FPPC To Investigate Mormon Church Involvement in Prop 8

NEWS RELEASE November, 24, 2008


California Fair Political Practices Commission to
Investigate Mormon Church Involvement in Prop 8

LOS ANGELES, CA – Fred Karger, Founder of Californians Against Hate received a letter today from the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) regarding the sworn complaint that he filed on November 13, 2008. The complaint requested the FPPC investigate the alleged lack of reporting of numerous non monetary contributions to ProtectMarriage.com / Yes on 8, A Project of California Renewal I.D. #1302592 by the Mormon Church. The letter from FPPC Executive Director, Roman Porter, dated November 21, 2008 was received by fax. Below is the text of the letter from Mr. Porter.

Fair Political Practices Commission
428 J Street, Suite 629, Sacramento, CA 95814-2329
(916)322-5660 Fax (916)322-0886

November 21, 2008

Fred Karger
1278 Glenneyre, #20
Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Re; FPPC File No. 08/735; Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints aka the Mormon Church of Salt Lake City, Utah

Dear Mr. Karger:

This letter is to notify you that the Enforcement Division of the Fair Political Practices Commission (the FPPC) will investigate the allegation(s), under the jurisdiction of the FPPC, of the sworn complaint you submitted in the above-referenced matter. You will next receive notification from us upon final disposition of the case. However, please be advised that at this time we have not made any determination about the validity of the allegation(s) you made or about the culpability, if any, of the person(s) you identify in your complaint.

Thank you for taking the time to bring this matter to our attention.

Sincerely,

Roman G. Porter
Executive Director

cc: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints aka the Mormon Church of Salt Lake City, Utah

“We are very pleased that the FPPC has agreed to launch an investigation based on our complaint,” said Fred Karger. “My 4 page letter to Chairman Ross Johnson and California and Utah Attorneys General Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and Mark Shurtleff with all of the alleged unreported activities is available on our blog at: http://californiansagainsthate.blogspot.com/ We’re hopeful the Mormon Church will fully cooperate with the investigation, and that we will find out the full extent of their involvement in the Yes on 8 campaign.”

— end —

34 thoughts on “FPPC To Investigate Mormon Church Involvement in Prop 8

  1. Hmmm – will the FPPC also be investigate the various California Gay Rights Centers that receive Federal and State Tax dollar funding and used those funds to campaign against prop 8?

  2. I bet they won’t, there is such a huge push by these Gay right movements to pass these laws, I don’t understand we are a democracy and majority wins, they voted on it and they lost, if they had won and we tried to overturn the decision…they would go crazy. It seems to me that they just want this law passed no matter what, and that’s just not right.

  3. I would also like to thank this website for giving me a list of the companies that supported Prop 8, I will be donating money to them and looking into doing business with them.

    Thank you
    Edwin.

  4. Ummm: “For a 501c3 church to openly speak out, or organize in opposition to, anything that the government declares “legal,” even if it is immoral (e.g. abortion, homosexuality, etc.), that church will jeopardize its tax exempt status.” LGBT centers are NOT churches. So go file a formal complaint (which would likely be dismissed) or stfu.

    Yeah, equality is just not right. Oh wait, that’s bs. It’s not okay for minority rights to be approved or denied at the whim of a simple majority.

    Yes, you go donate your millions (ha, right) to the businesses who supported Prop 8. That’ll really show us.

  5. Jose,

    In a just democracy, the civil rights of a minority group cannot be stripped away just because the majority says so. And for this you should be glad, because if it could happen to one group, then it could happen to you. Today it’s the gays, but tomorrow… who knows?

    Think about it.

    People often decry “activist judges” without realizing that, were it left up to the will of the majority, we’d still be drinking from separate water fountains. It took the Supreme Court to articulate why this was wrong and to demand the end of “separate but equal.”

  6. Jose,

    We don’t live in a strict democracy, we live in a Constitutional Republic. If you’ll remember back to your High School civics class, that means just because a majority of the electorate wants something, doesn’t mean they’ll get it. Many times, yes — but where matters of individual rights are concerned, our system of government provides protection for minorities. Mormons of ALL people should understand and appreciate this fact.

