Brian Schweitzer, Montana Governor, Says Mitt Romney's Family 'Came From A Polygamy Commune In Mexico'

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) took a shot at Mitt Romney's Mormonism on Thursday, saying the Republican presidential candidate will have trouble appealing to the national electorate because his father was "born on a polygamy commune in Mexico."

The Daily Beast's Ben Jacobs reports:

While discussing swing states, Schweitzer said Romney would have a “tall order to position Hispanics to vote for him,” and I replied that was mildly ironic since Mitt’s father was born in Mexico, giving the clan a nominal claim to being Hispanic. Schweitzer replied that it is “kinda ironic given that his family came from a polygamy commune in Mexico, but then he’d have to talk about his family coming from a polygamy commune in Mexico, given the gender discrepancy.” Women, he said, are “not great fans of polygamy, 86 percent were not great fans of polygamy. I am not alleging by any stretch that Romney is a polygamist and approves of [the] polygamy lifestyle, but his father was born into [a] polygamy commune in Mexico.”

Romney's father, the late Michigan governor George Romney, was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, in 1907 to American citizens living in a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints colony. The Romney family had left the U.S. to avoid being prosecuted for polygamy after laws against the practice were enforced, and returned to the U.S. after the Mexican Revolution broke out. Some family members stayed in Mexico and Mitt Romney has about 40 relatives still living south of the border.

Romney's religion has surfaced repeatedly during the campaign. Robert Jeffress, a Baptist pastor who supported Rick Perry's failed presidential bid, called Mormonism a "cult" and questioned whether Romney was truly a Christian. Jeffress was joined by other evangelicals, who said they believed that Romney's faith would pose a bigger problem for the former Massachusetts governor during the general campaign.

President Barack Obama, however, has declared faith to be an off-limits topic in the campaign.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[IWW]

05:47 PM on 04/24/2012

Romney vs United States 1890

[IWW]

05:22 PM on 04/24/2012

Romney vs United States 1890. Prooves the hatred his family had for America!! Romneys came from a family like Warren Jeff's that married young women and practiced incest and suppression of women!!

[steelej]

01:58 PM on 04/22/2012

His father was born on a polygamist compund in Mexico and Gov. Schweitzer was pointing out that it could impact his campaign negatively. So what's the story?

[davea0511]

08:20 AM on 04/24/2012

Well, for one that the article did not mention (go figure, it is huffington post incidentally), the "commune" of which he spoke did NOT practice polygamy when his father was born there as the practice was stopped in the 1800's.

So there probably isn't any story here if you feel it's okay to malign someone over false pretenses, and that guilt by association rather than until proven otherwise is recommended and that women are likely to do so (which is what Schweitzer was saying). I for one have a much higher opinion of women than Schweitzer apparently has, and furthermore I do not feel it's okay to malign anyone over false pretenses.

But apparently that's not a story to you.

[steelej]

02:18 PM on 04/24/2012

"Schweitzer did not say that Romney's "dad's dad was a polygamist." He said that Romney's dad was born into a "polygamy commune in Mexico." This is true. In the 1880s, Miles Romney -- the great-grandfather of the current GOP candidate -- established a commune in Mexico with the express purpose of allowing the church to continue that practice after the United States cracked down on it. Miles took another wife in 1897, while living in the colony. Gaskell Romney, his son, didn't engage in plural marriage. So both Romney and Schweitzer, talking past each other, are right. "

Slate.commoron.

[IWW]

05:50 PM on 04/24/2012

Wrong. Romney vs United States 1890. Romneys family sued America in order to continue polygamy!!!

[powermfm]

07:38 AM on 04/22/2012

Wait a minute! Did I just hear Mitt state that his family received government help after first fleeing to Mexico and then doing a forced return because of the revolution down there? Government help? Whoa! Exactly what was that help. Would be darned interesting to know considering Mitt's statements concerning not being worried about the poor, etc.

[greghuke]

01:23 AM on 04/22/2012

warren jeff's was known to visit that sect in mexico as well as the one in Canada, the main concern would be is this the set-up to pardon Jeff's so that he could go about his bussiness
as usual in Texas,Mohave county which has contributed 12 million dollars to building the Texas compound and won't convict a republican childmolester such as jeff's needs the national attention because of the crooked judges and politicans who have helped hold these little girls on the altar have thier clothes stripped off and forced to submit to 50 and 60 year old men

[DanSc]

12:01 AM on 04/22/2012

Just lost a lot of respect for Gov. Schweitzer.

[steelej]

02:00 PM on 04/22/2012

For what? Pointing out the truth? Don't worry, I'm sure he'll be fine without your respect.

[feed the enemy]

04:20 PM on 04/25/2012

Like you had it to begin with, Con ;).

[tuga]

05:01 PM on 04/21/2012

Oh stop! I could care less what Mitt or Obama's grandparents did. How about what they would do as prez?

[SweetiePie26]

07:20 PM on 04/21/2012

Typical republican always bad mouthing liberals and democrats, but when their republican officials’ skeletons are uncovered. THEY MAY PATHETIC EXCUSES.

