The Sins Of A Pastor
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Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough faces allegations of sexual harassment at the Woodlands Church he founded a decade ago. And we have an exclusive interview with the judge! We also have a secret audiotape that proves he’s lying…
“My two loves have been my job and my ministry,” said Mark Keough.
Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough has juggled two careers.
Chief executive for the 600,000 people who live in Montgomery County and senior pastor of the Woodlands Bible Church.
In January, Keough suddenly resigned from the church. Denies it was related to sin or scandal.
This was the church secretary.
“He said I am now the county judge and at the snap of a finger I could have 50 of the most beautiful women drop their pants put theirs legs in the air,” recalled Susan Kenningham.
One of the church elders says Keough should. now resign as county judge for what he did at the church.
“I think he is a real troubled individual,” expressed Gerry Benzel.
And you’re going to hear the exclusive proof.
You are watching Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough preaching the word.
It was Christmas Eve here inside the Woodlands Bible Church.
What god expects of a man was the sermon that morning, integrity was the answer.
“He who walks with integrity walks securely, but a dishonest man will be found out,” said Keough.
The parishioners then could not know it would be one of the last times Keough would take the pulpit.
The very same day, Keough cleaned out his office in the church he founded.
“There was nothing going on that they were concerned about at all,” asked Wayne Dolcefino.
“No. I had a great relationship,” replied Keough.
Eight months later, the county judge wants you to believe nothing happened here.
Susan Kenningham was the church secretary, she had finally complained about the alleged sexual harassment she says went on for months.
“You never told her you were falling in love with her,” asked Dolcefino.
“No, I told her many times that I loved her. That’s what you do I’m a pastor,” replied Keough.
“That’s complete bullshit. He knows it and I know it,” reacted Kenningham.
And here’s where this investigation of this politician’s alleged pastoral sins gets even more bizarre.
In fact, the week after Keough resigned, the elders read this statement to the congregation. Repeating what Keough supposedly had confessed to.
Lust for another woman, behaving in a sexually inappropriate manner, and Keough confessed allegedly to an alcohol problem.
“The elder said you confessed to wanting some romance with someone at the church,” said Dolcefino.
“Not the case. No, never happened,” said Keough.
“I am not an alcoholic absolutely not,” continued Keough
Jerry Benzel is in his 80s, one of the remaining spiritual leaders at Woodlands Bible Church.
“I’ve taught Sunday school there. I have a bible study group. I’m an elder in the church,” said Benzel.
Made an elder by Mark Keough, he now feels deceived by the county’s top public official.
When asked his perception of Keough, Benzel responded, “it’s not good it has been darkened and blackened by actions that I’ve seen him involve in heard about.”
“First of all, just so you know whatever was said in that meeting it’s like of like an executive session in court, it’s all confidential,” said Keough.
We see nothing in the law that makes that true and it is a recording Montgomery County voters deserve to hear. To see if their county judge is telling the truth or looking you right in the eye and lying.
First a reminder of what the county judge told us in our exclusive interview.
“You did not confess to an alcohol problem,” asked Dolcefino.
Mark Keough responded, “no.”
Now listen to what the county judge told the church elders.
“First, I have abused alcohol as a sleep aid,” confessed Keough in an audio tape.
“You did not confess about lust for another woman,” asked Dolcefino.
Keough responded, “no.”
Now listen to Keough’s church confession.
“I have been immoral in my heart and lusted after another woman,” admitted Keough.
Keough own words betraying his claims of innocence. The pastor sins.
Susan says she was financially desperate for a job after a nasty divorce.
When asked if the church had let her down, Susan replied, “tremendously.”
She was already friends with Kim Keough, Mark offered her a part time spot at the Woodlands Bible Church.
At first, she says it was just longer hours than she bargained for. Then she says Keough began making inappropriate remarks.
“Call me when you can,” the texts read. “I need to hear your voice.”
When Susan starts dating, Mark sends a text saying he’s just a little jealous.
“Did you ever tell her you were jealous,” asked Dolcefino.
Mark Keough responded, “jokingly, jokingly. I sure did.”
“I go in and he asked me if I had feelings for him and no. And he expressed that he started developing feelings,” recalled Kenningham.
“She was so grateful to have a job and her idea was it was great to work at a church and all that was falling apart,” said Steve Scott.
Another church member was Steve Scott, a corporate business coach who was helping Susan on her own life.
An early confidante of the alleged sexual harassment, he claims he saw it before she would admit it.
“I said in early October, he’s definitely hitting on you,” recalled Scott.
Scott was in church the day the elders read Keough’s confession that he now denies.
“It’s a total lie they would all you that he did,” said Scott.
Scott says he was in church the following week when Kim Keough came to services, the account of what she did is backed up by other church eyewitnesses we’ve spoken to.
