There are no simple facts in complex situations like the Reorganization of the church, which developed after all of the confusion during the Nauvoo period of church history and the rivalries after the death of Joseph Smith Jr. It has been a while since I have read the volumes of RLDS church history. The movement to reorganize seemed to be blessed by the Spirit, especially in gatherings of saints, but the individual leaders had greatly differing views about how to reorganize. As the process unfolded through many deliberations, certain leaders did not like the direction being established and left. But the testimony of the majority was that the Spirit was guiding them. In 1860, Joseph Smith III became a spokeman for that guidance. As with anything else, we need to know who, what, when, where, and why disgruntled persons made statements (which are gleefully quoted by Mormon-haters without regard for who, what, when, where, and why).
When it comes to the simplest of facts John - that it is well documented the Smith was a polygamist - even your earliest leaders acknowledged such, there is very little confusion about that - unless as you've stated before, your leaders were trying to justify their sins too.
As with anything else, we need to know who, what, when, where, and why disgruntled persons made statements (which are gleefully quoted by Mormon-haters without regard for who, what, when, where, and why).
Two (2) statements by smith in his own handwriting acknowledging that he practiced and endorsed polygamy - guess that makes him a VERY disgruntled person eh John? It very much addresses the who, what, where, when and why. Cowdrey excommunicated for exposing and opposing smith's polygamy. The editors of the "Expositor", chased out of town and their press destroyed because they exposed smith's polygamy. Seemed Smith was more disgruntled than they were - even to the point of breaking the law.
And we havn't even begun to explore smith's mother-daughter fetish, let alone going after other men's wives.
Well; it IS true that the RLDS branch is trying harder and harder to distance itself from MORMONism and get back to orthodox Christianity.
There is no need to be taking so long, though.