California’s Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) announced today that they would investigate allegations that the LDS Church did not fully disclose non-monetary contributions to the Prop 8 Campaign.

Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate called for the investigation last week, writing a letter to the FPPC detailing many of the allegations, including:

• Church organized phone banks from Utah and Idaho
• Sending direct mail to voters
• Transported people to California over several weekends
• Used the LDS Press Office to send out multiple News Releases to promote their activities to nonmembers
• Walked precincts
• Ran a speakers bureau
• Distributed thousands of lawn signs and other campaign material
• Organized a “surge to election day”
• Church leaders travel to California
• Set up of very elaborate web sites
• Produced at least 9 commercials and 4 other video broadcasts all in support of Prop 8
• Conducted at least 2 satellite simulcasts over 5 Western states

These allegations are on top of the $22 million raised by Mormons in support of Prop 8, and according to Karger are in violation of the Political Reform Act.

While the LDS Church has not yet commented on the announcement, they have previously stated that they “fully complied with the reporting requirements of the California Political Reform Act” and that “any investigation would confirm the church’s full compliance with applicable law.”

Roman Porter, executive director of FPPC said today that an investigation doesn’t necessarily mean there was any wrongdoing, and asked everyone to “reserve judgement.”

For more information…

• Karger’s letter to the FPPC
• Probe into LDS Church’s Prop 8 donations
• Why Catholic involvement in Prop 8 needs to be scrutinized as well

Melissa Etheridge wrote an interesting piece for the Daily Beast concerning Proposition 8.

“Okay. So Prop 8 passed. Alright, I get it. 51% of you think that I am a second class citizen. Alright then. So my wife, uh I mean, roommate? Girlfriend? Special lady friend? You are gonna have to help me here because I am not sure what to call her now. Anyways, she and I are not allowed the same right under the state constitution as any other citizen. Okay, so I am taking that to mean I do not have to pay my state taxes because I am not a full citizen. I mean that would just be wrong, to make someone pay taxes and not give them the same rights, sounds sort of like that taxation without representation thing from the history books.”

While I appreciate Etheridge’s sentiment, I have mixed feelings about her approach. The state didn’t take away our right to marry, the people of California did (with the Mormon and Catholic churches aiding and abetting). Twice the California legislature passed a same-sex marriage bill and twice Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed it. But to the Governor’s credit he was against Proposition 8 and voted against it.

I think our time is better spent shining a spotlight on the Mormon and Catholic church’s involvement and putting their tax exemption status on the table. Hitt’em in the pocket book where it hurts.

To learn more visit How to file an IRS 501(c)(3) for the the LDS Church