The Ecstasy of Ted Haggard

Too cute to be straight?

Ouch. One of the nation's most influential wingnuts has been outed, as a practicing homosexual and ecstasy user, according to the Denver Post. We're talking Ted Haggard, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, which claims to represent 45,000 churches and 30 million followers who receive a pro-Republican mailer in their church bulletins every week. Haggard is pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, with 14,000 members.

He was personally invited by President Bush to attend the signing of the partial birth abortion legislation and had a 56-minute, private "sit-down" in the Oval Office afterwards. (Is that what they're calling it these days?)

Haggard was outed by a male prostitute who says he and the good reverend had a three year sexual history, claims to have a letter and voicemail from Haggard and says the minister used methamphetamine in his presence.

Haggard has stepped down from his posts at the NAE and New Life Church, pending an internal investigation.