Sen. Reid asks for polygamy task force

Ron Burgundy · 09-13-2006, 12:40 AM

AP - The U.S. Senate's top Democrat called Tuesday for a federal investigation into the activities of polygamists in Western states.

CARSON CITY, Nev. - The U.S. Senate's top Democrat called Tuesday for a federal investigation into the activities of polygamists in Western states.

Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales that a task force should be formed to look into interstate activities of polygamists. He also asked the Justice Department to help state prosecutors dealing with polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs.

"For too long, this outrageous activity has been disguised in the mask of religious freedom," Reid said. "But child abuse and human servitude have nothing to do with religious freedom and must not be tolerated."

Reid, a Mormon, added that Jeffs is part of a sect that broke away from the Mormon Church more than a century ago and has been disavowed by leaders and mainstream members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A reporter's call to the Justice Department's after-hours command center was transferred to the department's press office, where there was no answer.

Jeffs, 50, is charged with two felony counts of rape as an accomplice, accused of arranging a "spiritual marriage" between an underage girl and an older man. Each count carries a penalty of five years to life in prison.

The leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was arrested Aug. 28 by the Nevada Highway Patrol during a traffic stop and is being held without bail. He had been on the run for about a year-and-a-half when he was arrested.

Besides the Utah charges, Jeffs is facing two felony charges in Mohave County, Ariz., for a similarly arranged marriage involving an underage girl. He is expected to be prosecuted there after Utah proceedings have concluded.

Polygamist communities have tended to gather in remote areas of the West, where they can avoid the attention of authorities and larger society more easily. Plural marriage is illegal in all 50 states, but authorities have found it difficult to find witnesses who will come forward and enable them to prosecute.

thomez · 09-13-2006, 02:10 AM

how bout we investigate those breaking the law and not worry about their sexual and social practices otherwise

motivez · 09-13-2006, 02:17 AM

I agree, but there are some issues that go beyond the simple sexuality, like forcing underage girls into marriages / sex with people.

Hopefully that'll be the focus, but I have my doubts.

thomez · 09-13-2006, 02:25 AM

Originally Posted by motivez

I agree, but there are some issues that go beyond the simple sexuality, like forcing underage girls into marriages / sex with people.

yes, and that is already illegal, so simply enforce current law and don't start a witch hunt

motivez · 09-13-2006, 02:26 AM

Looks like he's calling for investigation into the actions up there, something that's notoriously hard because even the local police are complicit in many cases.

thomez · 09-13-2006, 02:33 AM

Looks like he is pandering because a majority will agree with infringing on the liberty of polygamist people simply because of the illegal actions of what is probably a small minority. This is an issue for the state to handle anyways, not federal intrusion, which further highlights the odds that this is for political points.

motivez · 09-13-2006, 02:36 AM

The state is utterly incapable of dealing with it because their local people are involved and complicit in the actions.

I also fail to see how asking for an investigation, as long as it follows the laws is an infringement on liberty.

They have no right to molest children, or force them into marriage.

thomez · 09-13-2006, 02:40 AM

The entire state system is unable to investigate because these few small town officers are implicit? Please.

motivez · 09-13-2006, 02:48 AM

There's a lack of political will + inability to because of how widespread the practice is.

Look at what happened recently with that guy they found. On NPR they were discussing a bunch of "lost boys" or whatever that were essentially run out of towns by the police because they were seen as competition for the older men with the younger (underage) women.

I don't want to see them investigated because they're polygamists, but I have no problem with an investigation into all of the horrendus shit that's going on in certain areas.

thomez · 09-13-2006, 02:52 AM

The people live in basically what we would call compounds, it is not an issue of finding where they are.

I have no problem with investigation of crimes either, at the state level.