[03.18.08] In a new round of letters sent out last week by Senators Charles Grassley and Max Baucus, the respective ranking Republican and Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, a new deadline was given to Kenneth Copeland, Eddie Long and Creflo Dollar—three of the six televangelist ministries that Sen. Grassley's office said have thus far not sufficiently turned over tax-related information he originally requested last November.  

 

 The three ministries were asked to respond and show a willingness to cooperate by March 31. The documents, if provided by the ministries, would allegedly help clear up Sen. Grassley's suspicions that the TV-based ministries have mishandled or misused tax-exempt donations.  

 

 Of the three other ministries at the center of his investigation, Grassley said Joyce Meyer has “cooperated substantially,” Benny Hinn answered “five of 28 questions so far” and Randy and Paula White have verbally indicated they will cooperate. 

 

Another significant development in the query was the decision by Senator Baucus, a Democrat from Montana and the committee's chairman, to join Grassley’s investigation. Without the support of Baucus, Grassley could have run into problems if obtaining subpoenas to deal with ministries that refuse to cooperate becomes a necessary component of the investigation.