Lawsuit to bar Mormon Church Input from Influencing Legislation in Utah

This comes as no shock and before some go off on Politico, this was originally reported by Fox News.  It is something that people with Mormon State Representatives in other states have known for years.  They take an oath to the State but their first allegiance is to the Mormon Church.  What the church says they will follow.  Now for the first time an Association is taking on the church's influence with the Utah Legislature.  The Mormon Church has been running Utah for years in all aspects including who could be transferred to Hill AFB to become a Commander of certain organizations.  

The article says that two Mormons are running which is technically true, but Huntsman could be counted in the fallen away Mormon category while Romney is rock solid with the Mormon Church.  

No matter the church, do not believe they should ever influence legislation to the extent we see in Utah and hate to think what it would be like with a Mormon President.  This is not your every day church as they have full blown lobbyist at the Capitol which seems strange.  The influence the Mormon Church has on their members is overwhelming.  Now to see a trade association finally say enough is enough makes you wonder if the people of Utah are finally waking up.  When a church through its lobbyist threatens legislators if they vote a certain way, you have a real problem.  That is what we are seeing in Utah.

Why is the Mormon Church still tax exempt?

Lawsuit to bar Mormon church input

By TIM MAK | 11/2/11 9:03 AM EDT 

With two Mormons running for the Republican presidential nomination and the recent controversy over a pastor’s comment that the church was a “cult,” one trade group is adding more fuel to the fire by asking the Mormon church to butt out of legislative issues. 

The Utah Hospitality Association, which represents bars and restaurants, argues in a federal lawsuit that considering the views of the Mormon church is unconstitutional because it violates the laws separating church and state, reports Fox News. 

The lawsuit targets the Utah’s Senate Bill 314, which prohibits daily drink specials and limits the number of liquor licenses in a certain area relative to its population and the number of state-employed police officers. 

The claim asks a federal judge to prevent Utah legislators from considering input from the Mormon church when drafting future liquor laws, claiming that such influence would be unconstitutional. 

“We all know the Church is a big, heavy influence in the state in everything and most particularly alcohol,” association board spokesman Kenneth Wynn told ABC4. “”We’re pretty convinced that the Church had a pretty heavy hand in this legislation that was just passed [SB 314].” 

The complaint asks that the legislature be prohibited from “considering the opinions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in making alcohol policies during all future legislative sessions” and cites incidents wherein state legislators were told by Mormon church lobbyists that there would be “repercussions” for not supporting the liquor control law. 

Mormons are generally expected to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages as part of their faith. 

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