"Your client initiated it": Lawyer's disturbing defense in pastor's abuse scandal

A lawyer representing former Gateway Church pastor Robert Morris has accused a 12-year-old girl of initiating inappropriate sexual contact, newly released documents reveal.

Morris, the founder of Gateway Church in Southlake, stepped down in June after admitting to "inappropriate sexual behavior" with Cindy Clemishire, a girl who was just 12 years old at the beginning of the alleged conduct. Morris referred to Clemishire as “a young lady,” but she has stated she was still a child during the incidents.

Gateway Church leaders initially supported Morris, but this stance changed after Clemishire threatened legal action in 2007. Lawyer J. Shelby Sharpe, representing Morris, claimed in a letter from that time that it was Clemishire who initiated the contact. "It was your client," Sharpe wrote, "who initiated inappropriate behavior by coming into my client’s bedroom and getting in bed with him, which my client should not have allowed to happen."

Clemishire stated in a recent interview with NBC that she sought $50,000 from Morris to cover counseling costs. Morris’ lawyer offered $25,000 on the condition that Clemishire sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA), which she declined.

Sharpe, when reached by NBC on Monday, said he could not recall the $25,000 settlement offer or the NDA demand and mentioned he no longer represents Morris, who had once served as a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump. Sharpe also denied knowing Clemishire was a child, even though her lawyer’s correspondence indicated she was 12 when the abuse began.

"I don’t ever remember seeing that," Sharpe told NBC. "The letters speak for themselves."

Clemishire went public with her allegations last month in an interview with the Wartburg Watch, alleging a pattern of grooming and abuse by Morris starting when she was 12, continuing until she was 16, during the 1980s.

Initially, Gateway Church elders supported Morris, but they withdrew their support after understanding the full details of the allegations, including Clemishire's age and the length of the abuse.

In a statement, the Gateway Church board admitted they were unaware of the full extent of the relationship, which they previously understood to be an extramarital affair with an older “young lady,” not a child. "Unfortunately, before June 14, the elders were unaware of the complete details of Morris's inappropriate relationship with the victim, including her age and the duration of the abuse," said the board.

The board, responsible for one of the biggest megachurches in the U.S. with 100,000 members, shared their dismay over the situation. They apologized to Clemishire and her family, expressing that they were deeply saddened and shocked by the allegations.

Morris, in his resignation, admitted to "inappropriate sexual behavior" and claimed he had confessed and repented long ago. However, the full implications of his actions only became clear to church leaders just before his resignation.