Mormon Leader Says Donation To Biden Was ‘Oversight’

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A top leader with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Friday political donations made in his name to several Democratic candidates, including President Joe Biden, that violate the faith’s political neutrality rules were done by his family. Dieter Uchtdorf said in a statement provided by church officials that the contributions came from an online family account associated with his name. “I regret such an oversight on my part,” Uchtdorf said. “I fully support the church’s policy related to political donations from church leaders.” Uchtdorf is a member of a top governing body called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which sits below the first presidency and helps set church policy and oversees the faith’s business interests. A church rule created in 2011 when church member Mitt Romney was running for the GOP presidential nomination dictate that members of this panel and other full-time church leaders and their spouses should not participate in political campaigns or give donations.