Gordon Klingenschmitt

Born in 1968 to a single mother in Buffalo, New York, he was adopted at age 3 by Joanne and Carl Klingenschmitt, Roman Catholics who had him baptized. He was raised in suburban Akron, New York.[2]

Klingenschmitt graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a bachelor's degree in political science and from Regent University with a master's degree in divinity, a Master of Business Administration, and a Doctor of Philosophy in theology.[3]

At the Air Force Academy, he attended a Pentecostal Bible study. Klingenschmitt was "born again" on December 13, 1986, when he "invited Jesus Christ to rule my heart in ways he had never previously done."[2] He entered into active duty in the United States Air Force on May 29, 1991 and continued his service with the Air Force until September 2, 2002. He served in the United States Navy as a military chaplain.[4]

Klingenschmitt ran for the 15th district seat in the Colorado House of Representatives in the 2014 elections. He received 70% of the vote in the general election to win the seat.[5]

In 2006, when Klingenschmitt was a U.S. Navy Chaplain, he took a stand against a Navy policy that prohibited "sectarian" prayers in uniform outside of chapel. Original documents confirm that:

• 1) His supervisor explained the Navy policy SECNAVINST 1730.7C by telling Klingenschmitt "if you pray in Jesus' name, you can be punished."This is a deceptive statement and does not reflect the contextual truth of the matter. His supervisor (a Navy Captain Command Chaplain), explained to Klingenschmitt and all other Navy chaplains gathered for the training session, that any reference to punishment was not a "blanket statement" that summarily demanded punishment without qualifying conditions. The explanation by the Command Chaplain was that the Commanding Officer had the prerogative of asking that a chaplain pray a non-sectarian prayer at command ceremonial events. Before assigning a chaplain to such an event, the Command Chaplain would ask that chaplain if he/she would be willing to pray a non-sectarian prayer. If the chaplaibn answered that he/she would not do so, then that chaplain would be exempt from that duty without any prejudice involved. However, if the chaplain agreed to do the non-sectarian prayer and then did not honor that commitment, it would amount to disobedience of a lawful order and command punishment could follow. During Klingenschmitt's service, the Commanding Officer never made such a request of any chaplain and the training topic was never discussed again. Klingenschmitt was never sent to any event with an instruction (or even a caution) that he was prohibited from praying in Jesus' name. The order that he disobeyed and which led to his Special Court Martial had absolutely nothing to do with praying in Jesus' name. He continues to spin this inaccurately and one wonders why his self-proclaimed commitment to truth as a Christian permits him to perpetuate this deceptive spin? The recording is not in the context of a specific assignment inquiry, but is a brief part of a training session involving all of the Station chaplains gathered for an update of SECNAVINST 1730.7C. The question (which was asked and answered by the Command Chaplain), reflected a heuristic teaching technique and was addressed to all chaplains in attendance. Klingenschmitt's brief secret recording (in which he did not participate) of a 2-3 hour training session is meaningless without being placed in its full context. Why doesn't he provide the entire training session and let context define the incident that he so conveniently twists?[6]
• 2) He not only already possessed the regulatory right of all Chaplains but also personally obtained prior written permission to wear his uniform during prayers.[7]
• 3) Eyewitnesses confirmed he only read prayers in uniform, as he was permitted to do.[8]
• 4) Klingenschmitt demanded his own misdemeanor trial, but the JAG (Navy Judge) elected to enforce 1730.7C against (p. 3) as the only policy behind the "lawfulness" on the grounds that "public worship" was protected, as opposed to "worshipping in public".[9]
• 5) Hundreds of thousands of Americans, 29 groups and 70+ Congressmen petitioned the President on Klingenschmitt's behalf.[10]
• 6) That same week, after Klingenschmitt personally met with his chief of staff, Senator John Warner made a speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate to move that U.S. Senate chaplains be accorded the same rights as those of U.S. House of Representatives chaplains.[11]
• 7) Congress ordered Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) to rescind the same policy that was enforced in his trial.[12]
• 8) On 21 Nov 2007, the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) rescinded 1730.7C.[13]

During his time as a Navy chaplain, Klingenschmitt was "a vocal critic of the Navy's policies on prayer in ceremonial settings"[14] engaging in "a long-running battle with the military over regulations requiring chaplains to deliver inclusive prayers at military events other than religious services."[15] Klingenschmitt "accused his superiors of pressuring chaplains to offer generic, nonsectarian prayers" and as a result "gained wide attention and sympathy among religious conservatives."[14]

During a 2012 appearance on The David Pakman Show, Klingenschmitt debated Jonathan Phelps, of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church.[16][17]

Klingenschmitt is also known for his efforts to shut down the YouTube channel of one of his most vocal critics, Right Wing Watch, which uses video clips of his statements.[18]

In 2012, Colorado attorney, businessman, and former Air Force officer Michael L. Weinstein, sued Klingenschmitt for issuing an imprecatory prayer that Weinstein claimed amounted to a fatwa. The suit was dismissed by the judge, ruling Weinstein had failed to connect the prayer to any subsequent threats or actions against him.[19]

In 2014, Klingenschmitt wrote in an email that openly gay U.S. Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) wanted to execute Christians; both political parties in Colorado disavowed Klingenschmitt.[20]

In 2014, Klingenschmitt (then a Republican candidate for Colorado state representative in an eastern El Paso County district) frequently compared President Barack Obama to a demon, saying on one occasion that he was a "demon of tyranny" and was among "the domestic enemies of the Constitution." Klingenschmitt also asserted that "Obamacare causes cancer."[21]

In March 2015, in response to an assault where a woman from Longmont, Colorado, had her 34-week-old fetus cut out of her womb,[22] said the incident was evidence of the "curse of God" for abortion. Other Republicans denounced Klingenschmitt's comments.[23] Despite Klingenschmitt's apology and recanting of the remarks,[24] he was removed from the Health, Insurance and Environment Committee for two weeks. He voluntarily suspended his television ministry for six weeks.[25]

In July 2015, Klingenschmitt responded to the Boy Scouts of America lifting their ban on gay scoutmasters by saying that this would lead to an increase in child molestation in the organization.[26][27] The following month, Klingenschmitt reportedly stated that gays and pedophiles are influenced by different demons.[28] In January 2017, he stated that gay men should be disqualified from teaching positions because of "their immorality."[29]

Klingenschmitt leads a non-profit charity Pray In Jesus Name Ministries, which cares for orphans, widows, and broadcasts the gospel on to several national television networks on a syndicated program PIJN NEWS.[30]

After political adversaries complained without documentation that Klingenschmitt's non-profit religious charity successfully raised more than $850,000, "Klingenschmitt opened up his nonprofit's finances for scrutiny to The Gazette in an effort to be transparent after some questioned the finances of Persuade the World Ministries, which does business as Pray in Jesus Name Ministries. Klingenschmitt provided three years of tax returns, an audited financial statement and access to his certified public accountant.[31]

The Gazette found Klingenschmitt doesn't accept a salary or other compensation from the charity, and he appears to be keeping the finances separate from his for-profit entity – which shares a website with the nonprofit and a similar name Pray in Jesus Name Project."[31] The Gazette declared "There's nothing illegal about that, or even outside the realm of best practices for nonprofits that regularly hire outside companies to manage their fundraisers and finances."[31]

In 2016, Klingenschmitt did not seek re-election to his seat in the House but instead ran for the Colorado Senate in District 12. He lost in the primary to fellow Republican Bob Gardner, who went on to win the general election in November.[32]