Box Turtle Bulletin

Breaking: Mike Jones Speaks Out About Latest Ted Haggard Revelations

In a new, emotionally charged YouTube video, Mike Jones voices his anger with New Life Church and their past refusal to admit what they had known all along: that there were others in the church who had had a sexual relationship with then-Pastor Ted Haggard. In this video statement, Jones reveals that he tried to contact New Life Church when others were coming to him with stories about similar contacts with Ted Haggard:

I knew that there were others, others that I could not publicly out. They had to do it themselves. But they were scared. Some of their parents knew about what was going on at the church. And some of the parents just wanted to turn a blind eye to it.

I also realized it was going to be just probably me, out there all alone facing the press, facing the criticism.

Now when Brady Boyd took over as pastor of New Life Church, I contacted him. I wanted to talk to him about these other young men that were coming to me with their stories. This was serious.

And you know, Pastor Boyd refused to meet with me.

Mike Jones also talks about what he endured — including from within the gay community — after revealing his sexual contact with Ted Haggard. Mike expresses considerable anger over what he went through, particularly those who  dismissed him as “just a whore” who was “just escorting.”

But the greater part of his anger reserved for New Life Church, which for the past two years maintained the fiction that Mike was the only person Ted Haggard had sexual contact with — even though they knew differently:

[M]ost of my anger is at New Life Church. For over two years, I have suffered being all alone out there, taking all the heat for all that’s going on. For all this time, they knew there were others. And they paid hush money to this man to be quiet, when they could have admitted it, that there were others right at that moment. And that would have helped me out so much, instead of putting me out there to face it all on my own.

I am so angry at the church. They stated at that time that Mike Jones was the only man out there that had relations with Ted Haggard. And it’s wrong and it was a lie. And they owe me an apology.

Watch it:

[Video filmed and edited by BTB’s Daniel Gonzales on behalf of Mike Jones]

Transcript of Mike Jones’ Remarks:

My name is Mike Jones. I am the man that exposed pastor Ted Haggard.

And I wrote a book that was titled, “I Had To Say Something: The Art of Ted Haggard’s Fall.” Now if you think I just came up with that title because it was catchy, it’s not why I did it. I had to say something, and I wanted people to understand what brought me to that point in my life in that decision.

I knew that there were others, others that I could not publicly out. They had to do it themselves. But they were scared. Some of their parents knew about what was going on at the church. And some of the parents just wanted to turn a blind eye to it.

I also realized that it was going to be just probably me, out there all alone facing the press, facing the criticism.

Now when Brady Boyd took over as pastor of New Life Church, I contacted him. I wanted to talk to him about these other young men that were coming to me with their stories. This was serious.

And you know, Pastor Boyd refused to meet with me.

With all the recent news that’s coming out right now, I hope people understand why I had to say something. Because if I hadn’t said something, this would still be going on at the church. And it’d probably be even worse.

I’ve always been a bit disappointed in the gay community and some gay groups. I have been ostracized by the gay community. I contacted groups like the Human Rights Campaign when my world was coming apart for help. They refused to even return my phone call. In Denver, I have been spit on, I’ve been yelled at, I’ve been called just a whore. And I would be lying if I didn’t say that hurt.

But I am sick of people also making decisions based on headlines. Do you know just the other day, the LA Times printed something about the upcoming documentary coming out, and stated that Ted Haggard and Mike Jones did drugs together.

I never did drugs with Ted Haggard. Never.

Ted Haggard has said it’s a good thing Mike Jones spoke up. Otherwise he would probably be a drug addict and he would probably continue his deceitful path.

The reason I am saying this is because no one else will. So if you want to continue with your nastiness towards me and your jokes, I want to ask you to look in the mirror and ask yourself, “What have I done to make a difference in this world?”

I risked everything and I paid for it. I lost my privacy, I suffered financially, I lost my home, I lost friends, I lost family over this.

I cannot speak for others, but I know what my intentions were and my motive. I wanted to expose the injustice and the hypocrisy. That’s why I did it. I didn’t do it for fame and fortune.

But I will tell you right now most of my anger is at New Life Church. For over two years, I have suffered being all alone out there, taking all the heat for all that’s going on. For all this time, they knew there were others. And they paid hush money to this man to be quiet, when they could have admitted it, that there were others right at that moment. And that would have helped me out so much, instead of putting me out there to face it all on my own.

I am so angry at the church. They stated at that time that Mike Jones was the only man out there that had relations with Ted Haggard. And it’s wrong and it was a lie. And they owe me an apology.

New Life Church has hurt me deeply. And I guess because they think I was just escorting, that I’m just a useless piece of meat out there. And it has hurt me deeply.

Thank you for listening.