabee Defended Tax Hikes.
Governor Huckabee had to rebut criticisms from "fiscally
responsible" Republican groups such as the Cato Institute and the Club for Growth,
that during his tenure as Governor he raised taxes. On the defensive, Huckabee
acknowledged that any tax increases were for important public purposes, and that he cut
other taxes. [New York Times, 1/29/07]
Huckabee Defended Parole of Convicted Rapist Who Later
Committed Murder.
Governor Huckabee found himself
defending the "parole, during Huckabee's governorship, of convicted rapist Wayne
Dumond, who later committed a murder in Missouri. Huckabee said he regretted Dumond's
actions but denied playing a proactive role in the release decision by Arkansas' parole
board, and claimed that most of the board's members had been appointed by his
predecessors." [New York Times, 1/29/07]
After Huckabee fielded ethics questions on
“Fox News Sunday,” campaign aides for former Tennessee Sen. Fred
Thompson, who’s competing with Huckabee for socially conservative voters, put out
a
statement accusing Huckabee of “repeatedly dodg[ing] questions about his ethical
problems.”
Huckabee’s campaign, in a statement to Politico, said it was “suspect” that
the ethics issues are being raised as Huckabee surges in the polls and said Huckabee
repeatedly addressed the issues during his time as governor.
The campaign said the state ethics commission, which Huckabee sued twice, “has been
misused as a weapon against Republicans” and that Huckabee “has been unfairly
attacked regarding his ethics history while governor of Arkansas.”
On “Fox News Sunday,” Huckabee called the ethics complaints “pure
nonsense” — the product of rough-and-tumble Arkansas politics.
And he said they’ll actually make him a stronger presidential candidate.
“The one thing it proves is that I’m prepared for a presidential campaign.
I’ve been through this stuff,” he told host Chris Wallace. “I don’t
have a glass jaw.”
That jaw will likely continue to be tested as opponents and the national media delve more
deeply into these areas:
Campaign Cash
The ethics commission fined Huckabee $1,000 for failing to report that he paid himself
$14,000 from his 1992 U.S. Senate campaign and $43,000 from his 1994 lieutenant governor's
campaign.
The latter payment — for the use of his eight-seat, twin-engine plane — was
reported in a cryptic way that didn’t identify Huckabee and his wife as the owners of
the plane.
Huckabee sued the commission, alleging its investigation
into the campaign payments violated state rules and his due process rights.
And he asked the judge to impose a statute of limitations on ethics complaints.
The commission, whose director accused Huckabee of trying “to shut the commission
down,” sued Huckabee for trying to quash its subpoenas, though both sides dropped
their suits after reaching an out-of-court settlement.
Action America
The commission found Huckabee unintentionally failed to disclose $23,500 he received from
a nonprofit organization set up to handle his speaking engagements and supplement his
income before he became governor.
The nonprofit, Action America, paid Huckabee a total of $41,500 in 1994 and 1995 but
missed IRS filing deadlines for those years.
Huckabee has repeatedly declined to disclose the handful of benefactors who financed the
group.
After Huckabee’s “Fox News Sunday” appearance, Thompson’s campaign
accused the former governor of using Action America to “funnel his speaking fees
through the organization and avoid disclosure requirements.”
Gifts
According to Huckabee’s disclosure reports, he accepted more than 300 gifts worth at
least $130,000, ranging from $3,700 cowboy boots to a $600 chainsaw and $250 worth of
dental care.
Plenty of politicians accept gifts of all sorts, but Huckabee had problems with Arkansas
gift rules that bar public officials from accepting rewards for official action and
require them to report the value and source of gifts.
He alleged in a second lawsuit against the commission that the rules were
unconstitutionally vague.
Meanwhile, commissioners were investigating a $500 canoe that Coca-Cola gave him and
ultimately fined him $250 for accepting it because they said it rewarded him for doing his
job.
A judge later overturned the canoe decision but upheld an admonition for Huckabee’s
failure to report receiving a $200 stadium blanket the same year.
Governor’s Mansion
In 1998, a former governor’s mansion employee and others sued Huckabee over his
assertion that $70,000 worth of furniture donated to the governor's mansion was his to
keep, as well as his family’s use of a $60,000-a-year fund.
The fund had been used to pay for pizza, a doghouse, a magazine subscription and pantyhose
for Huckabee’s wife, Janet, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
The suit was settled with Huckabee admitting no wrongdoing but acknowledging a
"dispute regarding reimbursements” and making clear the furniture was for the
mansion.
'Wedding' Registry
As the Huckabees prepared to leave the governor’s mansion last year for a private
home in the Little Rock suburbs, Janet Huckabee’s friends set up registries on two
stores' websites listing $7,000 worth of housewarming gifts, ranging from napkins to a
$300 KitchenAid mixer.
Arkansas newspapers quoted state lawmakers criticizing the registries, which were listed
as “wedding” registries, even though the Huckabees have been married since 1974.
Huckabee explained the only option other than weddings was baby showers.
And the couple lashed out at Arkansas media for their coverage of the registries, which
Janet Huckabee told the Democrat-Gazette did “permanent damage.”
Computer Drives
Before leaving office Jan. 9, Huckabee spent $13,000 in state funds to destroy the hard
drives of nearly 100 computers in the governor’s office.
He pointed out that he had backed up the data and argued that the hard drive destruction
was standard practice to prevent the dissemination of sensitive information related to
employees or constituents.
Critics suggested he was hiding something. But the ethics commission dismissed complaints
alleging violations of record management rules.
That might not be the end of the story, though.
A lawyer is suing Huckabee, alleging that he misspent state money on the destruction.
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