The randy rev. is a high holy roller, too
Sex-toy pastor’s 600G payout
That will buy a lot of sex toys. Riverside Church’s outgoing female pastor is set to receive an exit package worth at least half a million dollars — after leaving her job amid allegations she bought an employee an unwanted $200 vibrator while on a work trip, The Post has learned.
The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler — who made $250,000 a year as the first woman to lead the progressive Manhattan congregation — will leave with 12 months’ salary, a six-month housing allowance worth $48,000 and annual retirement contributions of $59,000 for three years, according to her contract.
An e-mail sent by the chair of the church council and seen by The Post says Butler will also get a $100,000 “separation payment” — which would take her golden handshake to a total of $594,530, when including her unused vacation payout and the $10,000 tab for her lawyer’s fees.
According to internal e-mails, the church council voted to approve the agreement — although one employee raised concerns about the large sum blowing out the house of worship’s operating budget, which covers its payroll.
The Morningside Heights church has until July 31 to pay Butler the money she is owed from the five-year contract, which expired on June 30, according to the document.
The church and Butler did not respond to requests for comment — with the pastor taking a vow of silence on Friday when asked about the sex-toy shopping spree scandal.
A grim-faced Butler stepped out of her West 104th Street apartment on Friday, ignoring questions from a Post reporter about accusations she bought a $200 bunny-shaped vibrator for a female assistant minister.
Sources say the incident happened in May when she took the unwilling recipient, a male minister and a congregant to Minneapolis sex store Smitten Kitten while they were in town for a religious conference, according to sources.
The female minister didn’t want the rabbit-themed gadget, but accepted it because she was scared not to, sources said.
A formal harassment claim was filed, prompting the church’s lawyer to hire an investigator who interviewed both assistant ministers and substantiated the claims, sources said.
Both Butler and the church realized her position had become untenable after the Minneapolis complaint and they mutually parted ways, sources said.
Even before the Smitten Kitten incident, the two parties were at odds because Butler had hired a lawyer to help her try to score a $100,000-a-year raise, sources said.
However, supporters of Butler told The New York Times she was let go because she spoke up against sexism and harassment at the church.