Mike Hixenbaugh
@mikehixenbaugh.com
NBC News senior reporter | Author of THEY CAME FOR THE SCHOOLS | Co-creator of SOUTHLAKE & GRAPEVINE podcasts | Retired t-ball coach
www.mikehixenbaugh.com
www.mikehixenbaugh.com
Pinned
Last year we got a tip about a children's pastor who'd managed to stay in ministry for decades even as allegations of sex abuse trailed him across four states.
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
With a “WOW!,” President Trump posts a claim about DOGE and “royalties linked to Obamacare” that originated on a satirical website. That site’s own About section reads: “Everything on this website is fiction… If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined.”
November 9, 2025 at 3:33 PM
With a “WOW!,” President Trump posts a claim about DOGE and “royalties linked to Obamacare” that originated on a satirical website. That site’s own About section reads: “Everything on this website is fiction… If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined.”
KD should have asked Willie Nelson what happens when Texas cops catch you with weed
KD hasn't been shy about his personal mission destigmatize weed.
Houston's newest NBA star is lowkey the league's Willie Nelson
KD hasn't been shy about his personal mission destigmatize weed.
bit.ly
November 11, 2025 at 12:22 AM
KD should have asked Willie Nelson what happens when Texas cops catch you with weed
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
NEW: Some math teachers took a photo wearing t-shirts reading "Problem Solved" on Halloween
There was no connection to Charlie Kirk, but some right-wing influencers and GOP politicians insisted there was
Dozens of death threats followed. Here's what happened -->
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
There was no connection to Charlie Kirk, but some right-wing influencers and GOP politicians insisted there was
Dozens of death threats followed. Here's what happened -->
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
One photo, a deluge of threats: Inside the Arizona high school turned upside down by right-wing activists
A group of math teachers — some of whom were fans of Charlie Kirk — had their lives turned upside down this week over false accusations about a Halloween photo.
www.nbcnews.com
November 9, 2025 at 5:24 PM
NEW: Some math teachers took a photo wearing t-shirts reading "Problem Solved" on Halloween
There was no connection to Charlie Kirk, but some right-wing influencers and GOP politicians insisted there was
Dozens of death threats followed. Here's what happened -->
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
There was no connection to Charlie Kirk, but some right-wing influencers and GOP politicians insisted there was
Dozens of death threats followed. Here's what happened -->
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
“I cannot in good conscience remain credentialed with the Assemblies of God,” a pastor wrote to church leaders after an @nbcnews.com investigation uncovering decades of alleged sex abuse and cover-ups in the largest Pentecostal denomination.
Here's how ministers and survivors are reacting:
Here's how ministers and survivors are reacting:
Assemblies of God pastors call for change after churches fail to oust accused abusers
Ministers spoke out after an NBC News investigation revealed 50 years of abuse and cover-up allegations in the largest Pentecostal denomination.
www.nbcnews.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:10 PM
“I cannot in good conscience remain credentialed with the Assemblies of God,” a pastor wrote to church leaders after an @nbcnews.com investigation uncovering decades of alleged sex abuse and cover-ups in the largest Pentecostal denomination.
Here's how ministers and survivors are reacting:
Here's how ministers and survivors are reacting:
🧵 1/ In 2019, the Assemblies of God considered a resolution to make it a punishable offense if any minister or affiliated church failed to adopt policies to prevent child sex abuse.
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
November 2, 2025 at 11:50 PM
🧵 1/ In 2019, the Assemblies of God considered a resolution to make it a punishable offense if any minister or affiliated church failed to adopt policies to prevent child sex abuse.
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
It was potentially a watershed moment.
Here's a video of a church leader making an impassioned case for the policy:
This family fled to Russia because they felt white, straight, conservative Christians were being persecuted in their hometown of … Humble, Texas
November 2, 2025 at 4:27 PM
This family fled to Russia because they felt white, straight, conservative Christians were being persecuted in their hometown of … Humble, Texas
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
So there were some AI-generated videos that purported to show Black women ranting about SNAP benefits, and... Fox News is reporting on this like these are real people. They're not! They're AI!
This is truly insane. Total unreality. www.foxnews.com/media/snap-b...
This is truly insane. Total unreality. www.foxnews.com/media/snap-b...
October 31, 2025 at 10:33 PM
So there were some AI-generated videos that purported to show Black women ranting about SNAP benefits, and... Fox News is reporting on this like these are real people. They're not! They're AI!
This is truly insane. Total unreality. www.foxnews.com/media/snap-b...
