# Are the Morman's killed in Mexico related to Mitt Romney? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178 "2019-11-08T16:50:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/1 "2019-11-08T16:50:27Z")
I remember after Mitt won the R primary there were news stories about his relatives in a Mormon Mexican community. I think it was a great-great grandfather with several wives? Polygamy creates large extended families. The Mormon community was a potential security concern if Mitt had won the presidency. No link, this was 60 Minutes or 20/20. I vaguely recall Mitt confirmimg it was his great-great or maybe great-great-great grandfather. Recent attack. > **[Mexico killing highlights confusion over Mormon groups](https://apnews.com/general-news-df0bc6f8a36e4422a6ab613b5a549fc0)** > > After nine people from a Mormon offshoot community were killed in Mexico, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints issued a short statement expressing sympathy for the victims while clarifying that they didn't belong to the mainstream church. > [@](#): > > The nine women and children killed by drug cartel gunmen in northern Mexico on Monday lived in a remote farming community where residents are descendants of former church members who fled U.S. prosecution of polygamy in the late 19th century. > > Early church members practiced polygamy in the 1800s at the instruction of founder Joseph Smith, but the church disavowed it in 1890. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/2 "2019-11-08T16:59:26Z")
Romney offered condolences to the families on his Twitter account, without mentioning any relationship to them. [Mitt Romney](https://twitter.com/MittRomney/status/1191712690533814285): > [@](#): > > Ann and I are heartbroken for the victims of the horrific attacks in Mexico. Our prayers are with their families who have suffered such an unspeakable tragedy. The U.S. must work with Mexican officials to hold accountable those responsible for this senseless violence. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/3 "2019-11-08T17:59:01Z")
You don’t have to go great-great to find Romney’s link to Mexico. His father was born there. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/4 "2019-11-08T18:08:43Z")
Everything I’ve seen mentions the LaBaron family being involved. I haven’t found any link between the LaBarons and Romneys other than they were both part of the many families that settled there from the Mormon community. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/5 "2019-11-08T18:23:15Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Everything I’ve seen mentions the LaBaron family being involved. I haven’t found any link between the LaBarons and Romneys other than they were both part of the many families that settled there from the Mormon community. [This claims not LeBarons, or at least not _those_ LeBarons](https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/11/08/commentary-no-mormon/). ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/6 "2019-11-08T18:31:20Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > [This claims not LeBarons, or at least not _those_ LeBarons](https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2019/11/08/commentary-no-mormon/). Right that article says they were part of the very large LaBaron family. I never said they were part of a specific religious sect. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/7 "2019-11-08T20:04:49Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Right that article says they were part of the very large LaBaron family. I never said they were part of a specific religious sect. “They do have a common ancestor in Alma Dayer LeBaron Sr., a Mormon who was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1924 for continuing to practice polygamy, which the Utah Saints officially disavowed in 1890.” The apple isn’t falling very far from that tree. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/8 "2019-11-08T20:12:05Z")
I guess if there’s any family connections to the Romney family they’re keeping it quiet. There’s no need to put a bigger target on the Mexican Mormons then they already have from the drug cartels. I found the video that I saw during Romney’s presidential race. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/GPvJLMrE5Hw/maxresdefault.jpg "Meet Mitt Romney's Mexican Mormon Family (Drug Cartels vs. Mormons Part 6/7)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPvJLMrE5Hw) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/9 "2019-11-08T20:19:03Z")
It’s a pretty community and seems well run. I hope the drug cartels haven’t continued attacking that community too. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/10 "2019-11-08T22:25:38Z")
