Mormon church hire triggers conservative backlash
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Some prominent conservatives are raising objections to the new communications director for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, saying his ties to LGBTQ+ advocacy and “globalism” disqualify him for the post.
Driving the news: Aaron Sherinian, previously an executive with the church’s for-profit arm Deseret Management Corporation, was named head of public affairs and communications last week.
He previously oversaw communications for Philip Morris, the United Nations Foundation and a U.S. foreign aid agency called the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
What happened: Rightwing accounts on social media soon began circulating screengrabs of Sherinian’s pro-LGBTQ+ posts, saying his advocacy is incompatible with the church’s positions on marriage and gender.
Why it matters: Several of Sherinian’s critics are influential in conservative politics, with track records of mobilizing people and affecting policy.
As founder of Utah Business Revival, former Salt Lake City police officer Eric Moutsos organized rallies and other events that drew thousands of Utahns to protest COVID restrictions. He called Sherinian a “radical activist” on X.
Tyler Bowyer, a Republican National Committee member from Arizona and COO of Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point organization, posted: “Why is the LDS church hiring leftist simps to run their comms?”
Content retrieved from: https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2024/01/19/mormon-church-communications-director-conservative-backlash.
