Sacred Trust: Election Integrity and the Will of the People

Preface

I

MEET PEOPLE ALMOST EVERY day, and no matter how warmly the conversation begins, countless chats inevitably lead to the serious problems confronting America. Not just problems but severe challenges that most of us never could have imagined. So many issues have become dangerously toxic to our national well-being, and now those issues seem to infect every family in one way or another. The conversations include crime, border security, racism, declining military strength, loss of global respect, China, the pandemic, inflation, terrorism, riots, cancel culture, climate change, government intrusion into our lives, the national debt, corruption, education, healthcare, and a host of other issues. Indeed, it is a frightful time in which we are living. Answers are desperately needed to stop, thwart, or even reverse the current national trajectory. It seems like the magic wand that once enabled America to solve problems in past days is no longer to be found. The challenges facing our country are abundant, they are real, and they are gradually changing our republic—for the worse.

No doubt, these and a host of other issues rise to the level of enormous concern for the average citizen. Threats against our culture and traditional way of life; those elements that have historically set America apart from every other country in the world now seem to be hanging by a thread. Many Americans can hardly bear to watch the nightly news. It’s too emotionally draining to be bombarded with journalists, images, and articles day after day, portraying the seeming demise of all the things that have united us in the past. To make matters worse, there is a movement, a powerful and in-your-face movement, that openly opposes our treasured national uniqueness. They blame America for the world’s problems and accuse free-thinking American individuals of conduct, attitudes, and crimes for which they are not guilty. As a result, we are made to feel responsible for all things wrong in society when, in fact, most of us are simply trying to live our daily lives and raise our families in accordance with preferred values and shared interests. Our beloved country is in a state of emergency!

People are looking for answers; they are looking for hope. America is too great and too remarkable to finish this way. The world desperately needs a strong and healthy United States, and as individual citizens, we deeply desire to pass the priceless treasure of freedom to our children and grandchildren. Despite all the concerns and high-stress anxiety that people are experiencing, there is a silver lining amid the storm clouds of distress. Each of the issues mentioned above can change for the better. In my understanding, there are two absolute essentials needed for the cure. First and foremost, although it is not the focus of this book, America is facing a spiritual problem. Having been founded on fundamental biblical principles, we have now come to the point of virtually criminalizing God within the public square and within the halls of government. The church, once a major voice for morality and justice, is bizarrely absent from being a trusted guide to help navigate through perilous times. Nonetheless, it is my deep conviction that the many issues we are facing can be remedied by means of a spiritual awakening and a return to the principles of character, decency, and a healthy fear of God. By so doing, I think we would discover that answers, indeed, do still exist. But the topic of addressing spiritual problems is a topic for another book. For now, there is another ray of hope, an opportunity that shines in the face of every American that should be recognized, heeded, and engaged. And although it may seem a difficult task to turn our national ship around, we still have the potential to do so by directly addressing and resolving problems using the tools we have at hand.

The challenges we face are not caused by fate or the Bard’s outrageous fortune. Every issue we face is the outcome of decisions, and these choices are being made by leaders. Just as decisions have consequences, leadership also has consequences. And it is from this perspective that our current national emergency has a degree of hope. Those leaders who have made poor decisions can and should be replaced with better stewards for America’s future. Our system of governance allows the people to elect new public servants who can reverse or alter old decisions and correct the outcome of harmful consequences. But this can only happen once a gut-check of reality and action is interjected. I have already mentioned several serious problems facing America, but there is one additional threat that rises above all others: It is the one issue that singularly has the power to destroy America almost instantaneously. And the most frightful aspect of this threat is that if it takes a foothold, America cannot recover. The glories of our past will be forever lost to the powers of a cruel world, one void of individual freedoms and instead, overflowing with oppression by egocentric and power-hungry leaders. This is the greatest threat facing America:

Election Integrity

Voting is a civic Sacrament.

—REV. THEODORE HESBURGH, CSC

Ours is a nation that cherishes freedom. We are a collection of people comprising varying races, worldviews, and interests. As Americans, we unite under the eternal yearning for individual liberty. And as a safeguard for protecting that most sacred right, the people of this country have a voice in determining who their leaders will be. If we don’t like the direction our current representatives are taking us, we can replace them. It happens every election. In fact, the ballot is the single most powerful tool Americans wield to hold their representatives accountable to policies that align with the majority, and policies that defend unalienable and constitutional rights that protect us all. If elected leaders fail to adequately represent their constituents, they should face the inevitable wrath of voters at the next election. They can and should be removed. It’s a beautiful and effective system we possess!

