Pastor criticized for ripping journalists at Trump rally

The Rev. Gary Click riled up defenders of the news media — and Ohio Democrats — with his prayer before President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Delaware County.

Click, a member of the Ohio Republican Party’s state central committee, says the backlash has built to include a suggestion that he kill himself, plus hateful emails and Facebook messages, after CNN posted a clip of parts of his Aug. 4 prayer.

The pastor of Fremont Baptist Temple told the crowd at Olentangy Orange High School: “Tonight I pray that you will protect our president, and his family, with a shield of faith. Lord, that shield of faith against the fiery darts of the wicked one. Lord, against that jungle of journalism that distorts truth and distorts honesty and integrity every single day — gets in his face with lies and mistruths and innuendo.

“Lord, protect him, protect him from those poisonous asps that lurk in the swamp of politics. Lord, put your hedge of protection around our president, for that we will thank you every day.”

Click says on his blog he serves as chairman of the Faith Coalition for Mike DeWine and Jon Husted, the Republican gubernatorial ticket. And he wrote that he was invited to deliver the Trump-rally invocation for Republican Troy Balderson, the almost-certain winner over Democrat Danny O’Connor in the special election on Aug. 7 for the vacant 12th District seat in the U.S. House.

The Ohio Democratic Party called on DeWine on Monday to disavow Click and his message.

“There is no place in our democracy for these Trump-style attacks on journalists — especially given the recent violence directed at members of the news media,” said party spokeswoman Robyn Patterson.

“Mike DeWine was at this rally, and he watched Gary Click and Donald Trump direct this vitriol at reporters. It’s shameful that DeWine hasn’t condemned these comments yet. The press plays an integral role in our democracy, and DeWine should stop cozying up to people who won’t acknowledge that,” she said.

DeWine campaign spokesman Joshua Eck responded: “People know that Mike DeWine has a high level of respect for both the First Amendment and the news media.”

Eck said that DeWine has not yet announced his faith coalition, “but we have been actively working with Pastor Click and other faith leaders across the state to engage their communities.”

Click acknowledged in a Monday interview that he agrees with some of Trump’s attacks on the media, particularly a “specific breed of predatory journalism that is uncivilized and has a preconceived story line before they write” — news organizations such as CNN.

“That was not an attack on all journalism. There are genuine journalists out there who do a fine job,” Click said. “I believe in a free press; I just don’t believe in a free pass. Who holds journalists accountable? Every one of us need to be held accountable ... I didn’t pray for God to strike (journalists) down; I did not seek violence.”

Click detailed the thinking behind his prayer, and the reaction, in an extensive blog post, saying the response from CNN viewers as a “little looney” while defending his remarks.

During the rally, Trump falsely blamed the media for saying he had voiced support for another candidate in the 12th District race; it actually was Trump who had mistakenly tweeted support for U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers in the special election. Stivers, an Upper Arlington Republican, represents another district, the 15th, and wasn’t on the ballot; he will be run for re-election on the Nov. 6 general-election ballot.

At the rally, Trump also slammed the media as “fake news” and said journalists “were terrible people.”