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| US pastor resigns in gay sex row | US pastor resigns in gay sex row |
| (10 days later) | |
| The leader of the 30-million-member National Association of Evangelicals in the US has resigned after being accused of paying for sex with a man. | The leader of the 30-million-member National Association of Evangelicals in the US has resigned after being accused of paying for sex with a man. |
| The Reverend Ted Haggard said he would also temporarily step aside as head of his 14,000-strong New Life Church while his colleagues investigated the claims. | The Reverend Ted Haggard said he would also temporarily step aside as head of his 14,000-strong New Life Church while his colleagues investigated the claims. |
| Mr Haggard, who is known as a vocal opponent of same-sex marriages, denies the accusations. | Mr Haggard, who is known as a vocal opponent of same-sex marriages, denies the accusations. |
| But a spokesman for his Colorado church said he had admitted "some guilt". | But a spokesman for his Colorado church said he had admitted "some guilt". |
| The row began after Mike Jones told a radio show in Denver, Colorado, that he had been paid to have sex with Mr Haggard nearly every month over the past three years. | The row began after Mike Jones told a radio show in Denver, Colorado, that he had been paid to have sex with Mr Haggard nearly every month over the past three years. |
| I've never had a gay relationship with anybody and I'm steady with my wife Reverend Ted Haggard | I've never had a gay relationship with anybody and I'm steady with my wife Reverend Ted Haggard |
| In a statement to the New Life Church, Mr Haggard said he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations". | In a statement to the New Life Church, Mr Haggard said he could "not continue to minister under the cloud created by the accusations". |
| "I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity," he said. | "I am voluntarily stepping aside from leadership so that the overseer process can be allowed to proceed with integrity," he said. |
| In an interview with KUSA-TV, Mr Haggard said he "never had a gay relationship with anybody". | In an interview with KUSA-TV, Mr Haggard said he "never had a gay relationship with anybody". |
| "I'm steady with my wife, I'm faithful to my wife," he said. | "I'm steady with my wife, I'm faithful to my wife," he said. |
| 'Some admission' | 'Some admission' |
| But the acting pastor of his church in Colorado, Ross Parsley, said Mr Haggard had made some admissions. | But the acting pastor of his church in Colorado, Ross Parsley, said Mr Haggard had made some admissions. |
| "There has been some admission of indiscretion," he said. "Not admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt." | "There has been some admission of indiscretion," he said. "Not admission to all of the material that has been discussed, but there is an admission of some guilt." |
| The allegations come as voters in Colorado and several other US states are due to hold simultaneous votes on gay marriage laws. | The allegations come as voters in Colorado and several other US states are due to hold simultaneous votes on gay marriage laws. |
| Mike Jones said he had been paid to have sex | Mike Jones said he had been paid to have sex |
| Mr Jones, 49, said Mr Haggard's public stance on gay marriage had prompted him to reveal the details of their relationship. | Mr Jones, 49, said Mr Haggard's public stance on gay marriage had prompted him to reveal the details of their relationship. |
| "It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," Mr Jones told the Associated Press news agency. | "It made me angry that here's someone preaching about gay marriage and going behind the scenes having gay sex," Mr Jones told the Associated Press news agency. |
| Mr Haggard, who has five children, became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in 2003. | Mr Haggard, who has five children, became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in 2003. |
| The preacher - who is also known as Pastor Ted - is one of America's most influential and politically well-connected religious leaders, says the BBC's Jane Little in Washington. | The preacher - who is also known as Pastor Ted - is one of America's most influential and politically well-connected religious leaders, says the BBC's Jane Little in Washington. |
| He has maintained close contacts with the White House and helped promote a conservative values platform. | He has maintained close contacts with the White House and helped promote a conservative values platform. |
| His resignation comes as a blow for Republicans, who are hoping to energise a demoralised Christian base ahead of mid-term elections, our correspondent says. | His resignation comes as a blow for Republicans, who are hoping to energise a demoralised Christian base ahead of mid-term elections, our correspondent says. |