Attorney General Tom Horne's efforts to replace the police force in Colorado City with deputies from the Mohave County Sheriff's Office was killed in the state House yesterday, which turned out to be the last day of the legislative session.

Colorado City, for those joining late, is the city on the Utah/Arizona border that child rapist Warren Jeffs used to call home, and remains the home to members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Horne pushed the bill to legislators, contending that the cops there -- often referred to as the "Marshalls" -- were way too sympathetic to polygamists and friends of Jeffs.

"Numerous cases have been documented where the 'Marshalls' refuse to investigate serious crimes against the property and persons of 'apostates' or other non followers of Warren Jeffs, when the perpetrators were followers of Mr. Jeffs," the AG's office said in February. "The 'Marshalls' have also prevented enforcement of court orders with respect who can occupy land. When a court appointed official came to Colorado City to enforce court orders, the Chief of Police pulled him over and threatened to arrest him for criminal trespass if he attempted to enforce court orders, as opposed to the desires of the FLDS Church."

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The Mormon church announced last week that it advocates a type of amnesty for illegal immigrants who "square themselves with the law and continue to work" in the United States.

The statement, published on the church's website, also takes aim at harsh anti-illegal-immigrant laws like those passed in Arizona and other states:

As those on all sides of the immigration debate in the United States have noted, this issue is one that must ultimately be resolved by the federal government.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concerned that any state legislation that only contains enforcement provisions is likely to fall short of the high moral standard of treating each other as children of God.

The message follows the church's apparent support of a position statement by some members on the subject of immigration called the Utah Compact.

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With fewer half-naked aborigines in the world to hang out with, National Geographic decided to spend some time last year with the polygamist clan north of the Grand Canyon.

The magazine received "exclusive" access to members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Colorado City, Arizona and adjacent Hildale, Utah, resulting in the cover story by Scott Anderson -- with photos by Stephanie Sinclair -- for the February issue. The writer and photographer attended an FLDS funeral, talked to kids doing their farm chores and chatted with polygamist wives about sharing their husbands. Town leaders sought and received the approval of Warren Jeffs, the cult's imprisoned leader, before letting National Geographic in, Anderson states.

 

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The article mentions the cult's higher-than-usual prevalence of fumarase deficiency, a disease that often results in severe mental retardation and is caused by too much inbreeding. Perhaps the second-ugliest aspect of polygamist life (the first being institutionalized child rape), is the "reassignment" of wives from one husband to another by the FLDS' leader, and Anderson asked about that:

After hearing Melinda's stout defense of [Warren] Jeffs, I ask what she would do if she were reassigned.

"I'm confident that wouldn't happen," she replies uneasily.

"But what if it did?" I ask "Would you obey?"

For the only time during our interview, Melinda grows wary. Sitting back in her chair, she gives her head a quarter turn to stare at me out of the corner of one eye.

Despite some tough questions, the exclusive access seems to have mainly gotten the magazine a heavy dose of polygamist spin.

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