  7. Equality?
    Equality is there..nobody has ever said that you can’t be openly homosexual have they? You have the freedom to be Gay and I believe and will always fight for your right to do so. However this issue is not about that, this is about homosexuals wanting to be recognized as a legitimate and legal couple, and enjoy the benefits of such recognition, taxes, adoption, etc.

    You see for me being gay is a choice, and I know how many millions and how much effort Gay movements have gone through to make people believe it’s not, and of course if you make people believe your born that way…well then the your point of equality is better seen and received.

    As far as comparing the Gay movement struggle with what black people went through is to me a huge offense to black people, I don’t believe gays’ have to sit in the back of the bus or are not served at restaurants…right? This is about 2 guys or 2 girls or 1 guy and a goat wanting to get married and wanting the rest of us to accept that marriage. This in no way is discriminatory, Now if the government or society told you; you couldn’t live with your partner then I can see your point, but again nobody is saying that or will every say that.

  8. Jose,

    Whether or not being gay is a choice is irrelevant. Nothing is more chosen than ones religious beliefs, yet religious people expect and are granted GREAT latitude and protection in our system of government, with respect to their sincerely held religious beliefs.

  9. Ken C, your right there is plenty of latitude with religion, but being gay is not a religion…right?
    It’s not the same thing.
    Am I missing something here?
    And I go back to my initial point, why cant you just live with your partner and be done with it?
    They way I see it is a group of people “minority” (not really) wanting something and pushing so hard for it.

  10. “You see for me being gay is a choice”

    Then you’re just ignorant, and that’s a huge part of the problem here. There are too many people like yourself who are WILLFULLY ignorant. All CREDIBLE research shows that homosexuality is an inherent trait. You claim it’s a choice, but if asked, I bet you’d be hard pressed to come up with any evidence to back up your claim. Why don’t you do a little reading, starting with the American Psychological Association?

  11. You guys are bunch of cowards. Pick on the poor Mormons because they had the backbone to stand up? How convenient that you forget about the Muslims, who, by the way, stone gays. The Mormons are the most Christian people on the planet and while they are busy turning the other cheek as they are taught, you are busy burning a Book of Mormon. What courage. Try burning the Koran and see what happens. I guarantee that this FPPC investigation will come to nothing. Then who are you going to pick on? Try the Black community who by themselves basicallly got Prop. 8 passed. No, that won’t work, they might fight back. Oh, by the way, thanks for the Dishonor list, now I know who I will send all of my business to.

  12. Jose,

    You wrote:

    “Ken C, your right there is plenty of latitude with religion, but being gay is not a religion…right?”

    Right, but the religious beliefs of some include extending full marriage rights to same-sex couples. Why should the particular religious beliefs of those who deny same-sex couples full marriage rights be legislated above others?

    And remember, not all people, not all religious people, not all Christians, not even all Catholics and LDS, etc. oppose marriage equality for same-sex couples. Why should the government side with one set of believers over another?

  13. Loveforall,

    I completely agree with you. Bullies only pick on people who they are sure they can beat.
    The funny part here is that they were beat, but they wont stop there; so now they go around the people straight to the courts to get there way, not cool at all.
    Learning to lose is just as important as playing to win.

  14. KenC,

    The reason the government is stepping into this is because gays want the benefits of being recognized as a couple by the state.
    If this was just about getting married and sharing your “love” with your partner well you can have a friend marry you and give you a marriage certificate on a piece of napkin. But this is not about love, if you believe that God will bless your relationship then why do you need the state to do it also.
    You see this is not about gay people being together, because they can be together right now, this is about the Government excepting it as a legal establishment.

  15. Jose,

    Actually, the government of California does, right now, accept legal unions of same-sex couples. They’re called domestic partnerships. What this is about is whether or not the government can justifiably maintain separate categories for gay and straight unions. We have a reasoned decision from the Supreme court saying the government can not.

    To borrow an idea from long time marriage advocate Andrew Sullivan, if the state of CA is going to endorse domestic partnerships (along with adoption rights, inheritance rights, hospital visitation rights, etc), if the state of CA is going to, in effect, concede the substance of the matter but not the name — marriage, how is that anything other than an act of pure stigmatization?

    Incidentally, I could care less what anyone’s God thinks of this state arrangement, I’m perfectly happy to make the distinction between CIVIL marriage and Holy Matrimony. Religions can do what they want in that regard. The state should not discriminate.

