Republican presidential candidates expected to attend secret Iowa all-expense-paid right-wing Christian confab

Linda Waddington, of the Iowa Independent reports that four Republicans widely thought ready to declare as presidential candidates are expected to attend a secret two-day, all-expenses-paid "Pastors Policy Briefing" in Des Moines later this month.

     An invitation, stamped with the return address of a West Des Moines UPS Store mailbox, went out this week to Iowa’s faithful. Those who received the invitation will have an opportunity to hear from former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann during a two-day conference at the Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel on March 24 and 25.
     “Meals and lodging are complimentary,” states the invitation, “and will be provided by the Iowa Renewal Project.”
     It isn’t the first time that Iowa pastors have been invited to the state capital for a “Rediscovering God in America” policy briefing, and it also isn’t the first time that Iowa clergy have received marching orders from the Iowa Renewal Project.
     ...According to invitation documents uncovered by The Iowa Independent, at least 14 states have had “renewal project” events.
     ...“Voters should know who is influencing or attempting to influence policy makers,” said Dan Quinn, communications director for the Texas Freedom Network. In 2008, Quinn’s oganization asked the Internal Revenue Service to investigate whether a Houston-based nonprofit foundation and its backers improperly sought to drag churches into Gov. Rick Perry’s earlier re-election campaign. The Texas Freedom Network discovered tax records that indicated the Niemoller Foundation, created in 2005, spent roughly $1.26 million to fund the activities of the Texas Restoration Project, which held events in that state similar to the upcoming Iowa Renewal Project policy briefing.

Earlier in the Independent, Jason Hancock had reported that the Iowa Renewal project hosts annual conventions for church leaders in Iowa — private invitations, word of mouth, with free hotel accommodations and meals. One of the key sponsors is the American Family Association. The Independent printed the text of an Iowa Renewal Project robocall just before Iowa voters threw out three supreme court justices:

    Hi, this is Debbie from the Iowa Renewal Project giving you a call about the elections that are coming up in November. We are calling all pastors and church leaders to encourage them to have their congregation voting and to vote informed, and we’ve created some voter guides to assist you with that. They are nonpartisan guides created by the Iowa Christian Alliance. If you would like to have them available to pass out to your church or to have them just available for your congregation, we’d love to send them to you. There is no charge. You can reach me at 951-698-XXXX or feel free to order them directly online at www.IowaPastors.com — If you just go there, you can go under ‘pastors’ or go under ‘resources’ and order them either way. Hope you’re having a great day. God bless.”