Tim Ballard (OUR) sexual misconduct + LDS church grift

[nsl]

In news that will surprise no one who's been paying attention to the "every accusation is a confession" crowd, Tim Ballard, formerly of Operation Underground Railroad whose so-called rescue work against child sex trafficking was the basis of the Sound of Freedom movie over the summer, has been credibly accused of sexual assault by at least seven women.

www.vice.com/en/article/pkaqvn/tim-ballards-departure-from-operation-underground-railroad-followed-sexual-misconduct-investigation

Apparently he coerced women who worked with or volunteered for the organization to go undercover with him as his wife, and from there get them to share rooms, beds, showers, etc... with him. According to the Vice article, he "is said to have sent at least one woman a photo of himself in his underwear, festooned with fake tattoos, and to have asked another 'how far she was willing to go,' in the words of a source, to save children."

On top of that, over the weekend the LDS church released a rare official statement condemning Ballard for "morally unacceptable behavior" NOT about the sex abuse allegations, but because he kept publicly claiming one of the church's leaders (Apostle Russell M. Ballard--not a relation) was a partner in his business. www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/09/15/rare-public-rebuke-lds-church/

This is also on the heels of a concluded criminal investigation into OUR that's recently made local news because Ballard agreed to an interview with our local Fox affiliate and then walked out as soon as they pressed him about the details of the case: www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/operation-underground-railroad-spent-years-downplaying-criminal-investigation

All of which is to say Tim Ballard is a piece of shit who's expected to announce that he's running for Mitt Romney's Senate seat at some point in the near future.

[Michelle]

Sept 18, 2023 18:27:25 GMT -5 nsl said:

In news that will surprise no one who's been paying attention to the "every accusation is a confession" crowd, Tim Ballard, formerly of Operation Underground Railroad whose so-called rescue work against child sex trafficking was the basis of the Sound of Freedom movie over the summer, has been credibly accused of sexual assault by at least seven women.

www.vice.com/en/article/pkaqvn/tim-ballards-departure-from-operation-underground-railroad-followed-sexual-misconduct-investigation

Apparently he coerced women who worked with or volunteered for the organization to go undercover with him as his wife, and from there get them to share rooms, beds, showers, etc... with him. According to the Vice article, he "is said to have sent at least one woman a photo of himself in his underwear, festooned with fake tattoos, and to have asked another 'how far she was willing to go,' in the words of a source, to save children."

On top of that, over the weekend the LDS church released a rare official statement condemning Ballard for "morally unacceptable behavior" NOT about the sex abuse allegations, but because he kept publicly claiming one of the church's leaders (Apostle Russell M. Ballard--not a relation) was a partner in his business. www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2023/09/15/rare-public-rebuke-lds-church/

This is also on the heels of a concluded criminal investigation into OUR that's recently made local news because Ballard agreed to an interview with our local Fox affiliate and then walked out as soon as they pressed him about the details of the case: www.fox13now.com/news/fox-13-investigates/operation-underground-railroad-spent-years-downplaying-criminal-investigation

All of which is to say Tim Ballard is a piece of shit who's expected to announce that he's running for Mitt Romney's Senate seat at some point in the near future.

oh barf! oh that is dreadful - he will probably get it with all the hype from the movie in far right wing circles. 

[sent]

For Utah's sake, I hope there are other people running for that seat. How does Mitt Romney not have a successor or two that he can prop up?

[msmerymac]

Sept 18, 2023 21:34:05 GMT -5 sent said:

For Utah's sake, I hope there are other people running for that seat. How does Mitt Romney not have a successor or two that he can prop up?

We all know semi-decent Republicans are a dying breed. 

[bronxgirl]

These fucking bastards.

[nsl]

Sept 18, 2023 21:34:05 GMT -5 sent said:

For Utah's sake, I hope there are other people running for that seat. How does Mitt Romney not have a successor or two that he can prop up?

The Utah Republican party has been completely taken over by MAGA. Even the LDS Church speaking out against extreme partisanship (they won't get specific, but it's clear that church leadership is against Trump) hasn't had the impact it would have a decade ago.

The "liberal" local paper has a great cartoonist--his take on the situation: www.sltrib.com/opinion/bagley/2023/09/18/bagley-cartoon-king-con/