[TEDDY LJ]

08:09 PM on 04/21/2012

Yup! I am a Baptist, my father was a Baptish, I beleive in it to it's fully extent as my father did. Romney is a Marmon and I am certain he have the same baleifs as his father taught him to beleive in. Éven though he claims he has one wife, I beleive him. The root of things is these people are allowed to have more than one wife. These women are so under pressure and not allowed to speak their mine without restrictions. Take a look at Ann Romney when she speaks, her words are controlled and well formed to suit the purpose. She will never make a mistake in public. This is all show from these people, at home she have nothing to say.

[davea0511]

12:18 PM on 04/24/2012

Maybe if you tried something in addition to the baptist teet you've been sucking on you'd know that "these people" have not been allowed to have more than one wife since the church outlawed polygamy in the 1800's.

But I'm sure the conspiracist in your will beg to differ. Yes, everyone that is well spoken is a lie. he he he ... i can only imagine what your sermons are like.

[shirleeinny]

03:37 PM on 04/21/2012

I don't care who has what religion but Romney, should get used to it especially when the right wing, keeps calling the President, a Muslim.

[davea0511]

12:24 PM on 04/24/2012

I think he's used to it. The article isn't about Romney but about Schweitzer, and misses the point entirely that Schweitzer's opinion is based on false innuendo that his father lived in a polygamist commune. Polygamy was outlawed in the Mormon church before Mitt's dad was even born. Why am I the only person pointing this out? There are many "communes" in Mexico, some which still practice polygammy, but none which are associated with the church Romney goes to.

[IWW]

06:04 PM on 04/24/2012

U need to recheck ur info Romney v US 1890

[Midnight Cry]

12:02 PM on 04/21/2012

If Polygamy mattered, O would not have been elected.... Vet him.

[energydem]

05:23 PM on 04/21/2012

Are you insane?

[xxixpines]

01:15 AM on 04/23/2012

Naa she isnt insane, just trolling for the GOP>

[steelej]

02:02 PM on 04/22/2012

Please explain. I'm sure it will be fun.

[cae303]

12:00 PM on 04/21/2012

Obama's paternal ancestors were polygamists as well.
What does that have to do with todays terrible economy.
We need jobs, jobs, jobs......25 Million are unemployed.
1 in 6 are living in poverty, mostly women and children.
$ 16 Trillion debt threatens SS, Medicare and Medicaid.
$ 4 Gal gas. No real energy plan to use our vast resources.

[IWW]

06:06 PM on 04/24/2012

It has to do with values. The suppression of women begins at home

[cae303]

09:59 AM on 04/25/2012

True...

[enlightened45]

11:51 AM on 04/21/2012

George Romney was born in Mexico and became a candidate for US president. Where were the birthers back then?

[powermfm]

07:40 AM on 04/22/2012

Aw shucks! Do I gotta say it? George was white.

[enlightened45]

08:33 AM on 04/22/2012

Yikes, I keep forgettin'.

[IWW]

06:08 PM on 04/24/2012

True

[martharadarears]

11:45 AM on 04/22/2012

He was born to two American citizens. That makes him a natural-born citizen.

[jack Winn]

09:41 PM on 04/22/2012

Cite your authority.

[Wombat 123]

10:57 PM on 04/23/2012

He was born to four American citizens.

[enlightened45]

11:50 AM on 04/21/2012

Certain contingents of Mormons still insist on sister wives. However, legally the husband is only married to the first one. The rest are mistresses, concubines, live-ins......

[martharadarears]

11:49 AM on 04/22/2012

They aren't Mormons. They're break-off splinter groups. And it was Romney's great-grandfather who was a polygamist, not his grandfather.

Have you ever heard of ex post facto laws? They are forbidden by the Constitution. But they were enforced against the Mormons. THAT was why so many Mormons wound up in prison, Mexico,or Canada.

[enlightened45]

12:23 PM on 04/22/2012

A review of history and the US legal system would be in order for you. One positive ex post facto law is the Adam Walsh child protection law which is retroactive. However, did the Rmoney ancestor flee to Mexico to keep his wives or to avoid prosecution for past indulgences?

[enlightened45]

11:47 AM on 04/21/2012

Romney's grandfather fled to Mexico in order to maintain his five(5) wives when polygamy was declared illegal in the US.

[Midnight Cry]

11:47 AM on 04/21/2012

Many of you libs are prejudiced against Mexicans. Romney has Mexicans in his family, and you guys are barking up the wrong tree.

[birdiyama]

12:31 PM on 04/21/2012

Mid,Willards family tree has many branches, as do polygamist family trees. They all need to be explored and exposed if he is the GOP nominee. Willards fanily tree needs transparency, as does his past tax returns. Maybe the birthers will have a field day with Willard, if their objective is the truth and transparency.

[xxixpines]

10:08 PM on 04/22/2012

Willard esta es wahalote.

[matteroffact2tell]

09:49 AM on 04/21/2012

Did Mitt Romney really say that his relatives were helped by the government to get on their feet?
The same help he has been denying to women and the poor.

[Midnight Cry]

11:37 AM on 04/21/2012

FAIL.

[Midnight Cry]

11:45 AM on 04/21/2012

That's a lie.

[xxixpines]

10:08 PM on 04/22/2012

eating corn on the Kolob?

[orixaguy]

02:23 AM on 04/24/2012

Are you implying Romney is lieing about his family? That comes later when he says his family wasn't involved with polygamy; that polygamy isn't the reason they defected to Mexico.