Matt Hagee at far-right rally, O’Rourke for Governor: The top 10 headlines in San Antonio this week

By now, you’d think folks have figured out that cell phones are everywhere, as are the videos they shoot. Someone at San Antonio’s Cornerstone Church seems to have forgotten that — or the church just wasn’t keeping tabs on its chief Bible thumper.

Our most-read story of the week involved a Twitter video showing Cornerstone Lead Pastor Matt Hagee speaking from the stage at a far-right rally held at his church last weekend. Hagee, the son of the church’s founder, thanks attendees for showing up, adding that they’re choosing to “live in your faith rather than die in your fear.”

That’s kind of a big deal, because the three-day conspiracy fest drew national media scrutiny after an ominous intonation from former Trump crony Michael Flynn. In response, Cornerstone issued a statement saying it had only provided the venue and that it “does not endorse” the views of the gathering.

Except that video appears to show Hagee giving something a lot of people might consider an endorsement. Womp-womp.

Read on to find our other most-read stories of the week.

10. Beto O’Rourke tells San Antonio crowd he wants to unite Texas as he runs to unseat Greg Abbott

9. Comedian Chelsea Handler adds San Antonio performance to her Vaccinated and Horny Tour

8. San Antonio lawyer Thomas J. Henry files $2 billion suit against Travis Scott over Houston festival

7. Acclaimed San Antonio artist Jesse Treviño recovering after 15-hour surgery to remove tumor

6. San Antonio Water System tells residents of two Northside neighborhoods to boil their water

5. Pearl-area San Antonio Bike Shop will close permanently after nearly 10 years

4. San Antonio American Idol drag performer Ada Vox will compete on new Queen of the Universe series

3. Beto O’Rourke is running for Texas governor, capping months of speculation

2. Ted Cruz gets owned on Twitter (again) for trying to make dirty joke about Biden traveling to Nantucket

1. Cornerstone Church said it ‘does not endorse’ far-right rally it hosted, yet its pastor spoke from the stage

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Cornerstone Church said it ‘does not endorse’ far-right rally it hosted, yet its pastor spoke from the stage

Ted Cruz gets owned on Twitter (again) for trying to make dirty joke about Biden traveling to Nantucket

Beto O’Rourke is running for Texas governor, capping months of speculation

Mahncke Park residents concerned about church’s plan to operate from public school in the neighborhood

In an hour-long YouTube video, the church’s pastor says he chose to locate it in the north-of-downtown neighborhood because of its progressive views, which he argues run counter to Jesus’ teachings.

Churches are breaking the law and endorsing in elections, experts say. The IRS looks the other way.

For nearly 70 years, federal law has barred churches from directly involving themselves in political campaigns, but the IRS has largely abdicated its enforcement responsibilities as churches have become more brazen about publicly backing candidates.

This article appears in Nov 17-29, 2021.