FLDS attempt to control politics?

[awakening2lite]

EXCERPT

The town also was abuzz over an anticipated mass voter registration by the FLDS. Hours after the court first ruled against the state, two members of the sect walked into the county clerk's office and requested 300 voter registration forms, a potentially tide-turning number in a county with 1,800 voters.

Doran, who has been sheriff here for 12 years, downplayed that. "I'm not worried about it. The citizens have always stood behind me, and if the community feels this is an attempt to take over Schleicher County, I know they'll stand together. Once we begin impaneling some grand juries and the criminal case comes to light, we'll see the tide turn once again."

source: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-polygamist31-2008may31,0,5459251.story

[SavannahStar]

Also from the same article:

“In 1953, Arizona authorities arrested the sect in its entirety -- then about 400 people -- in the hamlet of Short Creek on the Utah state line. They put the 236 children into foster care. Images of sobbing mothers sparked a backlash that contributed to the then-governor's loss in the next election.”

Speaking about the recent raid in Texas:

“Curtis Griffin, 45, owner of the local fuel depot, counts many FLDS members as customers. He blamed Sheriff David Doran, who is up for reelection, for mischaracterizing the entire sect as pedophiles.

"I said from the word go, if there's sex with underage girls, nail their butt," said Griffin. "But nail the right people. We're going to wind up with a $30-million bill here in this little county because these people didn't have their ducks in a row."

[awakening2lite]

Last night one of the news stations interviewed the Sheriff and asked if he thought the FLDS might run their own candidate for his position.

I've been searching all morning for the interview in print or a news article to support my post. So, thus far, I can offer no link.

The jest of the story was the sheriff had sent someone into the sect to do undercover work and the sect is very angry with him.

If one does not agree with local elected officials, voting is the way to change it.
Looking at the dynamics of the numbers, the sect could hold the controlling vote.

Interesting.

[SavannahStar]

Last night one of the news stations interviewed the Sheriff and asked if he thought the FLDS might run their own candidate for his position.

I've been searching all morning for the interview in print or a news article to support my post. So, thus far, I can offer no link.

The jest of the story was the sheriff had sent someone into the sect to do undercover work and the sect is very angry with him.

If one does not agree with local elected officials, voting is the way to change it.
Looking at the dynamics of the numbers, the sect could hold the controlling vote.

Interesting.

If you find that article, please post.

Sent someone into the sect to do undercover work? How bizarre. How did he ever manage that I wonder.

[awakening2lite]

Here's one reference:

EXCERPT

For four frustrating years, an informant fed Sheriff David Doran information about the polygamist sect that built a compound in the West Texas desert not far from his office in Eldorado.

But those milling about the 1,700-acre compound would scatter whenever he and a Texas Ranger visited, leaving them without the concrete evidence they needed to open a criminal investigation, Doran said Thursday as authorities defended their decision to leave the sect alone after it moved in 2004.

"I have no regrets because we never received any outcry, a complaint. There was no evidence of illegal activity nor an offense in plain view," he said. "You can always suspect something, but until you get something that puts you on that property, there's not a whole lot you can do."

source: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_8888641?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

[Walton]

Also from the same article:

“In 1953, Arizona authorities arrested the sect in its entirety -- then about 400 people -- in the hamlet of Short Creek on the Utah state line. They put the 236 children into foster care. Images of sobbing mothers sparked a backlash that contributed to the then-governor's loss in the next election.”

Speaking about the recent raid in Texas:

“Curtis Griffin, 45, owner of the local fuel depot, counts many FLDS members as customers. He blamed Sheriff David Doran, who is up for reelection, for mischaracterizing the entire sect as pedophiles.

"I said from the word go, if there's sex with underage girls, nail their butt," said Griffin. "But nail the right people. We're going to wind up with a $30-million bill here in this little county because these people didn't have their ducks in a row."

Savanna I think Mr. Griffin might be a little biased. I believe the FLDS have been buying their tanker loads of fuel from him. jmo

[Walton]

If you find that article, please post.

Sent someone into the sect to do undercover work? How bizarre. How did he ever manage that I wonder.

http://heartkeepercommonroom.blogspot.com/2008/04/interview-with-sheriff-doran-of.html

Mankin: Okay, on the subject of the informant. There was a bit of controversy this week when ABC News and others reported that your informant was a person inside the YFZ Ranch. Was that actually the case.

Doran: Absolutely not! You saw the affidavit. You know it said the informant was a former member of the FLDS. You and I both know that they don’t allow former members at the YFZ.

Mankin: Let me get this straight then...when the warrant was issued, the informant had never been at the YFZ Ranch?

Doran: That’s correct! To get a warrant, it takes a complaint from a victim or first hand knowledge of a crime. The informant provided an abundance of good information, but none of it was based on first hand knowledge and therefore it wasn’t enough to go to a judge with and seek a warrant.

[awakening2lite]

EXCERPT

Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran said Thursday that an informant, who is a former member of the group, had been feeding him information for the past four years.

Doran said that he was aware that the Yearning for Zion Ranch had similar compounds in Utah and Arizona where the group's men had been prosecuted for having sex with underage girls.

"We were suspicious" that a similar problem existed on the remote ranch in the Texas town of Eldorado, he said.

But, he said, the informant did not tell him of allegations that underage girls were forced to have sex with older men until earlier this month.

"We are aware that this group is capable of [sexually abusing young girls]," Doran said. "But there again, this is the United States. We are going to respect them. We're not going to violate their civil rights until we get an outcry. I've said that from day one."

A court affidavit unsealed Wednesday said Doran's informant had provided him with details about life at the ranch "on more than 20 occasions" but did not tell him until Saturday that the males of the ranch "engage in the practice of marrying multiple wives; at the initial time of the marriage the bride is often under the age of 16 years."

source: http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/state&id=6076869
Saturday, April 12, 2008 | 6:33 PM