Reid to revive polygamy crime bill

WASHINGTON — Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., said this morning he plans to revive his drive to crack down on crimes committed within polygamous communities, and to help people seeking to leave plural marriage groups.

Reid said he planned to discuss the issue with Attorney General Eric Holder. While it has not been at the top of his agenda this year, Reid said there is an "obligation" to pursue it.

"I personally believe these people who are doing this, many of them are doing things that are immoral and in many instances illegal," Reid said.

There have been allegations of welfare fraud and abuse within such groups, Reid said. "We have an obligation to help these woman and children who are being victimized," he said.

Reid, the Senate majority leader, said he was "ignored by the Bush folks" when he pushed a polygamy crime bill last year. "I think that is really too bad."

"Nobody seems to be concerned about (bigamy) but it is against the law in every state," he said.

Reid last year sponsored a bill to establish a federal task force on polygamist-related crimes.

It also would have made available grants to local law enforcement agencies, and to social service organizations that help members who flee polygamous groups, sometimes with little more than the clothes on their backs.

The idea of a federal task force drew mixed reaction. It was welcomed by state authorities who said they have been frustrated when investigative targets move freely around the country.

But others questioned whether such a high profile approach might scare off potential cooperating witnesses in difficult investigations.

While there are a handful of polygamous sects, most attention has been focused on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an offshoot of the mainstream Mormon Church that is based in the adjoining towns of Hildale Utah, and Colorado City, R-Ariz.

Church leaders have been accused of strong-arming their followers, controlling their finances and forcing young girls into sex and marriage.

Church leader Warren Jeffs was convicted in September 2007 of two counts of rape as an accomplice for his role in arranging marriages between his male followers and underage girls. He was sentenced to at least 10 years in prison.

At packed Senate Judiciary Committee last July, Reid testified polygamous sects are "a form of organized crime," largely unchecked by authorities.

Reid's role in the issue drew even more attention since he is the most powerful Mormon church member in political Washington. He has said his actions are motivated by his personal faith, and not at the behest of church leaders.

Spokesmen for the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have said Reid and others were seeking to "demonize" their entire religion for the crimes of a few.