Although the C Street house is known to have ties to the Fellowship, a secretive Christian group also known as the Family, the director of the Fellowship denied this to the Columbus Dispatch. The house "is simply not a part of anything we do," he said.

But, as the Dispatch points out, the house's property deed was signed by the Family's secretary, and the Family described the house as an affiliated organization on recent tax forms.

At the heart of their complaints, the pastors say, is the concern that the separation of church and state has been breached, with the Fellowship using below-market rents to buy the influence of the lawmakers.

Another pastor who signed the complaint, the Rev. Al Debelak of the Redeemer Lutheran Church, told TPM he decided to sign on after reading a book about the Family.

Mendocino County Supervisor John McCowen, who favors legalization if it's nationwide, said state legalization will not bring the kind of business citizens want.

"The tourists already are coming here. Unfortunately, they're bringing guns with them," he said.