Salt Lake Crawler

Despite virtual reruns of California Proposition 8 commercials on Maine television stations, the LDS Church appears to be sitting out the battle there to ban marriage.

In the California vote, the church a large and controversial role, much of it as a contributor to the National Organization for Marriage. Scott Fish, communications director for the Maine's NOM operation, Stand for Marriage Maine, tells the Washington Post that after backlash over Prop 8, the Mormon Church leadership decided to avoid direct involvement in Maine.

"I think [gay marriage supporters] are outraising us two to one in terms of money.  Common sense would suggest anyway if the LDS were really behind this campaign -- and it's not -- that wouldn't be the case."

It has been difficult, of course, to trace contributions through NOM, so LDS involvement won't be evident until after the election, if then. Maine's state ethics commission is trying find out where the $1.6 million NOM has pumped into the Maine election came from. NOM has declined to reveal its contributors, despite a federal district court ruling Maine's law requires to open its books.