Arizona Town Liable for Religious Discrimination, 9th Cir. Says

The Town of Colorado City, Ariz., is liable for violating the constitutional rights of residents who weren’t members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the Ninth Circuit ruled Aug. 26.

The U.S. brought a civil action against Colorado City, Hildale City, and their municipal utility providers, alleging they demonstrated a pattern of discrimination against non-FLDS residents. The city governments were accused by the U.S. of essentially acting as arms of the church and using municipal resources to advance church interests. The church allegedly picked the towns’ leaders and marshals and instructed them on how to do ...