By specific design, we are a nation whose political structure is based upon the will of the people, the voice of the majority, and the consent of the governed. But what if our ability to replace inferior leaders is taken away? What if the voice of the people is denigrated and another person or group determines leaders for us? Just imagine, what if we had no voice at all? What if the constitutional right to be a self-determined society that chooses our own leaders, laws, and structure was strictly forbidden? What if our votes didn’t even matter and elections were effectively rigged? Worse yet, what if I told you that dystopian reality may be closer than we think?

It’s more than a dreadful scenario for conspiracy theorists, it’s a terrifyingly realistic future. This book is not a prognosticator of doom; it is a klaxon of hope and defiance. Our great nation is not beyond hope. Our challenges may be more complicated than those endured by past generations, but they can be solved. The threat is real, and the time to act is now. The intent of this book is not political, but some will say otherwise.

So let’s get a few things out of the way here and now:

• I am a Christian and served as a pastor for over 25 years prior to being elected to Congress.

• I am a conservative who holds to our Constitutional rule of law.

• I am a Republican.

• I recently lost a race for Secretary of State in Georgia.

None of those facts changes anything. This book is not intended to be a comparison between Republicans and Democrats. Rather, the intent of this book is a treatise on integrity. As a patriot and American, it is my duty to expose an enormous danger looming over the heads of my fellow countrymen. We must set aside political bias and canned talking points and have an honest discussion about a potentially nation-changing threat. There is an 800-pound gorilla inside our national home, and it is angrily threatening our existence. We must deal with the monster. This book is, in its most basic message, simply about integrity, something we all should be passionately committed to protecting. But to do so, we must make every effort to look at the facts and try our best to separate ourselves from political posturing.

Elections are not ultimately about who wins or loses. Elections are about the voice of the people being heard, period. The overwhelming majority of people can accept the outcome of an election (though they might be deeply disappointed if their candidate loses), but no one should be willing to accept an unfair voting system. Losing a hard-fought election is one thing, but losing by deceit and duplicity is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated.

To be sure, no free society can ultimately survive unless it is rooted in a foundation of integrity, honesty, and virtue. And these axioms must be present within the public as well as the public servants. They must also exist within the various systems by which the country operates, and accountability is dynamism that enables a just society to prosper. But of all those traits and more, arguably the most important is integrity. Genuinely, what good are words or ballots if the system that operates them and tallies them has lost the people’s faith? Personally, through my faith in Christ and through my family and life experiences, I continue to learn the importance of integrity. No doubt, I still have much to learn, but I have sincerely sought to carry that virtue to the pulpit, into politics, and throughout the rest of my life in public service. That is why I can’t stay silent.

This book is not a reaction to one campaign or electoral season. I’m not writing to appease the ego or frustrations of any one person or party. I’m writing to reaffirm and restate for all the importance of these fundamental values upon which our nation is founded. And more specifically, if we don’t address the pernicious influences that undermine them, by the time we realize the damage they’ve done, it will be too late. Democracy is so powerful yet so frail. It can overcome evil empires, but if we are not vigilant in protecting it, it can easily slip through our hands without us even realizing it.

Within the following pages, we will press to defend the voice of the people. In fact, to do so is the magic wand that we all possess. When our elections are safe, secure, and utilized, no country in the world can compare with our potential and strength; but allow the process of our elections to be weakened, compromised, or removed, and our future is as bleak as the fallen Roman Empire, which was once considered the only permanent global force in the world. The topic at hand could be the single most important issue facing Americans. Elections are the primary tool we have to let our voices be heard and to determine our nation’s political leadership and future. So take up your wand, grip it with all your might, and don’t let go. Your nation is depending on you to properly use it and pass it to future generations. Friends, America cannot lose this battle for integrity!

1

Cutting My Political Teeth

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.

—PROVERBS 28:6

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

—DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

I

T SHOULD HAVE BEEN one of the happiest and most rewarding days of my life. Instead, it was one of the worst, one that still fills me with disgust and remorse. Make no mistake, being a U.S. House of Representatives member is an incredible honor and something I will forever cherish. Words can’t express the solemn joy of serving in that capacity for four terms, and I am humbled deeply by the privilege to have represented the 10th Congressional District in Georgia. But my first day as a newly elected member of Congress could not have been more enlightening and troublesome. It amplified the reasons why I so deeply abhor Washington, D.C., and why integrity matters.

