The Mormon PR Campaign on Prop 8...The Lawsuit

Last week in a deplorable act, California's Yes on Proposition 8 campaign filed a lawsuit in Federal Court to permanently throw out the California Political Reform Act passed by the voters in 1974. The very group led by the Mormon Church that insisted the voters have the final say on the issue of gay marriage, now wants to change California's 35 year old election law to keep contributors to all initiative campaigns secret.

They claim that a handful of their over 64,000 contributors have been harassed since Prop 8's narrow victory on November 4th. This frivolous lawsuit is their latest publicity stunt in an effort to change their image and demonize the gay community which was just stripped of its freedom to marry in California, just as it has been in 29 other states.

This issue should not have been on the ballot in the first place. The proponents of this lawsuit spent over $2 million to hire hundreds of professional signature gatherers to qualify Prop 8 for the November ballot just as same-sex marriage became the law of the land. Now they want to change the rules.

Who is behind this lawsuit? The filing lists ProtectMarriage.com the coalition which managed Yes on Prop 8 from day one, and the Princeton, New Jersey based National Organization for Marriage (NOM) which raised most of the $2 million to qualify Prop 8.

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a conservative Christian legal organization based in Arizona filed the lawsuit. Guess who helped start the ADF? James Dobson who runs the Colorado based Focus on the Family for one. Focus on the Family gave $623,000 to Yes on Prop 8. Also listed as a founder of ADF is Donald Wildmon who runs the Tupelo, Mississippi based American Family Association (AFA) which gave $500,000 to Yes on 8. AFA is also the Boycott leader of the world. They have organized over 25 national boycotts against American companies who support equal rights for women and minorities. Now they are complaining about boycotts? Other big financial backers of AFA are Blackwater founder, Erik Prince, whose mother Elsa Prince gave $450,000 to Yes on 8, and her relatives Richard and Helen DeVos. And of course so is William Bolthouse, founder of Bolthouse Farms, who was a very early $100,000 contributor to ProtectMarriage.com.

But the real force behind this latest gay bashing attempt has got to be the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints aka the Mormon Church. Yes, the same Mormon Church which raised nearly $25 million from its members for their Prop 8 campaign.

The Mormon Church has recently embarked on a new rublic relations campaign to "redefine" its image," which it says is being "defined by others." They just hosted a press dinner at their Salt Lake City Temple for print and radio reporters as well as ABC's Nightline. Nightline did a very interesting segment last week on the Church's PR campaign and interviewed two of the twelve Mormon apostles, Russell Ballard and Quentin Cook.

In this first of a kind interview, these two top Mormon leaders defended the Church's role in Prop 8. Apostle Ballard even continued to gloat about their success by smugly saying "when something needs to get done, we know how to do it."

Does that mean that the Mormon Church is behind this frivolous lawsuit to try and redefine its image? Are they trying to hide behind others?

The Mormon Church has led anti gay marriage campaigns since Utah became the first state in the nation to ban same-sex marriage back in 1995. Next they funded campaigns in Hawaii and Alaska, but after taking too much heat over their direct involvement, the Church decided to have their members contribute the money directly to these costly initiatives. They also determined that others should "front" these campaigns. This recently came to light in a secret memo written by Mormon Church leaders on March 4, 1997. It specifically mentioned recruiting the Catholic Church to take more of a public role in future anti gay ballot measures. Here is the link to that memo as originally posted on Daily Kos.

Last year over 59,000 Mormon families contributed to Yes on 8, and did so after a lot of strong arm twisting by Mormon leaders. These Mormon families gave til it hurt. Many even have gay family members, but were required to give to this anti gay ballot measure by their Church.

The Mormon Church ran every aspect of the Yes on 8 campaign. They raised nearly 75% of the money, ran the advertising, which had church members in all of the commercials and did nearly all of the grassroots work. Mormon President Monson wrote a letter that was read in late June in every Mormon Church building, calling on members to "give of their time and resources to pass Proposition 8."

While the Mormon Church is not listed as a plaintiff in this lawsuit, which names all major California election officials including the Attorney General. Secretary of State and the Registrar of Voters of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento Counties, they are likely very much behind it.

The lawsuit also names as defendants, the Chairman and the four other Commissioners of the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), which is in the middle of an active investigation of the Mormon Church for its alleged lack of reporting of what could amount to be hundreds of thousands of dollars in non-monetary contributions to Yes on 8.

This vindictive lawsuit even asks that the contributors to Yes on 8 from mid October through year end be kept secret as well. There are presumably thousands more donors of between $100 to $999 who have yet to be reported. What are they trying to hide? The public should know the names of all those who contributed to this and every other ballot initiative in California. It is the law.

We at Californians Against Hate deplore any threats, violence and hate directed at anyone. The gay community knows only too well how painful this can be. But this lawsuit is merely an effort to turn on the fog machine and try and redefine the image of its promoters.

Comments

[DanOLGB]

Fred, you totally nailed it. Had they got their way, we would never have known about the additional $190,000 that the Church contributed to the campaign. When you filed your complaint with the FPPC I remember a church spokesperson saying they had until Jan 31 to file. I knew back then they would be filing something to meet the minimum requirements. So, the Yes on 8 campaign lies again. Even on their own website they said there weren't any more large contributions to disclose. I wonder if they said that in court. It's pretty clear they were looking to hide this amount when they filed to make the donations anonymous. This needs more press.

[carter2004]

I love it. They're too humiliated by their nonsense, so now they want to perpetrate it in secret. Gee, folks, if you're being so righteous, don't you want us to know who you are and what you're doing? Did Jesus hide behind a cloak of anonymity?

I am so through with these hypocrites.

