LDS Church says local leaders handled claims against Garn

Allegations made by Cheryl Maher that she had hot-tubbed nude with Kevin Garn when she was 15 were taken seriously by the LDS Church, and were referred to Garn's local ecclesiastical leaders to be dealt with, a church spokesman said.

In August 2008, Maher wrote a seven-page letter to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Thomas Monson describing the hot tub incident, its impact on her life and making other allegations against Garn.

Five days later, she received a letter from Brook Hales, secretary to the First Presidency, that said, "Please be assured this matter will be given further review."

LDS Church spokesman Scott Trotter sent a statement late Friday to The Tribune, saying "legal requirements concerning priest-penitent privilege prevent the Church from talking about the specifics of meetings between members and ecclesiastical leaders."

But, Trotter said, Maher's 2008 letter was referred to local leaders, who handle disciplinary matters.

"The Church will continue to follow this matter to determine if any further action is appropriate," Trotter said.

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for sexual abuse of any kind, especially instances involving minors," Trotter said. "It takes such allegations very seriously. When allegations of abuse surface, it is a tragedy for all involved.

Maher said Garn was her LDS Sunday School teacher when she was in the fourth grade, several years before the hot tub incident.

In 2002, when Maher was talking to reporters, Garn and his wife Tanya met with Maher and her husband in her bishop's office in New Hampshire, and subsequently paid her $150,000 for her consent to conceal the incident.

From the article: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for sexual abuse of any kind, especially instances involving minors," Trotter said. "It takes such allegations very seriously. When allegations of abuse surface, it is a tragedy for all involved. Maher said Garn was her LDS Sunday School teacher when she was in the fourth grade, several years before the hot tub incident...Maher has since been excommunicated from the church.

So let me get this straight: "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for sexual abuse of any kind, especially instances involving minors..." And so...eventually, when the victim became of age, she was ex-communicated, and the perpetrator wasn't?

From the article: In 2002, when Maher was talking to reporters, Garn and his wife Tanya met with Maher and her husband in her bishop's office in New Hampshire...In August 2008, Maher wrote a seven-page letter to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Thomas Monson describing the hot tub incident, its impact on her life and making other allegations against Garn.

So, once she went "public" to the Lds church in 2002, she was ex-communicated. And as the Lds church continued to receive this information on Garn, he wasn't. He was left like a "good old boys club" member in good standing as a church member, a "model" politician???

Oh what a sad life you must lead to spend so much time trying to attack and bring down Christ’s church.

“In 2002, when Maher was talking to reporters, Garn and his wife Tanya met with Maher and her husband in her bishop’s office in New Hampshire, and subsequently paid her $150,000 for her consent to conceal the incident.”

This doesn’t mean the Bishop arranged it or that the payoff was in any way a church policy or endorsed arrangement.

I see you left off this part. How convenient:

“Maher was recently excommunicated from the church for an extramarital affair.”

Which has nothing to do with the other issues.

The fact is we don’t know the whole story. You are just a man on a mission who cannot be taken seriously by anyone with half a brain. An Anti-Mormon propagandist and active attacker. You are truly truly sad.

I see you left off this part. How convenient: “Maher was recently excommunicated from the church for an extramarital affair.”

Well, I didn't neglect to mention that in a post yesterday -- post #31: McEntee: Garn's hot tub interlude much more than a 'mistake'

The fact is we don’t know the whole story.

I agree; and part of the reason for that is...
(a) the church ex-communicated Maher for having an extra-marital affair, but Garn, who was married at the time, could get in a hot tub naked once or twice with a 15 yo girl...and what? no-ex-communication? After all, didn't we see in a Deseret News article over the weekend this quote? "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has zero tolerance for sexual abuse of any kind, especially instances involving minors," Trotter said...Wanna explain how "zero tolerance" and getting in a hot tub naked with a 15 yo just 5-6 years after being her Sunday School teacher = "zero tolerance"???
and (b) A cover-up by the powers-that-be as part of the Deseret News

This doesn’t mean the Bishop arranged it or that the payoff was in any way a church policy or endorsed arrangement.

I never said it was policy; nor do we know who was privvy to the arrangement. The question would be: Did the Lds church impose any sanctions upon Garn for extending "hush $" for what might have been a crime? (Or for the original abuse?)

I see you left off this part. How convenient: “Maher was recently excommunicated from the church for an extramarital affair.” Which has nothing to do with the other issues.

Well, this last phrase is where you & I would definitely part in perspective. I would maintain that if the relationship turned sexual, then here's a trusted spiritual leader who is in effect "training" a 15 yo to engage in behavior (sex outside of marriage) which if she replicates while married could devastate her...
...family life (the Lds church ex-communicated her for having an affair)
...which could further lead to ex-communication [and did]

Maher said: "This is a secret that devastated my life and my family's life." Source (KSL.com): House majority leader Kevin Garn resigns

Now why would somebody conclude that even a couple of hot tub encounters "devastated my life and my family's life"??? Hold that question for a moment...and then look at another Cheryl Maher comment:

"Let's just say this. He really loves to massage," Maher told City Weekly when asked for details of the contact in the hot tub. Maher, though, talks less about how that particular encounter traumatized her and more about the emotional relationship she had with Garn. "I was in love with him," she said. Source: Woman: Garn lying about 'no contact' in hot tub when she was 15

She was love in him, she says. She looked up to him as her Lds Sunday School teacher; as the guy who trusted her as an employee at age 14 or 13. And, as she implies, the guy who took her to lunch; took her shopping:

"In the church, people feel they can trust everybody," said Maher, who was excommunicated a few years ago for an extra-marital affair. "You're supposed to be safe with the priesthood holder, or whoever you're with. And I think my Mom and Dad felt that way. 'He's taking her out to lunch. Oh, he's taken her shopping. She's taken care of.' They had no idea. That was the trust in the church and I think that needs to be looked at." Source: Woman: Garn lying about 'no contact' in hot tub when she was 15

So, that's why I mentioned that one thing (abuse of a minor) can lead to other eventual issues (continuing the pattern of sex outside of marriage), which in turn can lead to ex-communication.

Besides, we know the Lds leadership pattern. The general authorities are business leaders who serve on each others' business boards. Same with the rest of the Lds hierarchy. Do you think they like to take action vs. a "...wealthy business owner, who has interests in everything from banks to hotels..."???? See quote source at: Garn's bombshell blows away lawmakers

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