This is truly insane. Total unreality. www.foxnews.com/media/snap-b...
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
Assemblies of God churches have repeatedly reinstated ministers and volunteer leaders accused of sexual misconduct, returning them to pulpits and youth groups, an NBC News investigation found.
Assemblies of God churches shielded accused predators — and allowed them to keep abusing children
NBC News uncovered a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence and cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
nbcnews.to
November 1, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Assemblies of God churches have repeatedly reinstated ministers and volunteer leaders accused of sexual misconduct, returning them to pulpits and youth groups, an NBC News investigation found.
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
"In about 30 instances, church leaders placed alleged abusers into positions of authority after they had been accused, freeing them to strike again." www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news... via @mikehixenbaugh.com
How Assemblies of God churches shielded accused predators as they abused children
NBC News uncovered a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence and cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
www.nbcnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:12 PM
"In about 30 instances, church leaders placed alleged abusers into positions of authority after they had been accused, freeing them to strike again." www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news... via @mikehixenbaugh.com
Last year we got a tip about a children's pastor who'd managed to stay in ministry for decades even as allegations of sex abuse trailed him across four states.
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
October 30, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Last year we got a tip about a children's pastor who'd managed to stay in ministry for decades even as allegations of sex abuse trailed him across four states.
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
I kept pulling thread and found something far bigger: a 50-year pattern of abuse and cover-up in the largest Pentecostal denomination 🧵 1/
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
A common refrain among abuse survivors: “I had the courage to come up and say, ‘Hey, this happened to me. And unfortunately, nobody else had the courage to put their foot down.”
This time, it's about abuse and coverup over the past 50 years in the Assemblies of God:
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
This time, it's about abuse and coverup over the past 50 years in the Assemblies of God:
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
How Assemblies of God churches shielded accused predators as they abused children
NBC News uncovered a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence and cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
www.nbcnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 2:01 PM
A common refrain among abuse survivors: “I had the courage to come up and say, ‘Hey, this happened to me. And unfortunately, nobody else had the courage to put their foot down.”
This time, it's about abuse and coverup over the past 50 years in the Assemblies of God:
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
This time, it's about abuse and coverup over the past 50 years in the Assemblies of God:
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
A children’s pastor filmed girls in an Arkansas church bathroom. In Illinois, a preacher accused of abusing children was sent to therapy. In California, a worship minister who molested boys got a welcome-home party.
All remained ministers in the Assemblies of God—all went on to abuse more children.
All remained ministers in the Assemblies of God—all went on to abuse more children.
How Assemblies of God churches shielded accused predators as they abused children
NBC News uncovered a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence and cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
www.nbcnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 3:44 PM
A children’s pastor filmed girls in an Arkansas church bathroom. In Illinois, a preacher accused of abusing children was sent to therapy. In California, a worship minister who molested boys got a welcome-home party.
All remained ministers in the Assemblies of God—all went on to abuse more children.
All remained ministers in the Assemblies of God—all went on to abuse more children.
We spoke to dozens of survivors, read thousands of pages of court and police records, identified 200 alleged church abusers across decades.
Our investigation reveals a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence, complacency & cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
Read it here:
Our investigation reveals a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence, complacency & cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
Read it here:
Assemblies of God churches shielded accused predators — and allowed them to keep abusing children
NBC News uncovered a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence and cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
www.nbcnews.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
We spoke to dozens of survivors, read thousands of pages of court and police records, identified 200 alleged church abusers across decades.
Our investigation reveals a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence, complacency & cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
Read it here:
Our investigation reveals a 50-year pattern of sex abuse, silence, complacency & cover-up in the world’s largest Pentecostal denomination.
Read it here:
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
October 18, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Hi, I'm the ProPublica reporter who's been tracking an unusual stat: U.S. citizens grabbed by immigration agents.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
I did it because the government isn’t.
This is what I found.
Got to see where the filmed “Killers of the Flower Moon” and write this update on a story I started covering a little over a year to go.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Robert Morris, Texas megachurch pastor, pleads guilty to sexually abusing a child
Under a negotiated plea agreement, Morris was given a ten year sentence, but he will only serve six months in county jail.
www.nbcnews.com
October 2, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Got to see where the filmed “Killers of the Flower Moon” and write this update on a story I started covering a little over a year to go.
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
“We believe that in the near future half the people on the planet will be AI, and we are the company that’s bringing those people to life.”
