Mormon women demand Mormon senators stop defending attempted rape

A nonpartisan organization of more than 6,000 Mormon women is calling on the four Mormon members of the Senate Judiciary Committee — Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee of Utah, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Mike Crapo of Idaho, all Republicans — to act according to their faith by suspending Brett Kavanaugh‘s confirmation to the Supreme Court.

A statement from Mormon Women for Ethical Government called on the entire Senate Judiciary Committee to “immediately suspend the confirmation proceedings until a thorough independent investigation can be conducted” — but singled out Hatch, Lee, Flake, and Crapo in particular to remind them what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has to say about the kinds of sex crimes Kavanaugh is accused of committing.

“Our mutual faith teaches that any sexual abuse or assault in any context is contemptible and worthy of the most severe condemnation,” the statement read.

They also had a pointed message for those who are making excuses for sexual assault.

“As we have stated previously, sexual assault must not be normalized or condoned in any way or by anyone, especially those charged with political leadership,” the group stated. “We boldly condemn any attempts to justify such inexcusable and reprehensible behavior and demand that our elected leaders set a morally sound example.”

Hatch has dismissed the allegation by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford that Kavanaugh violently attempted to rape her when they were in high school, saying she is “mixed up.” But he also said that even if he claims are true, he still thinks Kavanaugh is a “good man” who should be confirmed.

That was before Deborah Ramirez came forward to say Kavanaugh exposed himself to her and caused her to touch his genitals without consent at a drunken Yale University dorm party. But Hatch dismissed her too, declaring her allegation “phony.”

Ford and Kavanaugh are both scheduled to testify before the Judiciary Committee on Thursday, but the GOP has refused to call any other witnesses. A third woman, represented by Stormy Daniels attorney Michael Avenatti, is reportedly preparing to come forward by Wednesday.

“If these accusations are proved false, an investigation will prevent harm to the court’s legitimacy,” the group’s statement pointed out. “If they are true, then Judge Kavanaugh must not be confirmed.”

There is a strikingly disproportionate number of Mormons who sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Four of the 21 members, all Republicans, are Mormon — 19 percent, or about a fifth of the committee, in a country where 1.6 percent of the population identifies as Mormon. The Senate as a whole is six percent Mormon.

Mormon Women for Ethical Government describes itself as a nonpartisan watchdog and advocacy organization “dedicated to the ideals of decency, honor, accountability, transparency, and justice in governing … guided by our discipleship to Jesus Christ and His teachings.”

Flake, who opposed rushing Kavanaugh’s confirmation after Ford came forward, has come the closest of the four LDS senators to setting the “morally sound example” that Mormon good-government activists hope to see.

But it looks like many, if not most, Republican senators are preparing to set morality to the side and rush an alleged sexual predator onto the Supreme Court.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.