The Federal Office of Personnel Management issues a memo (7.28.25) allowing federal employees to pray publicly at work, as well as to try to “persuade others of the correctness of their own religious views”. Such action casts shadows on our local effort to bring to light mismanagement of publicly administered funds going to churches in Connecticut. However, the Connecticut story is not connected to white Christian nationalism; it is about the influence of evangelical pastors in urban communities.
Mega Churches Syphon Community Media Fund
How many of the 2,600 + Spiritual Communities in CT would love $10,000 for video equipment on the promise to submit to a community media channel?
Is it okay that New Vision International Church was approved for another $10,000 in the most recent PEGPETIA cycle. They asked for $116,485 and have recieved $265429 since 2020? There is no evidence that this church provide content to its community media channel. If it did it would be for one hour a week like most churches.
There is a rumor that the window to fund churches was opened in an election season. The procedural docket recommendation was to limit funds agencies serving multiple producers.
CT PURA Dockets (No. 19-11-01, 21-10-13, 23-10-02, 24-10-02) treated Churches as Community Media Organization. On April 18th this testimony was filed with the PURA in Docket 24-10-02. It was never acnowledge.
On May 23rd, a supplier1 for what is in our opinion the most egregious syphon on Community Media Capital Funds by New Vision International Ministries (Bridgeport) will be sentenced for fraud. Minutolo claimed an ownership interest or representative relationship with City Sounds Productions LLC (“City Sounds”). Minutolo pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, an offense…a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. Concerns submitted previously in the chart on trends in awards to spiritual communities.
New Vision International Ministries (Bridgeport) was awarded another $10,000 after previously receiving $265,429 for supplying one program to Soundview. Docket 19-11-01 $149,755 | 21010-13 $8,000 | 22-10-02 $66974 | 23-10-02 $40,700). Again, the question is: Is there a reasonable limit for the production of one program outside of a community media facility?
For $149, 755 a one-hour broadcast at 10 pm on SoundView Community Media, Inc. was available with 7 shows distributed. They reported training, which is the responsibility of Soundview, as compliance. They identified COVID as an impediment. Most Community Media Stations did more during COVID. (Essentially, they supply a weekly 1-hour show. They built an alternative studio and indicated they were a “studio operator”. Is there a subcontract with the MVPD or the CAP?
Underwriting Inherently Religious Activity
The Authority wrongly refers to a ‘persistent’ misunderstanding of the concept of the “separation of church and state” doctrine. The Supreme Court interpretation overrides the Authority’s procedural mandate for allocation of funding. There was no claim of ‘endorses nor discriminates against producers’; rather, the claim remains ‘public funds should not UNDERWRITE inherently religious activity’. The objection was as follows: The United States Supreme Court: faith-based organizations may not use direct government support to support “inherently religious” activities. …inherently religious activities such as worship, prayer, proselytizing, or devotional Bible study.
Who Is Streaming: What level of tech is necessary to produce video for a single show distributed
Similarly, the Authority displays no critical oversight of the ‘capital and equipment costs’ that aid the production or procurement of public, educational, and governmental programs for broadcast on Connecticut community access channels. There is no disagreement with Footnote 6: There is no prohibition on making PEG programming available in other formats, including online streaming, but funding must be used principally to produce programs that will be submitted for broadcast on Connecticut community access channels. The issue is use of funs to cover the cost of independent producer streaming or any other technology not germane to production for TV, such as display monitors in the sanctuary.
PEGPETIA was not intended to fund production companies or self-designated studios.
We have no argument with the Authority as regards PEG Grant funds must be used for capital and equipment costs that aid the production or procurement of public, educational, and governmental programs for broadcast on Connecticut community access channels.