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	Senate Targets FLDS By Trish Choate Times Record News July 15, 2008 http://www.timesrecordnews.com/news/2008/jul/15/senate-targets-flds/ Committee sees organized crime as possibility WASHINGTON - The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will be the subject of a Senate Judiciary Committee probe next week, possibly looking into organized crime and other federal crimes among polygamous sects. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has long sought more federal involvement in investigating polygamous sects, will testify at the July 24 hearing and will also introduce a bill next week to create a federal task force. "His ultimate goal is to step up enforcement of the crimes that are committed in these polygamous sects," Jon Summers, spokesman for the Democratic senator from Nevada, said. Reid would ultimately like to have a federal task force to partner with states to step up enforcement, Summers said. In addition, Reid's upcoming bill would also provide grant funding for victims to assist with housing, as well as protection for those who choose to testify. Abuse of women and children isn't the only concern, Summers said. "We're learning about financial crimes that are being committed in some of these groups, as well," Summers said. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said he has been asked to testify. "They asked me if I would come to testify about possible organized crime, racketeering, white collar crime, other federal crimes that might be being committed in certain sects like the FLDS," Shurtleff said. He's planning to try to testify but is still waiting for details, he said. The hearing didn't sit well with Rod Parker, an FLDS spokesman. If Reid is simply giving a platform to authors of books about the FLDS and others who promote hatred of the sect, then he's simply multiplying the kind of animosity that touched off the April raid of the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado, said Parker, a Salt Lake City attorney. The committee should invite FLDS members to testify also, he said. "I can tell you if they receive that invitation, they will participate," Parker said. It would be unfortunate if the hearing were simply "a publicity stunt" to generate more hatred of the FLDS, he said. Law enforcement and child protection authorities removed more than 400 children from their parents. The raid was sparked by suspicions of sexual abuse that arose after telephone calls now suspected to be fakes. The children were returned to their parents because of an appeals court ruling. But authorities continue to investigate the FLDS, which has strongholds in the Southwest and British Columbia. Washington regional correspondent Trish Choate can be reached at (202) 408-2709 or choate@shns.com.
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