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Tim Ballard


Calm

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I hope my brother in law and sister see this news because last year or the year before we were out to dinner and they gushed about Tim Ballard and I was aware of the investigation back then, and I just had to tell them that I thought there was something up about him, and they looked at me like I was crazy.

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Sorry, I guess I didn't speak clearly enough.   

I'm happy that his movie prompted so many to learn a thing or two about the real aspects of real child sex trafficking.  (Again, here's a primer for anyone interested.) 

I literally mean it.  The movie itself is only a sensationalized fictional representation of a tiny minority of child sex trafficking, some truth mixed with hollywood.  But as people took to the public square to talk about the movie, many people did some research (like my link), and learned stuff they would have otherwise not learned.  So, the movie-did-indeed-prompt-people-to-learn.  I think it's a net benefit.  

Does that make more sense?

(I've pushed this link for a decade, and will continue to push it until it goes dead.  It's a very good basic introduction into what real, endemic, found everywhere, child sex trafficking.)

Edited by LoudmouthMormon
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Tim Ballard responds:

Quote

Tim Ballard, the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) is breaking his silence after being condemned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

While on a tour in Boston, Ballard addressed a crowd of supporters and encouraged them to send his recorded statements to the media.

“It’s not true, nothing you hear is true,” Ballard begins in the video.

At times, he was passionate – shouting at cameras.

At times, he lowered his voice and teared up.

“This is breaking down my family like you can’t believe,” Tim Ballard said.

The statement was in response to documents obtained by VICE News, detailing a criminal investigation into Tim Ballard and his nonprofit; “Tim is fully convinced that he is supposed to be the ‘Mormon Messiah and lead people back to the church.’”

The records reportedly state Tim Ballard received “psychic readings” and communication from the prophet Nephi “to get intel.”

The Church also stated Tim Ballard betrayed his friendship with President M Russell Ballard, the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Despite sharing the same last name, the two are not related.

“I’ve never used Elder Ballard’s name. Ever! I’ve never treaded on his name to ask for anything. I’ve never had any business dealings with him. He’s like a grandfather to me,” Tim Ballard said.

“I don’t believe the Church did this,” he said in the video. “I truly don’t. Can you imagine that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints would publicly condemn one of its members?”

Apparently, the answer is: Yes, they would.

The Church’s statement was sent by Doug Anderson from his official ChurchOfJesusChrist.org email address.

Anderson has been Director of Media Relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for nearly 15 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Tim Ballard said he was in disbelief, particularly because his bishop and stake president “knew nothing about” the condemnation.

“I pray to God the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints wasn’t part of this,” Ballard said. “I don’t know yet. I don’t know."

Ever since Senator Mitt Romney announced he would be giving up his seat, rumors have been circulating about Tim Ballard running for Congress.

“It was leaked to the press that I was going to run for US Senate,” Ballard explained. “Do you think that’s a coincidence?”

The rumors started with a tweet from Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, stating he would be endorsing a “patriot” and “warrior” in the “coming days.”

Reyes and Tim Ballard are known to be close friends who have promoted O.U.R. together.

According to the clip sent to FOX 13 News, Tim Ballard did not specifically address any details surrounding the criminal investigation.

Man, what a weird story this is.

Thanks,

-Smac

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22 hours ago, Tacenda said:

I hope my brother in law and sister see this news because last year or the year before we were out to dinner and they gushed about Tim Ballard and I was aware of the investigation back then, and I just had to tell them that I thought there was something up about him, and they looked at me like I was crazy.

Tim Ballard is now on record saying this story is a complete lie… I now share the following video response from Ballard, and after viewing it I believe it’s very likely he’s the one who’s telling the truth. 

 

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I will reconsider if there is an official statement coming from the Church or Elder Ballard, but if Ballard is like the Church statement suggests why would he admit it?  The best path if he is a liar is for him to deny it and hope enough will believe him and the Church will revert to its usual silence. 
 

If he isn’t guilty, he should have lots of employees backing him up and documentation on the sound practices of his businesses. 

Edited by Calm
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1 minute ago, teddyaware said:

Tim Ballard is now on record saying this story is a complete lie… I now share the following video response from Ballard, and after viewing it I believe it’s very likely he’s the one who’s telling the truth. 

 

What evidence besides his word did he offer?

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The psychic stuff could be from a disgruntled employee, it could be risky telling lies in a criminal investigation, but it’s not like it isn’t done all the time as far as I can tell.  Iirc, Vice said it was one former employee making the claim about that and the Mormon messiah. 
 

Otoh, I find it hard to believe a church spokesperson would risk their job or that we wouldn’t hear he was fired.  And iirc the ex employee wasn’t the source for that info (the less than upright business stuff) Now could Elder Ballard have believed a lie told about TB?  Sure, but again I find it hard to believe the Church would allow such a statement without vetting it through lawyers who would have insisted on an investigation. 
 