I’m a relatively simple man. I come from an ordinary and, frankly, some would say a nonimpressive background. My parents were both from Georgia; Mom grew up as a tenant farmer in middle of the state, raising cotton and other crops. Her family was tightly knit and worked hard to make a living. My father grew up in the north Georgia mountains in an era where everyone in that region of the state was poor and seemed to be in a constant state of survival from one month to the next. Upon graduating from high school, both of my parents moved to Atlanta in search of a better life. After meeting one another at a boarding house, they fell in love and soon were married. Both possessed a strong work ethic and held a deep commitment to loving God and family.

After trying his hand at several different jobs, my dad finally started a concrete construction company that became the primary means for our family throughout my childhood. Some years were thin, while others were flush, but my father always provided sufficiently. My brother and I had a wonderful childhood under the instruction and in the loving environment of two faithful and committed parents. We were raised in the church and never questioned the importance of faith. This instilled within us a clear understanding of right from wrong, respect for authority, and hard work. We were also taught to stand up for ourselves. As a young boy of about 10 years old, I recall a time when a bully was taking advantage of me at school. I was gripped with fear and intimidation by his actions, but Dad instructed me very clearly and intentionally. He insisted that I take a stand and put a stop to the harassment. I clearly remember his words, Never, never start a fight, son, he said, but if you ever get into one, don’t back away—finish it! That advice seemed to take up residence deep within my being. The next time I was bullied at school by a boy nearly twice my size, I suppressed my fear and responded by hitting him as hard as I possibly could. My father’s advice worked. He never bullied me again. No doubt, those words of Dad benefited me several times growing up, but little did I know how important they would become in the years ahead.

As for education, I was always an average student. It was not until my later years that I began to excel academically. But I was keenly motivated by wanting to do something that would make a difference in people’s lives. At the age of 13, I had a personal encounter with Christ, and from that time forward became laser-focused on going into the ministry. Mom and Dad were very supportive of my sense of calling. Our family was very close, and we looked out for one another. Even today, although Mom and Dad have passed away, my brother, Thomas, and I meet every week for breakfast and remain the best of friends.

I met the girl of my dreams, Dee Dee, at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. Meeting her was like stepping into another world. Her family was off-the-chart so far as amazing is concerned. They have a heritage steeped in international influence. Among an enormous list of impressive accomplishments, her dad served in the U.S. State Department and spoke approximately eight different languages. Her mom, who also spoke several languages, came from Spanish royalty, including being in the family line of Argentina’s first president, Bernadino Rivadavia. The stories and significant influence of her family in both U.S. history and global influence were something I had only read about. Her parents had lived in multiple countries, representing the United States, and had personal experience with world leaders. Dee Dee was born in England, then moved to Switzerland and Mexico before coming to her true homeland of America. Upon graduating from college, we got married and immediately moved to Texas for seminary training and education. Only God could have brought the two of us together, and He did!

Within a few years, our first daughter, Anna, was born, and our little family became our greatest delight. Life was moving fast, with me working three jobs while finishing my academic degrees. One of those jobs included my first pastorate at Sycamore Baptist Church in Decatur, Texas. It was a fantastic place to begin our ministry experience. The church people loved us deeply, and together, we all enjoyed being part of a growing and vibrant church. So many down-to-earth necessities for effective ministry were fashioned in us during those days. We absolutely loved our time at Sycamore. In fact, in every place we have lived since that time, we have planted a sycamore tree in honor of the incredible experience of our first pastorate.

Dee Dee made sure our home was a pleasant refuge, and together we decided it was best for her to be a stay-at-home mom so that she could raise and educate our children. After graduating from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, and later a Doctor of Ministry degree from Luther Rice Seminary, I accepted the pastorate at First Baptist Church in Butler, Georgia. While there, our second daughter, Sara, was born, and our dream life with family and ministry was being realized.

People often ask me, How does a pastor transition into becoming a politician? Jokingly, I like to respond, Well, you have obviously not been part of a Baptist church! The similarities between the two, particularly as it relates to public speaking and dealing with people, are striking. Beyond that, members of Congress are only elected every two years, but as a pastor, it felt like I was up for re-election every week! Trust me, most pastors are well acquainted with political workings. Although I have never quite discerned the motivation behind the question, I have determined that it generally comes from an inquisitive mind. Some find it fascinating that a pastor would fall to the depths and depravity of Congress. Others are joyously captivated by the fact that a spiritual leader would take such a leap and try to expand Christian influence on