New documents reveal that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints lawyers worked to stall a federal lawsuit for their own personal purposes.
The Salt Lake Tribune revealed in a recent report that the church desperately tried to settle their tithing scandal outside of court, but it didn't go well.
Lawyer James Huntsman sued the church accusing leaders of mishandling billions of dollars fraudulently.
"The closely watched case is now in the hands of Judge Stephen Wilson, who is set to rule on a summary judgment motion by the Utah-based faith to have Huntsman's fraud claims and demand for at least $5 million in tithing, interest and penalties thrown out," the report explained. "New court documents indicate the failed settlement talks involved David Jordan, a prominent Salt Lake City-based attorney for the church, and lawyers in two states representing Huntsman in a back-and-forth focused as much on parsing aspects of Latter-day Saint doctrine and history as wrangling over opposing legal arguments."
It all began when Huntsman made a threat of legal action, which the church's attorney said was "a transparent attempt to emotionally intimidate and shame my client." He accused the church of using member donations meant for charity on commercial ventures.
"As a matter of integrity," he wrote, "[Huntsman] could not continue to be counted as one who supported and participated in the fraud that had been concealed from him."
He demanded that the church return the $2.6 million he'd tithed "during his lifetime of service to, and in support of, the LDS Church." He agreed not to ask for interest.
"Under federal court rules, claims aired in settlement talks cannot be used in subsequent litigation. But the once-confidential correspondence, appended to an Aug. 16 court filing by Huntsman's lawyers, is illuminating as it veers from cordial to menacing in tone over a matter of a few months before his March lawsuit being filed," the report explained.
"Outright lies were told as to the use or intended use of tithing," Kirk Magleby, executive director of the Book of Mormon Central Position, said. "These facts are established and secular, and do not involve an adjudication of the truth of a religious belief of doctrine."
Lawyer David Jordan argued that the issues Huntsman has with the church shouldn't be under the purview of the civil courts under the First Amendment. Instead, he said that it should be a matter of faith.