  16. “How convenient that you forget about the Muslims, who, by the way, stone gays.”

    Mormons overwhelmingly contributed to the Yes on 8 campaign. Muslims did not. The current struggle is about Prop 8. FAIL, but thanks for playing.

    “Try the Black community who by themselves basicallly got Prop. 8 passed.”

    Actually that’s not accurate at all, and if you paid any attention at all to the analysis that followed the election, you’d know that.

  17. Peter,

    I wish there was a place to put a picture of myself giving you the face that I’m making right now.
    Look the truth is that Mormons are doing what they believe is correct, as you are doing what you think is correct, however more people think that what Mormons are doing is correct than you and your organizations, going behind peoples back to over turn what the “people” decided to be the law is incorrect and under minds or political system.
    Now whether you chose to acknowledge this or not this political system gives you the right to do so many things that I’m pretty sure you take for granted, Like Muslims stoning gays, you don’t have to deal with that here, now do you.
    And Muslims do appose and are much more against gays all together than any other religion out there, but like “loveforall” said you wouldn’t dare say anything to them not you or any of these organizations for fear of retaliation. And that my friend is the truth.

    Edwin.

  18. My question is simply this:

    Why do people oppose gay marriage? It’s not as if allowing gay people to marry takes anything away from straight marriage.

  19. Congratulations! I thought you laid out a case worth investigating — other Prop 8 boosters were declaring nonmonetary contributions to the campaign and the Mormon Church wasn’t — the Mormon Church that practically adopted the campaign and fed it from its tithes? As big a lie as any they used in their advertising.

  20. During my long life, I have had dogs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, goldfish, cats, horses, pigs, racoons, deer, possums, and a whole bunch of God’s creations. Diring that time I have NEVER seen a male or female of the species have sex with another similar gender of that animal/fowl/etc..
    So can someone more learned than me please advise what it is that attracts one kweer to another kweer; or one dykke to another dykke? I appreciate it so that I can understand. Thank you.

  21. Edwin,

    Don’t lecture me on my liberties and what I take for granted.

    For starters, we don’t live in a predominantly Muslim country, and I”m not the one who brought that up. It’s not even relevant to this discussion, but you and your buddy Loveforall are so desperate to prove a point that s/he is grasping at straws.

    There is no active threat from Muslims against gays in the United States. So this idea of yours that the gay community is afraid to stand up to them? It’s bullshit.

    Again, I have to insist as I did before that you educate yourself. You have quite a bit to learn before you can intelligently argue this issue with me or anyone else.

    Secondly, not every Mormon opposes marriage equality. Not every Christian opposes marriage equality. Not every Muslim opposes marriage equality. Yet–out of those three mentioned, which church took it upon themselves to get heavily involved in political matters, matters of the state, in which NO church should be getting themselves involved? Yes, that would be the Morons, The Church of Latter Day Stains. So, regardless of what they believe is “correct?” They do not–as a religious institution–have the right to influence legislation.

  22. “Me”–

    It is well-documented that instances of homosexual behavior among higher level species (goldfish don’t count!) are roughly comparable to those among humans.

    You know that feeling of attraction you get when you meet an attractive woman? That’s the same feeling that a lesbian gets when she meets an attractive woman, and that a gay man gets when he meets an attractive man.

    I believe that homosexuality is natural, not a choice, and not immoral. However, if someone believes that it is unnatural, voluntary, and immoral, so what? You are entitled to your opinion, but there is no reason that someone with those opinions should be allowed to prevent two consenting adults from entering into the legal contract of marriage, with all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that go along with it.

    Gay marriage does not hurt straight marriage. If you are opposed to gay marriage, don’t have one. If you don’t approve of gay couples, don’t hang out with them. But your opinions should not get in the way of people living their lives in the ways they choose fit.

