Deseret News | Reader comments: Senate committee to investigate FLDS

Reader comments
Senate committee to investigate FLDS

RL | 5:34 p.m. July 14, 2008

Carol Jessop needs to stop worrying about "educating them on how difficult it is..." and just testify the truth. She always has an agenda of her own. Makes me sick. Whether what she says is true or not is lost in her quest to get gain, or "educate" as she puts it. Sleezy is the word that immediately comes to mind when she's mentioned.

David | 6:05 p.m. July 14, 2008

Sigh...
Well its time for all of us to let our senators and reps know how we feel.

Trust | 6:20 p.m. July 14, 2008

The first word that comes to my mind when I hear the name Carolyn Jessop is bravery. This woman had gone through so much and I apreciate her story and dont for a minute feel she is so self absorbed to do all of this for her own self satisfaction. I dont for a second think there is any reason for her to be on a quest to gain anything from this. She does this form her heart and for others. Im sure with that said, she will do as she always does and testify the TRUTH! RL, there has never been one thing this woman has done that is sleezy!!

Comments continue below

motherofsix | 6:26 p.m. July 14, 2008

Go Carolyn Go!!!

mistereporter | 6:24 p.m. July 14, 2008

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is a Democrat from Nevada.

Ranking member and former chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee Orrin Hatch is a Republican from Utah.

A bipartisan investigation of the FLDS. How very nice. How fair.

They are Mormons, both of them.

As long as it's under oath | 6:45 p.m. July 14, 2008

It's about time that they're asked to testify under oath. Let them lie before congress if they dare. The consequences aren't quite the same as lying in a book.

Gal50 | 7:05 p.m. July 14, 2008

By the way, Rosita Swinton was a no-show at her hearing and a warrant is out for her arrest. She and Warren have something in common.

This is an interesting development. Rod Parker points out that no FLDS insiders have been invited. Perhaps they should be. It seems that people don't trust those inside the FLDS to tell the truth.

I remember the testimony of all of the heads of the tobacco companies and how they each stood up and stated that they believed that nicotine is not addictive. It was incriminating because some in the industry were trying to boost nicotine levels. So, sometimes it is a good thing to get testimony slanted in both directions.

In the FLDS case, having Warren Jeffs, Merrill Jessop or Willie Jessop testify would be very interesting. How many wives do you have and what are the ages of your wives and the children that you have by each wife? How many underage girls are currently married or in a polygamous relationship? How many women have been reassigned? What were the circumstances? Why are boys expelled and not girls? These hearings would be much more interesting with the FLDS present.

mistereporter | 8:10 p.m. July 14, 2008

Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, et al, are up to their ears in First Amendment abuses of an out-of-mainstream Mormon church. (The LDS denies the FLDS is Mormon. The historical record shows otherwise: The patrilineal line from Joseph Smith goes through the FLDS and the LDS.)

Note: I am not a Mormon.

Bolstering the state civil and criminal cases by a U.S. Senate investigation spearheaded by two powerful senators who are members of the Mormon Church is an abuse of office.

Thomas | 9:15 p.m. July 14, 2008

Leave these people alone.

Tubal | 9:34 p.m. July 14, 2008

I guess they have too much money sitting in congress and don't have anything better to do with it. At the most, there is evidence of underage marraige, which should be handled by state authorities. Why waste federal money on a witch hunt?

This is being spearheaded by a mormon. This is one of those things that makes you go hmm....

nonameneeded | 11:57 p.m. July 14, 2008

I grew up alongside Carolyn. She always was the picture of beauty. Should I read her book?

About me? I had a really great childhood, saw a lot of good and a little bad. Just like everybody here I suppose.

Has been so sad to watch Warren and others have their way with the innocent. And now, to watch the media and government become involved. Sooo much more pain for the innocent. Innocent until proven guilty is what I believe. So why talk of a witch hunt?

Gal50, You sound as if you're reading a great book and can't wait to get to the next chapter. These are real people, real families, real beliefs, and the people, are being trampled for all of the above.

Have heard it said, "Where is the LDS Church?" Do we hear nothing from them about the same historical background? Do they not defend their history? Well, I'm disappointed, but I guess we're hearing it now. Sad, but they are seeming ashamed of it. I Have always been proud to be a Mormon. I know I always will be.

I've been told I should write a book. But who would read a good story?

R | 4:52 a.m. July 15, 2008

This whole affair counts as a witch hunt, in my book. After the case against the folks in El Dorado started drying up, local authorities in British Columbia and then Colorado started going on fishing expeditions of their own. And now US congressmen feel it's worth Congress's time to have hearings?

//It's about time that they're asked to testify under oath.//

Right, because none of them have been in court already...

Sugar Momma | 7:13 a.m. July 15, 2008

nonameneeded,

Read Carolyn's book, hon. She could have had a better life with the Taliban.

I'm sure she's reluctant to testify because she doesn't want the women and children of the FLDS to be further victimized by the backlash, when they really can't help their situation.

It was nearly impossible for her to get out with her kids, with more obstacles than I can count. Not many people have that kind of endurance, so I'm sure her heart goes out to the women left behind who are too afraid to leave.

I hope she does testify, though. It's the handful of the higher ups that are corrupt beyond measure, and hurting all the rest. I would love to see her megolomaniac coward of an x-husband and his cronie Barbara put behind bars.

Maybe the state of Utah could use that confiscated Trust Fund to help the victims of the FLDS.

I honestly wish some Lost Boys would testify. Their voices need to be heard, and their parents prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. If they'd been over 18 when they were kicked out on the streets, it wouldn't be agains the law. But they were children then.

R | 7:40 a.m. July 15, 2008

The accusations against the FLDS - not counting the ones that boil down to "look how weird these people are" - are, primarily, statutory rape and welfare fraud. Occasionally I've seen more outlandish claims like murdering disabled children, but I don't bother to seriously engage those.

Of the claims that have any substantiation, though - what falls under the jurisdiction of Congress?

Pretty one sided | 9:58 a.m. July 15, 2008

R... First of all, there has been no alleged cases started on welfare fraud. If the state makes the determination that a woman be labelled a single Mother, she is s single Mother. Shall be make it so all single Mothers can not be allowed food stamops and medical assistance? Because someone meets the eligability for services does not equate to fraud.

I agree with you that none of the alleged crimes falls under congress.

It is interesting that an LDS Attorney General in Utah started all this. Now we have two LDS Senators sitting on a committee to judge the Mormon Fundamentalists. The persecuted have become the persecutors.

Lost Boy "Pliggy" | 1:18 p.m. July 15, 2008

Dum da dum dum DUUUM!

You think they will invite me? I just sent dirty Harry an email asking to come to the party.

"too afraid to leave"
Sugar Momma, I think it is you who has been brainwashed, Carolyn is as brave as any other bitter ex wife who hates her ex-husband because of her mother in law. She did leave without any sense, but her daughter going back is what made her imagination go mad.

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