DES MOINES — Ahead of Mike Pence’s “Evangelicals for Trump” event tomorrow, the Iowa Democratic Party held a press call with local faith leaders to call out Trump for breaking his promises and pushing an agenda that violates the values of Iowa’s faith communities.
The call was hosted by Iowa Democratic Party Chair Troy Price and included Rev. Bill Ekhardt, Sister Mary Ann Vogel, and Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund Executive Director Connie Ryan.
Troy Price, Chair, Iowa Democratic Party:
“Donald Trump and his campaign have shamelessly co-opted the veneer of religion while rejecting the values and principles at the heart of Iowa’s faith communities. Time and again, Trump has broken his promises and pushed an agenda that is out step with the values that Iowans of all faiths hold dear—from cruel immigration policies to attacks on coverage protections for Iowans with pre-existing conditions.”
Rev. Bill Ekhardt, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Des Moines, IA:
“Donald Trump doesn’t own the mantle of Evangelical Christianity. Our faith drives us to welcome and love our neighbors, not to inflict cruelty and inhumanity on children and families. While Trump continues to use the name of Christ for political gain, his actions in office are fundamentally un-Christian.”
Sister Mary Ann Vogel, Congregation of the Humility of Mary, Davenport, IA:
“Christian values are more than a slogan. They are lived and expressed through real-world actions. That responsibility is only greater for those in positions of power. President Trump refuses to live up to that responsibility.”
Connie Ryan, Executive Director, Interfaith Alliance of Iowa Action Fund:
“Communities of faith work every day to help and support their neighbors in need. They will hold accountable a president who breaks his promises and fails to uphold the religious values he claims to have. I believe that people of faith are looking for a president whose moral values match theirs such as honesty, compassion, fairness, justice, courage, and caring for others. Americans deserve better than the empty words we’ll hear in Des Moines tomorrow and we deserve a leader who keeps their promises. We expect to have a president who is a public servant, not someone who is serving himself and the rich.”