Lawmaker: Investigate FLDS-linked contract (YFZ/fLDS Daily Thread - 4/39/08)

The Salt Lake Tribune ^ | 04/30/2008 | Thomas Burr

[MizSterious]

"What about if some muzzie group contracts out with the federal government and then it's profits go to support jihad and other organizations determined to bring down the US?"

Or worse, "charities." In fact, they've shut down some of these "charities" that were funneling money to terrorists of many stripes, and are working to shut down others. The Holy Land Foundation "charity" comes to mind.

But I honestly don't know if this can apply to groups not designated as terrorists. That said, I wonder if other laws might come into play, such as various labor laws, since I hear that the fLDS laborers are, for the most part, giving their labor to the church. (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong on this.)

[MizSterious]

Just my opinion, because I never went to law school, but it seems to me that she might have jumped the gun, unless she is talking about labor practices or something like that.

[MizSterious]

It seems to me that the IRS would be VERY interested in looking at this group’s financial records.

[Nevadan]

re: It is mind boggling how every aspect of the members existence were ruled over by the profit (misspelling intentional).

I agree. In the cases where a husband questions the “prophet” he is kicked out of the community, and his wife or wives & children are “reassigned” to some other man. Everyone simply accepts the new arrangement as “God's will.”

[PennsylvaniaMom]

And the man ‘kicked out’ could have 20 years of, lets say, construction work experience. But he can’t prove it (to get a job). He probably doesn’t even know his SS number...it is beyond appalling how they ruined these peoples lives.

[FreeInWV]

Yeah! What a great idea. We should have all federal, state & local employees and contractors sign an affidavit stating their religious affiliation. Lying on it should be a felony. Maybe we can do this with people on welfare or unemployment too! Just to be sure, we should dna sample them. We could store the info in a big database which could help us definitively settle relationships. That would root out all of the polygamists and muslims once & for all!

[MizSterious]

FLDS Update: Colorado City Residents Keeping an Eye on Eldorado

Reported by: KLST News

Tuesday, Apr 29, 2008 @07:35pm CST

People Who Live In The Community Of Colorado City, Arizona Say They're Keeping A Close Eye On What's Happening Here With The F-L-D-S Church Members Near Eldorado.
A Number Of Residents At The Y-F-Z Ranch Actually Came From Colorado City Which Is Right On The Border Of Arizona And The Commlunity Of Hildale, Utah Known As The Center Of The Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints Who Practice Polygamy.
A Man Named Sterling Harker Has Two Daughters In Temporary Custody Of The State. Harker Says F-L-D-S Leader Warren Jeffs Ordered His Two Wives And Children To Leave Him For Another Man.
He Also Told Reporters Rumors Have Been Circulating In The Arizona/Utah Communities That Federal And State Agents May Be Planning A Raid There.

---

NOTE: Formatting exactly as it is at the source: Concho Valley. There is a video at the site.

Take special note of the last statement--there may be more breaking news on this topic.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Just another tiny example Miz, of what the TX CPS have had to deal with...from the article you posted:

"I have four in captivity," she said flatly.

Okay...she has four in protective custody...

Maggie, who declined to give her last name, is a 43-year-old mother of four children, one of many FLDS mothers who is confused by a child welfare system that would take children from what she considers a harmonious environment and thrust them into the outside world they know little about.

Maybe I could work up a little sympathy for her plight...

Maggie said she has lived out of a car for the past month, traveling across the state with her two adult sons while trying to find her children.

What? I thought she said she had four children...now there are two more 'adult children' in the mix?

Just a slice of (to the TX authorities) My name is Maggie (no last name), I four children. (Next day) My name is (maybe) Maggie, and I have six children.

And lastly...why is Maggie earnestly looking for only the eight year old daughter? Is a sister mother out there looking for the six year old? In one little article the inconsistencies are stunning, imagine times 120 women...

[Nevadan]

re: (I could never ‘Stay Sweet’ I am a bitter Pennsylvanian)

Love your tagline!

[MizSterious]

The interview boggles the mind. Hats off to the CPS for not slapping her silly.

[Politicalmom]

PING!!

FReepmail to be added to the FLDS Eldorado Legal

Case Ping List

[Nevadan]

re: Wouldn’t something like that get the IRS involved? What about paying taxes and SS?

They probably did pay the taxes and SS. But the rest of the money went to the FLDS and was controlled by it.

[Froufrou]

“While religious affiliation should certainly not be a determining factor...I am concerned that such scrutiny did not occur in this case, and that funds from this company may have been used to support the FLDS church’s activities.”

That’s a big contradiction. You all have the same trouble with this ‘smell test’ as I have. But I think the government does have something to say. There was an Army Col. locally who was recently found to be filching money through bogus contracts in Iraq. And some others [5 altogether IIRC] who were scamming federal contracts.

Keep in mind: the government is omnipotent. Even in the Human Services arena I worked in, we could not certify a case with income reported from illegal means. IOW, if you steal to make money we won’t give you food stamps. Like you’d report it, just the same as New Era would explain in their gov’t bid they were supporting a polygamous sect. So, yeah, after the fact, the gov’t. can decline to be a participant in illegal activity. And, they can lower the hammer on you for it.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***Good analogy. It was posted (on one of the 17,000 plus flds threads) that the ‘workers’ have no ‘need’ of money, as their needs are provided by the church (flds).***

Sounds like the Tony and Susan Alamo racket of using church members in their restaurant, now closed, in Alma, Ark and his clothing store in Nashville Tenn.

[MizSterious]

Slightly off topic, but this is a similar case--not fLDS:

New Mexico police remove 4 children from church compound

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- State police in northeastern New Mexico have removed four children from the compound of an apocalyptic church, whose leader claims to be the Messiah and acknowledges having sex with followers.

State Children, Youth and Families Department spokeswoman Romaine Serna says the three girls and one boy - all under the age of 18 - were taken from the compound in the days after an April 22 investigation.

Serna says the children were put in state custody because of allegations of inappropriate contact between minors and the adult leader of The Lord Our Righteousness Church.

Wayne Bent, known in the church as Michael Travesser, established the church at a site called Strong City in the rural norteastern corner of the state.

He alleges the children were kidnapped by the state.

Source: STLtoday.

[Froufrou]

Spreading like a fungus among us.

[metmom]

I was thinking more about them filing personal income tax forms. Wouldn’t that raise a red flag if they gave THAT much to the religious group?

You also need SS #’s for filing taxes anyway. I don’t see how they’re going to manage to avoid tax fraud charges as well.

[MizSterious]

From the article: "He alleges the children were kidnapped by the state."

Sounds familiar. Now where have I heard that before?

I can't believe these people. According to these people, all you have to do if you want to molest children, is get yourself one of those mail-order instant preacher certificates, and if the law tries to remove your victims, just holler that your Constitutional rights (to abuse a child? I don't recall that right in the Constitution) are being denied, and accuse the authorities of kidnapping your victims.

Sheesh.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Good for New Mexico~

But I havta add...Wayne Bent? Strong City? Some days it must be easy to be a comedy writer...just watch the wire services....

[MizSterious]

My guess—like the illegals, they might have several people filing on the same ss#.