Texas pastor Robert Morris, who founded the Gateway Church, pleaded guilty to abusing a 12-year-old girl in Oklahoma more than 40 years ago, in the 1980s. Known for his links to President Donald Trump and his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, he was handed 10 years in prison, of which 9.5 years were suspended, meaning Morris will now serve just six months in prison.
Morris is not just a supporter of Trump and his MAGA movement. A Dallas-area pastor, he used to be the "spiritual advisor" to Donald Trump and has been quite active in politics, according to the Texas Tribune. The outlet reported during Morris's indictment back in March this year that Morris joined with the GOP brigade in 2017 when Texas Governor Greg Abbott asked him to support a bill that sought to ban transgender individuals from their choice of bathrooms.
Robert Morris' Links With Trump: 2016-Present
Morris and Trump go back a long way, even before the megachurch founder was associated with the Texas Governor. Robert Morris joined Trump's 2016 presidential campaign as a member of the evangelical advisory board.
When Trump lost the election in 2020, and set his sights on the 2024 election, Morris was one of the first people to join him. The pastor joined a host of local leaders and religious figures to mobilize the conservatives to support Trump's 2024 bid.
A Timeline Of Robert Morris' Indictment
{{/usCountry}}When Trump lost the election in 2020, and set his sights on the 2024 election, Morris was one of the first people to join him. The pastor joined a host of local leaders and religious figures to mobilize the conservatives to support Trump's 2024 bid.
A Timeline Of Robert Morris' Indictment
{{/usCountry}}The incident stems from a plea entered by the survivor, who identified herself as Cindy Clemishire. Clemishire alleged that Morris sexually assaulted her in Oklahoma when Morris was working there as a traveling preacher. Clemishire was 12 at that time. Morris was indicted on five counts of child sexual abuse charges in March this year.
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On Thursday, he pleaded guilty at an Osage County courthouse. CBS reported that his wife and adult children were with Morris as he pleaded guilty. After the guilty plea, Clemishire, the survivor, issued a statement saying, “justice has been served.”
"Today justice has finally been served, and the man who manipulated, groomed, and abused me as a 12-year-old innocent girl is finally going to be behind bars," she said. “My hope is that many victims hear my story, and it can help lift their shame and allow them to speak up.”