The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has donated $1 million to the Too Extreme for Idaho Political Action Committee, which opposes Idaho’s abortion rights initiative, Prop 1. The donation was confirmed by the church’s spokesperson after being first reported by the Idaho Falls radio station NewsTalk 107.9.
“While The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints remains neutral toward political candidates, it actively addresses ballot initiatives it believes carry significant moral consequences,” the church said in a statement. “Accordingly, the Church has joined a coalition of like-minded organizations and individuals in Idaho to dedicate resources toward defeating Proposition 1.”
Proposition 1, if passed, would repeal Idaho’s abortion laws, enumerate rights related to reproductive health, and create liability protections for healthcare providers who provide abortion and other reproductive healthcare. The Idaho Capital Sun confirmed the donation with a spokesperson for the church on Friday.
The large donation comes after Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador published an opinion in August that says churches are allowed to donate money to political campaigns – including for and against Proposition 1 – without disclosing their donors, as long as they don’t ask members to donate specifically for the campaign, Boise State Public Radio reported.
Leaders from the church issued a letter against Prop 1 in September, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. The letter was read to congregations last month, the church’s assistant communications director Brian Whitlock said in an email. “Our long-held stance on abortion remains clear and unchanged,” the four-member U.S. Central Area Presidency of the LDS Church wrote in the letter.
The church, which opposes elective abortions, posted its stance on abortion online. It allows for possible exemptions in cases of rape and incest, if a “competent physician determines that the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy,” or a “competent physician determines that the fetus has severe defects that will not allow the baby to survive beyond birth.” “Even these exceptions do not automatically justify abortion,” the statement said. “Abortion is a most serious matter. It should be considered only after the persons responsible have received confirmation through prayer.”
Idaho’s abortion ban allows the procedure to prevent the death of the mother and in cases of rape and incest in the first trimester with a police report. Doctors who provide abortions outside of those exemptions face felony penalties, including minimum prison time, and potential civil lawsuits brought by family members of the aborted fetus.
Other churches, faith-based groups have contributed to campaigns for and against Prop 1. The LDS Church isn’t the first or only faith-based organization to contribute to the campaigns related to the ballot measure, but it is the largest reported donation from a church-affiliated group. Groups attached to Catholic organizations have contributed $7,161 to the Too Extreme for Idaho PAC, campaign finance reporting shows. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise contributed $2,000, and Catholic fraternal groups, called Knights of Columbus Councils, contributed the rest, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.
