From Deseret News archives:
FLDS plea taken to Crawford hasn't made its way to Bush
Letter must clear security channels first, Jessop says
In the letter, Jessop asks Bush to intervene on behalf of the hundreds of FLDS children, teenagers and young adults taken during a raid on the Yearning For Zion ranch near Eldorado, Texas, in early April.
A White House official told the Deseret News on Monday that the administration did not receive any letter at the ranch over the weekend. Jessop said he is not surprised, because he was told the letter would need to clear security channels before being sent on to the president's desk.
"I spoke with several Secret Service agents and a plainclothes guy who said he was familiar with what had happened (at the YFZ Ranch)," Jessop said. "He wanted to read the letter and did. He asked for a copy of the letter, which I gave him, and he told me it would take time to scan it and that he would get it to the president."
Jessop said that when he arrived at the ranch early Saturday morning he spoke with officers working security around the perimeter, who then called Secret Service agents to come speak with Jessop. Several reporters from various media outlets were also there, he added, and recognized his unique white Mercedes SUV.
Texas child welfare officials said they removed every child from the YFZ community because the FLDS religion promotes a dangerous, abusive environment, an allegation denied by the parents and FLDS church. The children have been placed in temporary foster care facilities around the state and are awaiting individual court hearings that begin next week.
A copy of the letter to Bush and an account of how Jessop delivered the letter can be found online at a new FLDS Web site, truthwillprevail.org.
E-mail: nperkins@desnews.com
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