  23. mrjim0413:
    1st … there is not in one instance (that I know of) wherein members of the animal kingdom desire their same specie gender for sex … not one.
    If there is, then kindly post the reputable scientific verification, by knowledgeable and reputable manuscript, documented scientific filing .. or other commendable proof outside the kweer community rhetoric.
    2nd … due to the lack of above, it is verifiable proof that no ‘normal’ human being craves, or feels, an attraction toward the same sex; unless of course they are demented, as the kweer of today is.
    3rd … kweer behavior, or homosexuality, is definitely not normal; far from it. It is pure and simple nothing but perversion in the truest sense; as stated by my example of the animals and other non-human “more knowledgeable” creatures that God put onto the earth. It is only ‘normal’ these days because of the perversion rhetoric that is growing more pervasive and disgusting activity (such as having sexual intercourse in human feces) with each passing day.
    And last, kweer ‘marriage’ is harmful in the utmost. It is tearing our wonderful nation that was founded on the word of God asunder.
    The wonderful knowledge, and writings, that our founding faithful fathers possessed clearly established that marriage is man and woman … not kweer to kweer.
    If you can’t believe that, then I suggest you study the writings they prepared.
    This debate will no doubt go on for some time more, so the only solution would be for the state of California, with it’s kweer headquarters in Frisco, fall off the continent and become a truly haven for their playpen.

  24. I am tired of the anti-Mormon behavior from some so-called gay rights activist groups. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the “Mormon Church”) along with many other religious groups believe marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Any other type of union is just not a marriage. People, religious or not, have a right to write their values and traditions into their laws.

  25. Me:

    1. Here’s a link to a National Geographic article:

    http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/07/0722_040722_gayanimal.html

    The fact you don’t know of it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

    2. “Normal” is a social construct. Different societies around the world have different definitions of normal. Sometimes, conflicting ideas about what is normal exist within a single society, such as what is happening right now in the debate over extending marriage rights to homosexuals. If by “normal” you mean “occurring in nature,” please follow the link above.

    3. There is not one credible scientific source that documents how homosexuality is tearing our country apart. If there is, then kindly post the reputable scientific verification, by knowledgeable and reputable manuscript, documented scientific filing .. or other commendable proof outside the homophobic community rhetoric.

    Our Founding Fathers were not perfect. They wrote slavery into the Constitution and allowed only adult male landowners to vote.

    If California were to fall off the continent, which would in fact kill millions of people (mostly straight Christians), there would still be homosexuals in every other populated part of the world, as there are now.

    Clearly, because you feel so passionately about this, you must get harassed by homosexuals all the time, and because you are so knowledgeable about this, you must know an awful lot of homosexuals, and they must be really awful people.

    My experiences are a bit different. I never get harassed by gay people, and while I do know a lot of gay people, most of them are very decent, loving, responsible, respectable, hard-working, law-abiding, and fun people. Many of them are also quite religious, and they believe that God created them in His own image and likeness. And they also believe that it is for God to judge them, and that God loves them exactly how He created them.

  26. One more thing: You referred to queer people as “demented.” Dementia is a scientifically documented mental illness. The American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from its list of psychological disorders 30 years ago once people began studying gay people instead of just relying on old prejudices for information.

    Also, please note the correct spelling of the word “queer.” If you want documentation, here’s a source to check out: Webster’s Dictionary. I really don’t care how you spell it, but I wanted to point that out to you so that other people don’t fail to take you seriously because of simple spelling errors.

  27. Uh, since when is it a right to redefine marriage?

    The use of violence of one kind or another is proof that the argument promoting gay “marriage” is entirely weak. Only bullies engage in this kind of abuse of the legal system.

    And, to those who willfully promote misinformation and pseudo-science: the credible research shows that homosexuality is not “inherent”. Homosexuality is a choice – a complex choice conditioned by psycho-social factors, but a choice nonetheless.

  28. Peter,
    What is it in your opinion that I should educate myself in?
    I believe I don’t have to be a scholar to have common sense. I discuss this topic with you because it is important to me, I don’t feel the necessity to quote famous people or studies to make my case, that wouldn’t be me thinking for myself, and that’s why I don’t bring them up, not because I don’t know about them but because these types of discussions should be kept simple. Many times people get so caught up in studies and what somebody said that they forget to make an opinion from there heart, from deep in there were you feel what’s right and wrong.

