Another Suit Filed In Battle Over Church's Radio Network

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The battle between two leaders of the CALVARY CHAPEL over control of the church's radio network has gone to court again, with CALVARY CHAPEL OF TWIN FALLS Pastor MIKE KESTLER suing the founder of CALVARY CHAPEL, COSTA MESA, CA-based CHUCK SMITH. The TWIN FALLS TIMES-NEWS reports that KESTLER alleges that SMITH backed a sexual harassment case against KESTLER as a means to wrest control of the radio operation from the IDAHO church.

KESTLER says that the sexual harassment case by former DALLAS COWBOYS cheerleader and CALVARY SATELLITE NETWORK personality LORI POLLITT, who claims KESTLER hired her and the fired her when she rejected his advances, has been financed by SMITH as part of a rift between the men that began in 2001. The story got new publicity when the LOS ANGELES TIMES ran a feature on POLLITT's case as well as two other women's claims of sexual harassment. Some of KESTLER's allegations were dismissed in federal court on JANUARY 29; the new suit was filed on FRIDAY in federal court in BOISE. CALVARY SATELLITE NETWORK airs on 49 full-power stations and about 400 translators in 45 states.

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