Televangelist Embroiled in Robert Morris Scandal: Did James Robison Meet With Victim’s Family, Know She Was 12?
June 27 2024, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
The televangelist who got roped into Robert Morris' scandal is speaking out after being accused of accompanying the ex-Gateway pastor to meet the family of the 12-year-old he allegedly abused.
James Robison vehemently denied the allegations, claiming he did not know about the alleged meetings between Morris and the accuser's family.
Morris resigned from the megachurch in Southlake, Texas, this month after the scandal was exposed. The religious organization announced it obtained a law firm to investigate the claim made by Cindy Clemishire, who alleged the pastor sexually abused her over several years dating back to the '80s when she was only 12.
Robison sat alongside his wife, Betty, to address the allegations.
“People have been asking questions about my relationship with Robert. Some people are claiming that I was present when Robert met with the victim’s family in 1987, and I knew the girl’s age when these incidents took place. This is false. It is, in fact, a lie,” he shared in a video on social media.
Robison, the president of Life Outreach International, said he was "stunned" to learn of the alleged victim's age in the news.
"I was aware that Robert had had moral failures in his past. But I had no idea it was a crime involving a child. This is totally unacceptable," he shared.
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"The way Robert handled it was absolutely incorrect. It was wrong. Abuse of a child should not be tolerated," Robison continued. "I would do anything to appeal to Cindy and her family. Betty and I are praying for everyone who’s been hurt by these terrible events.”
Clemishire, now a 54-year-old grandmother, claimed Morris allegedly began sexually abusing her on Dec. 25, 1982. She said the alleged abuse, which reportedly included penetration, continued for four-and-a-half years.
Morris wrote in his book about traveling with Robinson within a year of becoming a Christian but stepping away from the ministry in the '80s because "Lord orchestrated the circumstances for me to step out of ministry."
"After a month of working nights as a security guard at Motel 6, I felt I had made great strides toward humility. I decided that perhaps I was ready to return to ministry," he stated. "So I checked back with James Robison's ministry to see if they had any job openings. I was happy to discover that they needed a morning supervisor at their prayer center, from 5 A.M. to 2 P.M."
Morris admitted to "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where I was staying," claiming it only involved "kissing and petting and not intercourse."
He said the relationship came to light in 1987, claiming he repented, stepped back from ministry roles, and underwent counseling before returning to the ministry in 1989, per the Christian Post.
However, the Gateway Church Board of Elders sent a letter to members, claiming it was unaware of her age before June 18.