From Deseret News archives:
Summit targets FLDS
Just blocks from the glitzy Las Vegas Strip, federal, state and local authorities met all day Wednesday at the U.S. Attorney's Office for Nevada. Those who attended told the Deseret News they exchanged information and pledged to work together. They mostly discussed the Fundamentalist LDS Church.
"We met a lot of people, exchanged a lot of cards, got a lot of contacts," said Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. "I think it'll facilitate communications in the future."
Asked if the FLDS Church should be concerned about the four states joining forces to investigate any crimes within the group, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard smiled.
"You could draw that conclusion," he said.
This was not the joint federal-state task force that the Utah and Arizona attorneys general have sought. The meeting did come out of their very public spat with U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who accused the two states of "doing nothing" about polygamy.
"We're just here to talk with one another about the issues we have in common," said Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.
"This is an example of what is necessary," he told the Deseret News as he left the meeting. "Maintaining open, clear communication. There are agencies that are doing a lot, and those agencies need to talk to one another."
Washington County Sheriff Kirk Smith said the meeting was more for coordination, as the states work closer together on any criminal activity within polygamy.
"To meet counterparts from different states and share information and make contacts, I thought it was productive and valuable," added Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap.
Shurtleff said he would like to expand the working group to include Colorado, Idaho and other states where the FLDS Church has enclaves.
"I think everybody has concerns from what they're hearing and what they're seeing," Cortez Masto said. "I think for purposes of our state, we want to make sure we're vigilant and we're being proactive."
Recent comments
It is so nice to see the boards here are not changing. As for the...
mypc | June 15, 2008 at 3:13 p.m.
To FLDS commentors,
Just a thought, if you would quit posting here...
Anonymous | June 14, 2008 at 9:44 p.m.
thank God they are kicking some of the young men out of the FLDS...
jt | June 13, 2008 at 3:12 p.m.
- Today on TV 12:13 a.m.
- Editorial: Lessons from the Berlin Wall 12:13 a.m.
- Welcome: That'll be $10 12:13 a.m.
- Promote expansion or foster bubbles? 12:13 a.m.
- Campaigning is ego booster 12:13 a.m.
- Letters: Gale's been taken in 12:13 a.m.
- Letters: A poisonous potion 12:13 a.m.
- Letters: Editorial page top-notch 12:13 a.m.
- Letters: Immigrants need aid 12:13 a.m.
- Letters: Salaries out of whack 12:13 a.m.
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
216 - House passes health care bill
201 - Lobo suspended
173 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
151 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
129 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - Thousands protest health bill
102 - Provo company innovating engines
101 - Utes pound winless Lobos
89 - BYU cuts Women's Research Institute
88
Why do so many people live so close to refineries in Utah and elsewhere?
NASA's Stardust probe continues to bring new knowledge about the nature...
you need to move to Sweden, where citizen in fact are guaranteed housing,...
I am a PG fan and wanted to congratulate the girls on a State championship! I...
I definitely understand the need to train year round. I'm not a collegiate...
TIME FOR CHANGE IN AMERICA. I have a family here in America.... They...
Libs, Silver Grey? That's cleaver.
Let's imagine an man comes to your door and tells you he has an amazing...
To have health coverage which government workers enjoy. To be able to work...
Come on. This showdown is nothing like Alabama. Contrary to what's been...
What is normal? And really all are bad?
Wyoming just hates BYU. Lose big, or even win big, they still hate BYU. ...


