Haggard to promote documentary on scandal

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Ted Haggard, who lost his job as pastor of a Colorado mega-church in a 2006 sex and drugs scandal, has agreed to promote an HBO documentary about his life.

"The Trials of Ted Haggard" is to be shown Jan. 29. The director is Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

An HBO spokeswoman said that Haggard would be involved in a press tour for the documentary next month.

Haggard was president of the National Association of Evangelicals and senior pastor of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs when a former male prostitute claimed he had had sex with Haggard and that Haggard had used methamphetamine. Haggard admitted unspecified sexual wrongdoing and buying drugs, although he denied using them.

Brady Boyd, the current pastor at New Life, said the church has decided to release Haggard from an agreement barring him from talking to the media.

"We want them to be free to move forward with their lives the way New Life has really moved forward," Boyd said.

Haggard and his family now live in Arizona where he sells insurance. He preached at a church in Illinois last month where he was described as a "Christian businessman."