are these Mormans in Mexico currently practicing polygamy? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/11 "2019-11-08T22:58:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I guess if there’s any family connections to the Romney family they’re keeping it quiet. > > There’s no need to put a bigger target on the Mexican Mormons then they already have from the drug cartels. > I found the video that I saw during Romney’s presidential race. > [https://youtu.be/GPvJLMrE5Hw](https://youtu.be/GPvJLMrE5Hw) I saw something on the news about something that happened to some random Christian family in Arkansas (or wherever you’re from). Are they related to you? Are you keeping it quiet for reasons of security? Why would I even think that’s the case, or keep harping on it? Why do you? > [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > are these Mormans in Mexico currently practicing polygamy? Can we get the spelling right for the name they don’t really like? It’s “Mormons.” Or if you want to be nice and call them the abbreviated version of what they prefer, members of the LDS church. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/12 "2019-11-08T23:46:46Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I saw something on the news about something that happened to some random Christian family in Arkansas (or wherever you’re from). Are they related to you? Are you keeping it quiet for reasons of security? Why would I even think that’s the case, or keep harping on it? Why do you? > > Can we get the spelling right for the name they don’t really like? It’s “Mormons.” Or if you want to be nice and call them the abbreviated version of what they prefer, members of the LDS church. Are you having a rough day or something…? I’ll rephrase the question: Are the Morm_o_ns in Mexico for the sake of practicing polygamy? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/13 "2019-11-08T23:51:54Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You don’t have to go great-great to find Romney’s link to Mexico. His father was born there. Great-Great-grandfather for a person Romney’s age would quite possibly date to before the LDS existed (the Church was founded in 1830, the year my Great-grandfather was born - and I’m younger than Romney) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/14 "2019-11-09T00:02:35Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > Are you having a rough day or something…? > > I’ll rephrase the question: Are the Morm_o_ns in Mexico for the sake of practicing polygamy? Yes, the Mexican Mormons that were killed practice polygamy. It’s why they left the US and relocated to practice their religious beliefs without persecution. > [@](#): > > The Mexican community is one of a handful of Mormon splinter groups who still practice plural marriage. The most well-known is a community on the Utah-Arizona border known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that was run by Jeffs, who is now serving a life sentence in Texas for sexually assaulting girls he considered brides. > > There are other smaller groups around Salt Lake City and in Missouri. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/15 "2019-11-09T03:04:25Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I saw something on the news about something that happened to some random Christian family in Arkansas (or wherever you’re from). Are they related to you? Are you keeping it quiet for reasons of security? Why would I even think that’s the case, or keep harping on it? Why do you?. **Moderator Note** Let’s dial back the snark. I assume the Mormon community in Mexico is not very large, and Romney’s father was born in Mexico. The idea that there could be a link is not far-fetched. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Colossus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.colossus/32/9423_2.png) [@Dr.Colossus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Colossus)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/16 "2019-11-09T04:26:51Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The most well-known is a community on the Utah-Arizona border known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that was run by Jeffs, who is now serving a life sentence in Texas for sexually assaulting girls he considered brides. I found this passage to be wholly unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/17 "2019-11-09T04:58:46Z")
> [@Dr.Colossus](#): > > I found this passage to be wholly unpleasant. Unpleasant but factually correct. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/18 "2019-11-09T05:25:24Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > … Can we get the spelling right for the name they don’t really like? It’s “Mormons.” Or if you want to be nice and call them the abbreviated version of what they prefer, members of the LDS church. They’re not members of the LDS church. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/19 "2019-11-09T06:42:51Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > You don’t have to go great-great to find Romney’s link to Mexico. His father was born there. Clarification: Was Mitt Romney’s dad Mexican? Or is this a McCain was born in Panama thing? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2019, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178/20 "2019-11-09T07:40:44Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Clarification: > > Was Mitt Romney’s dad Mexican? Or is this a McCain was born in Panama thing? [George Romney](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Romney) was Governor of Michigan and sometime presidential candidate. He was born in Mexico to US citizen parents, making him a US citizen by birth. His grandparents were polygamous Mormons but his parents were monogamous. From Wiki: > [@](#): > > Questions were occasionally asked about Romney’s eligibility to run for President owing to his birth in Mexico, given the ambiguity in the United States Constitution over the phrase “natural-born citizen”.[14][173][176] Romney would depart the race before the matter could be more definitively resolved,[173] although the preponderance of opinion then and since has been that he was eligible.[176][177] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-the-mormans-killed-in-mexico-related-to-mitt-romney/843178.md?page=2)