I have been tracking the political activities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) for the past three years, ever since it qualified and ran every aspect of the Proposition 8 campaign in my home state of California. After the Mormon Church reported spending only $2078 on the five-month campaign, I filed a sworn complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission detailing all that the Mormon Church did to pass Prop 8.
My charges led to an unprecedented 18-month investigation by our state ethics commission. The Mormon Church was prosecuted, investigated, fined and found guilty on 13 counts of election fraud. They adamantly denied my charges when I first filed them. Church leaders called me a liar and attacked me. That stopped abruptly once the investigation was announced.
Now three years later it appears that the Mormon Church is actively involved in the campaign to elect the first Mormon President of the United States.
Their 180-year-old U.S.-born religion would thrive under President Mitt Romney. Church membership would soar in this country and around the world. But there is one candidate who could jeopardize a Romney win in the primaries: former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman.
Mormons Work Overtime to Stop Huntsman
Take a look at what the Mormon Church has done to undercut former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman's campaign. First, it did all in its power to try and convince him to "wait his turn" before running for President. They did not want him to take away anything from Mitt Romney, especially to dilute his Mormon support.
Was it the Mormon Church that leaked Jon Huntsman's private correspondence to Presidents Clinton and Obama through the Utah State Achieves? Is the Church hierarchy directing its 6 million U.S. members to give to Romney not Huntsman?
Take a look at the money raised just in Utah as of September 30th of this year. Romney has raised over $1.9 million and former popular Utah Governor Huntsman only $255,000.
Take a look at the endorsements of the 12 current Republican Mormon members of Congress, the score -- Romney 8, Huntsman 0. Coincidence or an order from above?
According to a recent story in Bloomberg News, most Utah elected officials are backing Romney, including State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and the Republican leaders of the state legislature.
If the Huntsman family was not so prominent, I am sure the Church would be even more aggressive against him.
As someone who is very familiar with the political ways of the Mormon Church, I will keep a watchful eye. I hope that others will be vigilant as well.