“She grabs me by both wrists and says that Susan Kenningham is a bad person she’s a whore,” recalled Scott.
Elder Gerry Benzel was unwilling to talk about the existence of that audio recording of the elders meeting we obtained, but he was willing to recount the confession the judge denied ever making. Even though we have proof he did it.
“He didn’t say he was an alcohol, but I have a problem with alcohol. Secondly, I have a lust for another woman,” recounts Benzel.
“Well let me ask you a question let’s say I did say that did they say I said it about Susan? No, it’s not about anybody,” said Keough.
“He said you know I’m the county judge and at the snap of a finger I could have 50 of the most beautiful women drop their pants put their legs in the air. And he also told me to not cross him because if I did because he is the county judge, I’d never get another job in Montgomery County” recalled Kenningham.
When asked about the comment, Mark Kough replied, “False. Never. Never Wayne.”
The text messages sent to Susan from the county judge also raise questions about possible domestic violence in the Judge’s home.
This is Keough’s text from December 19, 2023.
“I flipped out on Kim. I am so sorry. I’m at the end. It’s like I am in the twilight zone. I need to hear your voice,” read the texts.
“She was always complaining about mark getting drunk and would not behave himself,” said Kennigham.
It forced us to delve into Keough’s conduct not just as a politician and pastor but as a husband too.
“Did you hit her,” asked Dolcefino.
Mark Keough responded, “No, I never touched her.”
But the allegations now flowing from Keough’s old church have rekindled a review of his accidents and run-ins with the law.
Keough got his license suspended and was fined after this 2020 accident. He was charged with DWI after Ambien was found in his bloodstream.
We checked in with one of the accident victims, former deputy constable Lonnie Harrison.
“It took an 11-hour surgery to put my back back together,” said Lonnie Harrison.
And for the first time, Keough confirms he was also on Ambien when he had another controversial traffic accident in Austin back in 2017.
“I don’t know why it happened. All I know is I was there and the next thing I was in a wreck,” said Keough.
Austin police reports say Keough’s Lexus crossed the double yellow lines several times and hit a cement truck. The accident left Keough unconscious.
Curiously Austin police conducted no lab tests, writing the accident off to a medical problem although Keough says doctors later found no medical cause.
Did Keough get special treatment because he was a state lawmaker? We can’t tell you, but there are at least three other traffic accidents on his record that we are now investigating.
And Keough’s sudden departure from the church he founded is part of the reason the chairs are mostly empty now.
The size of the congregation has been cut in half and it’s not the only controversial departure.
Scott Leafe had been made a senior elder in the church by Mark Keough, he was the church treasurer. But the congregation has been kept in the dark about the reason behind his departure, until now.
This is a mugshot from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
We’ve learned Scott Leaf is a convicted child molester, convicted of indecency with his own little girl.
Parents at the Woodlands Bible Church were never told.
“Scott was allowed to roam at will. I know I would be outraged,” said Susan.
Mark Keough knew but kept it a secret.
“Very irresponsible, I can’t even think of the words it turns your stomach,” responded Scott.
Keough kept it a secret even from other elders of the church.
When asked if her told the elders Keough replied, “No, I didn’t even think about it to be quite honest with you.”
I wonder how many Montgomery County taxpayers even knew Mark Keough was spending many afternoons not at his full-time county judge job, but at the church being paid another 75,000 a year.
“You know what as an elected official I don’t have to check in. That’s not the requirement. That’s not in the statute,” said Keough.
“You’re getting a part time county judge,” said Kenningham.
But now that the pastor gig is gone, maybe Keough’s work schedule will change.
But will be haunted by allegations from the Woodlands Bible Church? Haunted by allegations of a pastor’s sins?
“You point the gun of God at you and the bible and you’re the higher authority it will blow most people away. That’s what he did,” said Scott.
“It’s pretty disgusting behavior. He utilized his position within a church. I’m a Christian, so this hits home with me. The church is in a lot of trouble. I mean, the church ignored the victim. My client. They allowed sexual harassment to continue during her employment by the senior pastor. They did nothing to protect her during that time,” said Chad Pinkerton.
As Keough’s former church looks to survive the implosion of followers.
“We’re looking for a new pastor. We have many problems but were going to succeed,” said Benzel.
“You would claim Susan is part of some plot to dirty you up,” asked Dolcefino.
Keough replied, “I don’t know that but it just doesn’t seem like her to me.”
“You’re watching the guy your accusing of sexual harassment basically saying it never happened,” said Dolcefino to Kennigham.
“I know and I’m infuriated right now,” expressed Kenningham.
We received a letter from attorneys for Mark Keough threatening to sue us for defamation if we don’t remove our videos from the internet. See below.
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