    I have been reading these post and I believe people in favor of Gay marriage keep missing the point, this is not about you having the freedom to be gay, you do have that freedom you can do whatever you want in this great country, but why do you want to take so many of our values away, so that you can feel better about what you do and your lifestyle?
    Gays have been wanting for years to be accepted as “normal”(I don’t find them abnormal at all), but the truth is that most people in this country don’t feel that it’s correct or normal at all.
    Honestly I think this is a losing battle for Gay movements and that is why they go the judges and high elected officials to get there way, because I can guarantee you that if you go to the people you will always loose over and over again.

    Peter,
    I don’t mean to lecture you about anything but we do take for granted our freedoms we fight over things we want and we forget how good we actually have it here in this country, I have lived abroad and from experience I can tell you.Now the comments about Muslims are correct and I would love to see a Muslim that openly supports this…well then he’s not really a Muslim.

    Edwin.

  29. seems like this site equates yes on 8 with hate. as a yes on 8 voter, i dont hate homosexuals, i just disagree with you. why do you assume yes on 8 voters “hate” you? just like the supporters of illegal immigration just assume you hate people of color if you are against it, regardless of any factual opinion. seems to me like you all are the haters. and to jose, we are not democracy, we are a republic. majority does not rule, thats why we have a constitution, to protect the minority. i just dont feel the term marriage is a “right”. its a term, and homosexuals can have the exact same thing, just call it a different term, whatever you want, just not marriage. very simple to me, but then again im just a simple heterosexual. and with the sickening display of hate you are hoisting on others, just for their beliefs, i find your arguments very conflicting. intead of offering solid facts and arguments to support your side, you lower yourselves to going after voters in retribution. and im sure you will win your way some day, but in the end you have already lost, as you all stoop down to the gutter in your revengeful hate of others that disagree with you. amazing

  30. “…the credible research shows that homosexuality is not “inherent”. Homosexuality is a choice – a complex choice conditioned by psycho-social factors, but a choice nonetheless.”

    There is still no concensus on this in the scientific community. Personally, I don’t think it matters whether it is a choice or not. However, it is a choice between two adults whether or not they want to get married. All committed couples should have the right to make that choice, not just the heterosexual ones.

    “I don’t feel the necessity to quote famous people or studies to make my case, that wouldn’t be me thinking for myself, and that’s why I don’t bring them up, not because I don’t know about them but because these types of discussions should be kept simple. Many times people get so caught up in studies and what somebody said that they forget to make an opinion from there heart, from deep in there were you feel what’s right and wrong.”

    This is just willful ignorance. Your argument is basically, “I’m right because I say I’m right.” Do the legwork and prove your point.

    “…but why do you want to take so many of our values away, so that you can feel better about what you do and your lifestyle?”

    What values are supporters of gay marriage trying to take away? The supporters of gay marriage promote monogamy, stability, family, etc. It’s opponents of gay rights, like marriage and adoption, who want to tear families apart, promote isolation and instability, and not protect dedicated couples who just want the same protection and recognition under the law that straight married couples have.

    “…because I can guarantee you that if you go to the people you will always loose over and over again.”

    Simply not true. The trend is that more and more people support gay marriage rights every year, and that a major portion of those who supported Prop 8 were older people. I believe that I will see recognition of gay marriage at a federal level within my lifetime. I could be wrong– time will tell.

    “…why do you assume yes on 8 voters “hate” you?”

    I don’t assume that yes voters on 8hate gay people, although some probably do. I assume that people who voted yes on 8 don’t actually know any gay couples, or else they wouldn’t have voted to strip their their friends of the right to marriage.

    “i just dont feel the term marriage is a “right”. its a term, and homosexuals can have the exact same thing, just call it a different term, whatever you want, just not marriage.”

    If it does all the same things as marriage, why not call it… marriage? Again, what does one man’s marriage to another man take away from a different man’s marriage to a woman? Nothing.

    No one on this thread has yet been able to make any rational argument about the negative impact that gay marriage will have on society. Saying “This is not what I am used to and I just don’t like it” is not a strong enough argument to convince me why gay marriage is a bad thing. Someone please tell me in concrete, practical terms why gay couples should not be allowed to marry.

  31. Religious groups should not be actively involved in politics by putting tons of money into changing the laws to match their “gods” view of the world. Religious people, even in their own texts, are not given the right to rule over everyone else and force their will on them. Take it to em CAH, take it to the house !

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