Christian Coalition Suspends Financial Officer

The Christian Coalition’s chief financial officer has been suspended after informing federal authorities of financial irregularities involving an outside vendor’s dealings with the conservative political action group.

Judy Liebert, an $85,000-a-year employee who has served four years as chief financial officer in the conservative religious organization’s Virginia Beach, Va., headquarters was suspended last month pending an inquiry by the coalition, spokesman Mike Russell said. Her future job status with the coalition is undecided.

The allegations of financial irregularity apparently involve an outside vendor not otherwise connected with the coalition who handled multimillion-dollar direct mail contracts. The coalition makes extensive use of direct mail to raise funds throughout the country.

Russell said Liebert was suspended because as chief financial officer she was responsible for guarding against financial irregularities.

But Liebert’s attorney, Moody Stallings, said Thursday that she was suspended because she informed federal authorities of the irregularities, after first alerting Director Ralph Reed of a problem.

“We contend that Ralph Reed knew of the irregularities for quite some time and chose for whatever reason not to act,” Stallings told The Times.

But a source within the coalition, who asked to remain anonymous, said Liebert informed the coalition of a possible problem only after she went to federal authorities.

In California, Christian Coalition state director Sarah Hardman said she was surprised by the suspension because Liebert was “highly thought of.” Liebert has been with the coalition since it was founded in 1989 by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson and has been chief financial officer for four years.

“If she uncovered [the financial problems], I would think it would be to her credit,” Hardman said. But Hardman said she knew nothing of the suspension until contacted by The Times.

Russell said an investigation into the alleged financial irregularities is underway. “We are . . . looking into the billing practices of a vendor that has done business with the organization, and we are in the process of ascertaining the answers to questions concerning his billing practices,” Russell said. The organization has not determined how much money may be involved.

Particularly galling to ranking coalition officials, a source said, was that Liebert, one of their top executives, would take her concerns to the federal government at a time when the Clinton administration and the conservative political action group--which claims 1.7 million members--have been locked in election year combat.

The coalition has repeatedly assailed the administration’s stand on abortion, taxes and school prayer.