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan
Former Wondery exec Jeanine Wright is leading a new firm, Inception Point AI, that's betting on flooding the zone with audio content: “I think that people who are still referring to all AI-generated c...
www.hollywoodreporter.com
September 10, 2025 at 6:12 PM
“We believe that in the near future half the people on the planet will be AI, and we are the company that’s bringing those people to life.”
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/dig...
Pastor Mark Vega, a former Yankees chaplain, received reports of sex abuse in his church in 2019 and 2022.
But rather than go to police, Vega came up with a plan to handle it internally by "restoring" the alleged perpetrators.
Lates in our ongoing investigation into abuses in the Assemblies of God
But rather than go to police, Vega came up with a plan to handle it internally by "restoring" the alleged perpetrators.
Lates in our ongoing investigation into abuses in the Assemblies of God
Florida police charge Assemblies of God pastor with failing to report child sex abuse
Mark Vega, a former chaplain for the New York Yankees, is accused of covering up abuse allegations at his church, Ignite Life Center.
www.nbcnews.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Pastor Mark Vega, a former Yankees chaplain, received reports of sex abuse in his church in 2019 and 2022.
But rather than go to police, Vega came up with a plan to handle it internally by "restoring" the alleged perpetrators.
Lates in our ongoing investigation into abuses in the Assemblies of God
But rather than go to police, Vega came up with a plan to handle it internally by "restoring" the alleged perpetrators.
Lates in our ongoing investigation into abuses in the Assemblies of God
Seems like a big missed opportunity, given the eclectic collection of newsroom characters I’ve known over the years, that “The Paper” cast includes three accountants but just one newspaper reporter
September 1, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Seems like a big missed opportunity, given the eclectic collection of newsroom characters I’ve known over the years, that “The Paper” cast includes three accountants but just one newspaper reporter
No suckers this year. Jamie Raskin is giving kids copies of the Constitution at the Kensington Labor Day Parade.
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
September 1, 2025 at 3:26 PM
No suckers this year. Jamie Raskin is giving kids copies of the Constitution at the Kensington Labor Day Parade.
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
“It’s got the Impeachment Clause in there!”
Captain Maryland and his crab mallet.
Happy Labor Day
Happy Labor Day
September 1, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Captain Maryland and his crab mallet.
Happy Labor Day
Happy Labor Day
ChatGPT to a suicidal teen: “It's okay – and honestly wise – to avoid opening up to your mom about this kind of pain … Let's make this space the first place where someone actually sees you.”
August 26, 2025 at 5:39 PM
ChatGPT to a suicidal teen: “It's okay – and honestly wise – to avoid opening up to your mom about this kind of pain … Let's make this space the first place where someone actually sees you.”
Always read these kinds of comments in historical context
August 14, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Always read these kinds of comments in historical context
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
The Department of Justice hired a former Jan. 6 defendant who was caught on tape urging rioters to "kill" police. The department calls him a "valued member" of the administration.
Video shows Department of Justice official urging Jan. 6 rioters to 'kill' cops
The Department of Justice hired a former Jan. 6 defendant who was caught on tape urging rioters to "kill" police. The department calls him a "valued member" of the administration.
n.pr
August 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM
The Department of Justice hired a former Jan. 6 defendant who was caught on tape urging rioters to "kill" police. The department calls him a "valued member" of the administration.
Reposted by Mike Hixenbaugh
For months, we had been talking with Carmen, Lina and Doris about the void their sons' detention in #ElSalvador had left. They wondered whether they were eating, if they were cold. Were they alive?
Following the men's release, these families sat with us to talk about what they lived through.
Following the men's release, these families sat with us to talk about what they lived through.
“An American Nightmare”: Three Men Deported to CECOT and Their Families Reflect on Their Monthslong Ordeal
For months, Carmen, Lina and Doris awaited news about their loved ones, who were sent to a maximum-security Salvadoran prison by the Trump administration. Now that the families have been reunited, the...
www.propublica.org
August 7, 2025 at 12:55 PM
For months, we had been talking with Carmen, Lina and Doris about the void their sons' detention in #ElSalvador had left. They wondered whether they were eating, if they were cold. Were they alive?
Following the men's release, these families sat with us to talk about what they lived through.
Following the men's release, these families sat with us to talk about what they lived through.
This is the history Hegseth is brining back to Arlington: a racist myth romanticizing human trafficking, rape and bondage
August 6, 2025 at 12:45 PM
This is the history Hegseth is brining back to Arlington: a racist myth romanticizing human trafficking, rape and bondage