Danny K. Davis - Unification Church Controversy

Unification Church Controversy

In 2004, Davis was met with national controversy when he crowned the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon in a religious ceremony at the Dirksen Senate Office Building honoring the controversial spiritual leader. Moon declared himself the Messiah at the crowning ceremony, in which Davis appeared on the invitation as a sponsoring co-chair. Davis wore white gloves and carried the crown on a pillow to crown Moon and his wife "the King and Queen of Peace." Davis told Christian Challenge that it "was similar to a baseball team owner telling team members that 'we are the greatest team on earth'" prior to a baseball game. Davis said the peace awards were to "recognize people for promoting peace. Of course the highest recognition goes to the highest promoter and the highest promoter is Reverend Moon, so they come up with something higher than the certificates and plaques that other folks get."

Other law makers who attended included Senator Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), Representatives Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) and Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), as well as former Representative Walter Fauntroy (D-D.C.) . Key organizers of the event included George Augustus Stallings, Jr., a controversial former Roman Catholic priest who had been married by Moon, and Michael Jenkins, the president of the Unification Church of the United States at that time. Salon later said that Davis was the only member of Congress in attendance who took pride in the ceremony, and that he has accepted money from fundraisers organized by Moon.

In 2003, Davis gave a speech on the House floor and praised Moon, along with Congressman Curt Weldon. Davis said, "Many of my colleagues will join me and the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr. Weldon, co-chair, in giving tribute to some of the outstanding Americans from our districts. We are grateful to the founders of Ambassadors for Peace, the Reverend and Mrs. Sun Myung, for promoting the vision of world peace, and we commend them for their work."