LDS Councilman's Racial Jokes Cause Nampa ID Controversy

An LDS city councilman's racial jokes told at a public luncheon caused a storm of controversy last week after a reporter questioned the remarks in a local newspaper column. Nampa City Councilman and local businessman Martin Thorne told the jokes from behind a black-face mask as part of a long-running, friendly exchange of gibes with local black rodeo clown Leon Coffee, who Thorne was introducing at the Miss Rodeo Luncheon before the Snake River Stampede rodeo.

Mosman to be US Attorney for Oregon

US President George W. Bush announced yesterday that he will nominate Michael W. Mosman as US Attorney for Oregon. Mosman is a graduate of BYU's J. Reuben Clark Law School and of Ricks college, which last year named him Outstanding Young Alumni for 2000.

Liquor Advertising in Utah 'Self-Censoring' Despite Court Ruling

In an effort to subjugate the First Amendment, advertisers and bar owners have developed their own system of self-censorship to get around Utah's Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission. Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt is a Mormon who has stocked the Commission with four other Mormons and one social drinker. In a recent reversal by 3rd District Judge Leslie Lewis, a four year old decision was overturned that found The Paper Moon, a private club that caters to the gay and lesbian community in Utah, not-guilty of an illegal solicitation of membership and an inducement to overconsume in violation of Utah Code.

Politics: New Political Feature Introduced

Today Mormon News introduces a new regular feature that tracks the legislative activities of the 17 Mormons serving in the US Congress. The weekly message looks at how these Mormon politicians vote on major legislation, legislation most in the news, legislation introduced by Mormons and legislation that is otherwise Mormon. It also tracks the legislation that Mormon politicians have introduced.

Political News Briefs

North Carolina's Argument Supports Utah, Says Utah Attorneys

The arguments made by North Carolina in Utah's lawsuit against the Census Bureau actually support Utah's case, claim the state's attorneys. Utah filed a response last Wednesday to North Carolina's request that the court dismiss the lawsuit or rule against Utah without a hearing. Utah is arguing that the Census Bureau's enumerators guessing of the number of people living in a house when no one could be reached is illegal, and that this 'imputation' benefitted North Carolina, "They're denying that imputation is a form of sampling. In our opinion, what they did in this case is much worse," said Ray Hintze, chief deputy in the Utah Attorney General's Office. "If it's distinguishable, it's worse than what was struck down." Utah is asking for these numbers to be excluded from the Census because the US Supreme Court ruled in 1999 that the US Constitution requires a count of actual persons and prohibits guessing or scientific adjustment. An earlier lawsuit by Utah alleged that the Census Bureau should have counted overseas LDS missionaries.

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