Church pulls plug on pro-Prop. 8 calls from Utah

Excerpts from an article by Aurelio Rojas, "Mormon church pulls plug on pro-Prop. 8 calls from Utah"

The Mormon church, whose members have emerged as the leading backers of a ballot measure to end same-sex marriage in California, is scaling back its Utah campaign operation but will continue to support the initiative.

Church members will no longer be making phone calls from Utah to California voters, Kim Farah, a spokeswoman for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said in a prepared statement Friday.

At the request of the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign, church members in Utah had been enlisted to make calls on behalf of the measure.

"However, the church has since determined that such phone calls are best handled by those who are registered California voters," Farah said.

Opponents of the measure have criticized the church's involvement in the campaign.

Church members have been the biggest contributors to the Yes on 8 campaign.

Supporters have raised $27.7 million and opponents $29.3 million, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign filings.

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Mormon Issues / Mormon Chronicles
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