Thursday, April 05, 2007

Mormons, Carlyle, Mitt Romney and Bush

Ripley at Zen Cabin has done the research:

In case you missed it, here’s a dKos diary I wrote about 18 months ago, noting the curious representation of BYU grads in the Bush administration – esp. in Legal and Environmental positions. I also mentioned some connections to Exxon-Mobil and Diebold.

That diary was inspired by an innocuous report I ran across about D. Kyle Sampson taking the Chief of Staff spot at the DOJ. Needless to say, it’s become semi-relevant again and received some renewed attention. That, of course, led me to start digging around again.

After connecting dots, Ripley notes:
So, Romney’s former investment firm, Bain Capital Partners – along with Thomas Lee Partners and the Carlyle Group – are under investigation by the DOJ, which is littered with BYU grads. I won’t go so far as to say there might be cause to claim conflict of interest, but it makes me wonder how far these investigations will progress. Granted, with Sampson’s exit, things may change but I’d still cast a wary eye on any conclusions in this matter. (I need to do some digging on these particular cases, so don’t assume there’s a conspiracy, yet. I just wanted to put this thread out there for thought.)
And after frightening us all, Ripley says:

Again, I don’t know, yet, if there’s really any cause for genuine concern – and I certainly don’t have an axe to grind with LDS (at least not at the moment). But I find it curious that BYU and LDS are so heavily represented in the Bush administration, esp. in light of Romney’s Presidential candidacy. The question I have to ask is this:

Is Bush (or Carlyle/Bain/LDS, et al) pushing for a Romney Presidency? If so, why? I’ve read claims that LDS isn’t very particular about where its members earn their money, as long as they’re tithing. Is LDS making a slowmotion power grab? How is it that Romney raised more funds than his opponents last quarter? sure, MCain is a dead-stick candidate, but still…

So. Long skirts, covered heads, multiple submissive wives, chickens in the backyard, large families.... What's not to like with the incoming new world order?

Don't think the fundamentalists are gonna like this.....

4 comments:

Adam said...

Is Bush...pushing for a Romney Presidency?
Maybe, but given his current popularity, I'm not sure that it matters.
Is LDS making a slowmotion power grab?
No.
How is it that Romney raised more funds than his opponents last quarter?
He's a frickin multi-multi millionaire with lots and lots of millionaire friends.
I'm guessing you're not too familiar with the LDS church because with only 5 or so million members in the nation with an activity rate of a generous 50%, there's not much to grab with. I'm a Mormon, and I guarantee you that the LDS church wants to stay as far away from being linked to this as possible. Nice conspiracy though. :)

ellroon said...

Thank you for your comment. At this point justifiably we see conspiracies at every turn. This information needs to be out in the open to diffuse it. It would be really nice if it came to nothing.

Someone needs to ask Mitt Romney a few questions though.

Anonymous said...

Actually, Jeppster is incorrect. As a former Mormon, I can attest that the actual number of rank and file members is not the main issue. The "Law of Consecration" temple oath is more critical so follow the money! If I remember correctly, the Boston Globe and other media reported that Romney's campaign intended to utilize LDS channels such as BYU's Marriott Society and the J. Reuben Clark Society as conduits. Fundraising letters were sent to potential donors using lists generated from church ward and stake directories. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a multi-billion dollar corporate entity that has vast political resources: ever heard of Bonneville Media or why the Equal Rights Amendment failed?

The LDS church claims political neutrality but its actions speak louder than words. A cursory internet search on BYU's response to students who protested when Vice-President Cheney spoke at commencement exercises last month is rather revealing. BYU's trustees (all affiliated with The Corporation of the First Presidency) control and direct all major policy decisions at the completely church-owned institution. The student and faculty protesters now face grave consequences: expulsion, firing, excommunication, and future retaliation. If you don't believe there's an LDS conspiracy afoot, check out how many times Senator Orrin Hatch has invoked the so-called "White Horse Prophecy" in the past. As far as the DOJ is concerned, there's MUCH more to this story. Keep up the good work!

ellroon said...

Ack! Off to google....

Thanks for the heads up!