Lee Beaman, a Belmont board of trustee member, and key donor to the university, owns a $3.7 million property in Washington D.C. where an anti-LGBTQ+ minister manages his political influence campaign out of, according to ProPublica.
Beaman’s six-bedroom townhome, where pastor Steve Berger operates from, sits about two blocks from the U.S. Capitol.
Beaman bought the house –– which used to be the home of Frederick Douglass –– in 2021 under Crocket Ventures LLC.
The U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson lives in the townhome.
Berger, an evangelical pastor, has advocated with Beaman for numerous controversial bills.
Berger, an outspoken minister, has made statements that appear in opposition to Belmont’s values including:
That same sex marriages “opens the door to all manner of sexual depravity and wickedness,” according to the ProPublica article.
That he opposes the World Health Organization and that COVID-19 vaccines will result in “young people dropping dead all over the place,” according to Yahoo!News.
Berger an influential personality in D.C. said in a 2022 sermon that he had directly influenced legislation and received a text message from a senator thanking him, according to Yahoo!News.
Berger’s rhetoric clearly discriminates against LGBTQ+ members.
Beaman’s connection and his joint advocating with Berger appear to be an endorsement of that message too.
The Belmont Faculty handbook, as most recently updated in January of 2024, states that “the University’s trustees, administrators, faculty and staff are expected to conform their conduct to the highest ethical and moral standards.”
It is not outlined that it applies to personal non-Belmont matters.
Beaman’s actions, while outside of his service as a board member, appear to be antithetical to Belmont’s mission statement.
“It’s not our practice to comment on questions unrelated to their Belmont service,” said Belmont communications in a statement about board members to the Belmont Vision.
Belmont’s vision statement says the university wants “to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, radically championing the pursuit of life abundant for all people.”
All people includes those who are LGBTQ+.
Belmont has a campus sanctioned LGBTQ+ organization called Bridge Builders.
Belmont’s nondiscrimination policy affirms that the University does not discriminate in admissions, employment or the administration of its policies, programs or activities based on sexual orientation.
Among Beaman and Berger’s collaborative efforts they both signed a letter in 2020 with the Conservative Action Project declaring Donald Trump as the winner of the 2020 election and calling for Congress to overturn its certification of Joe Biden as the winner.
Beaman contributed almost $200,000 to the Make America Great Again Inc. Super PAC during President Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and has contributed millions in donations to other Republican groups and candidates over the last couple of decades.
Beaman is listed for the first time in tax documents as a trustee in 2007.
Beaman took a leave of absence in 2018 after controversy surrounding his divorce with his then wife Kelly Beaman. In the divorce filings, it was alleged that Beaman acknowledged hiring a prostitute.
Beaman returned to the board in 2022 where he currently serves along with 50 other members who guide campus policy and initiatives.
Beaman was contacted multiple times through his personal number and what were listed online as his emails. While a return call was made from the number, no message was left and return calls made to the number were sent to voicemail.
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This article was written by Braden Simmons with contributory reporting by Ty Wellemeyer