[jskains]

Really carter2004? Why do you need to know who contributed to the Prop 8 campaign? To harass and hurt them? Some even called for firebombing LDS Churches and going after these individuals to teach them a lesson. There is NO VALUE in distributing that info except to use Iraqi like tactics to scare people into voting your way.

[mercury613]

Funny. The Yes on 8 campaign thought there was quite a bit of value in knowing the identity of donors before the election. How else would they have been able to send threatening letters to those business who donated to No on 8?

[JohnBisceglia]

Since the Mormons have HARASSED and HURT our families in ways that are CRUEL, and the Mormons have caused GREAT SUFFERING, then you know what - they need to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for any vandalism they endure. It is barely a paper cut compared to the violence and harm INEQUALITY causes our lives.

[mercury613]

The kid on the playground who's always picked on finally clocks the bully right in the face -- using the bully's own fighting moves -- and the bully runs to the principal crying, "No fair! No fair!" So classic, so predictable.

The people behind Prop 8 are the Energizer Bunny of cowards and hypocrites: they just keep on going... and going... and going...

[jskains]

Funny, that is what Pro-8 people think about the No on 8 people. They lost the vote so they keep going and going and going...

[mercury613]

Please. People like you will fault us no matter what we do. If we didn't keep fighting, you'd blast us for being weak and backing down.

Again, so classic, so predictable.

[JDurr]

I realize that bashing Mormons is popular right now, and I recognize that the Huffington Post does not pride itself on accurate journalism, but I can't help but point out some of the obvious inaccuracies in this article.

1) You provide absolutely no evidence that the Mormon Church is behind the current initiative to withhold donor names from the public access. Your accusation is not only unfounded, it's not even likely.

2) There was absolutely no "arm twisting," as you described it, nor did the Mormon Church "require" that its members donate to Yes on 8. I know many Mormons who did not donate. They have not and will not suffer any sort of Church discipline or consequences for choosing not to donate.

3) Mormons have every right to get involved in California politics. There are nearly one million Mormons in California.

4) Given the tone of our article, it is very ironic that the name of your organization is "Californians Against Hate." Mormons were only one of many religious and ethnic groups who favored Prop 8. You wish to blame the whole thing on Mormons only because they are an easy target. You're really, really not helping your cause.

If you'd like to read some of the things the Mormon Church has been teaching about homosexuality over the past several years, to judge for yourself if it is "hate speech," feel free to visit http://www.allaboutmormons.com/Blog/mormons_gay_haters_passage_proposition_ENG_28.php

[StevenKeirstead]

How does the LDS regard those of us who are no longer "struggling with same sex attraction" and have accepted our homosexuality as something good? I say this as a man happily married to another man in Massachusetts despite the opposition of our former Governor Mitt Romney, a Mormon.

[sherbug]

Gee what are you going to do about the "N" bomb and threats of violence against blacks by the innocent sweet gay community. Both the Mormons and the LGBT community need to check themselves because they are both guilty of hate mongering.

[oafishcad]

It was gays who had their civil rights taken away, not blacks. Quit trying to make it a black vs. gay issue.

[sherbug]

It most definitely is a black vs gay issue because the gays have made it so. You are hate mongers and you need to own that.

[billy goat]

Please don't engage in hyperbole. Gay people are neither sweeter nor more innocent that anyone else is or isn't. They are demanding that they be treated the same way as others and have access to the same institutions that you enjoy. The organizations that propelled this legislation forward are reaping the unintented economic and social consequences of their ugly actions...nothing more. It's completely justified.

[sherbug]

Threats of violence are never justified. The LGBT community are hate mongers, no better than any other group that threatens you. Own it, its yours.

[quadman]

"Last year over 59,000 Mormon families contributed to Yes on 8, and did so after a lot of strong arm twisting by Mormon leaders. These Mormon families gave til it hurt. Many even have gay family members, but were required to give to this anti gay ballot measure by their Church."

Fred, this is a deliberate lie. Nothing like this happened in regards to Prop 8. The rest of your piece is pure speculation and you have no evidence that the LDS church is behind the lawsuit you mention. Unless you provide some sort of proof, other than pure rhetorical conjecture, your piece falls flat on its face.

[leewa]

This is another case where the tax-free status of a church should be questioned because it has stepped over the line. There is suppose to be a separation of church and state. This is a church that thinks it should be able to dictate to the state. Obviously this is not the only one ,but it is the largest and most powerful religion that should lose it's tax-free status based on its actions. I am not anti-religion or anti Morman but I do believe in the Separation priciple as being a basic requirement in a free society. Otherwise, a powerful group can overide the rights of a smaller group under the guise of religion. Prop 8 is a very good example of that very thing.

[jskains]

Um, no it isn't. There is no seperation of Church and State in the context you think. There is NOTHING wrong with a group of like minded people voting the same way... Otherwise, lets go after the California Teacher's Union who ACTIVELY campaigned against Prop 8... And exactly WHAT does Prop 8 have to do with a TEACHER'S UNION??? These attacks on the Mormon Church are childish and unfounded. Yes on 8 people went through the proper channels and got people to vote on an important issue. No on 8 people didn't get their way, so they are tossing a tantrum. Seriously please grow up.

[lvdragonlady]

Why are the Mormon's, all of a sudden, getting involved in California politics?

[HHarvey]

After reading the above article it would appear it is not so "all of a sudden". I had no idea about Hawaii and Alaska. I would certainly love to see them hurt in the pocketbook because that is the only way you can really get back at them. I would love to see more postings of businesses or organizations that run businesses that make a profit that contributed to getting this initiative on our California ballot. I'm very good at boycotting.