There is other stuff independent of the Vice report that I have heard over the years that leads me to believe Vice is closer to the truth than T Ballard is. 

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51 minutes ago, teddyaware said:

Tim Ballard is now on record saying this story is a complete lie… I now share the following video response from Ballard, and after viewing it I believe it’s very likely he’s the one who’s telling the truth. 

 

His defense was to get angry, blame a rogue pr staffer for the Church's statement, indirectly claim he's okay with his stake president (we have no evidence of that, plus the statement was about Tim Ballard's relationship with M. Russell Ballard, so why would the stake president know anything about that?), attack Vice, and then either play the victim or get angry. That's ten minutes of my life I can't get back. He and the white shirt guy on the right look like they take steroids or too much protein powder, so I would avoid the angry look. And the tears reminded me of the manipulative crying when Jimmy Swaggart got caught.

I didn't see anything to make me question the vice stories and the evidence they presented. How does he explain the white board where he used high profile tactics as "sizzle" for his brand? What are the current and past standards for the jump teams? What, in detail, are his relationships with local law enforcement? How do his tactics compare with best practices done by other anti trafficking NGOs? Has he taken steps to make sure his tactics don't unintentionally increase demand for trafficked victims? What is his after care plan for the victims he saves? What more does he do than wink at the camera and then forget about them?  And most important to me, why does he seem so creepy and self interested when talking about an important topic like this?

If he came out with specific details to all of the above questions (and so many more) I would take him far more seriously. There is a great deal more evidence against him that alternating between roid rage denials and manipulative crying won't undo. The serious charges compared to the over wrought defense seems to me like he's been exposed as a fraud and he's trying every manipulation tactic in the book to save his brand. Maybe he should bite his lip before he cries, it worked for Bill Clinton. 

Edited by morgan.deane
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2 hours ago, teddyaware said:

Tim Ballard is now on record saying this story is a complete lie… I now share the following video response from Ballard, and after viewing it I believe it’s very likely he’s the one who’s telling the truth. 

 

There is a church statement in this video below. Fox 13 news would never post a false church statement. I know the caliber of this new station. 

 

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https://www.deseret.com/2023/9/15/23875331/tim-ballard-senate-church-of-jesus-christ
 

Quote

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement in response to the report, first published by Vice. The full statement from the church reads: 

President Ballard and Tim Ballard (no relation) established a friendship a number of years ago. That friendship was built on a shared interest in looking after God’s children wherever they are and without regard to their circumstance. However, that relationship is in the past. For many months, President Ballard has had no contact with the founder of Operation Underground Railroad (OUR). The nature of that relationship was always in support of vulnerable children being abused, trafficked, and otherwise neglected. Once it became clear Tim Ballard had betrayed their friendship, through the unauthorized use of President Ballard’s name for Tim Ballard’s personal advantage and activity regarded as morally unacceptable, President Ballard withdrew his association. President Ballard never authorized his name, or the name of the Church, to be used for Tim’s personal or financial interests.

In addition, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints never endorsed, supported or represented OUR, Tim Ballard or any projects associated with them.

President Ballard loves children, all over the world. It has been his mission and life’s work to look after them, care for them, and point them to their Savior.

 

I find it very unlikely Deseret News would publish this without checking to make sure the Church had released this as an official statement.

ksl has the same

https://www.ksl.com/article/50731697/tim-ballard-considers-run-for-senate-amid-renewed-controversy

Edited by Calm
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Even if some rogue spokesman lied or Vice made it up the Church could easily have smacked the offender upside the head by just saying that. Making up fake sources is a line most news outlets (even shady online ones) won’t cross.

The Church generally won’t comment on people who experienced Church discipline and lambast the church afterwards for it. The Church is commenting on this. That says something.

His defense is just “angry guy mad at the world”.

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20 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

And of course after being disgraced he is now considering a career in politics. Gotta fail upwards.

Doesn’t he claim he is being targeted because of his run? (It’s in Smac’s quotes)

Vice most likely released this info when it did because of his testimony before the Homeland Security Committee.  He was presented as a hero and what better than to put up news that exposes the feet of clay of a hero.

Edited by Calm
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35 minutes ago, Calm said:

Doesn’t he claim he is being targeted because of his run? (It’s in Smac’s quotes)

Vice most likely released this info when it did because of his testimony before the Homeland Security Committee.  He was presented as a hero and what better than to put up news that exposes the feet of clay of a hero.

Possible, but the feet of clay were already being slowly exposed.

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1 hour ago, The Nehor said:

Possible, but the feet of clay were already being slowly exposed.

Yep.  I would say the clay was exposed to above the knees at least from what I saw over the years.  Could have sworn we discussed it here before, but nothing is coming up on google.

Added:  we had, Tacenda posted something two years ago.

https://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/73340-update-on-human-trafficking-scam-in-azut/?do=findComment&comment=1210005397

 

Edited by Calm
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1 hour ago, bsjkki said:

Has the church made a comment about an individual member in this way before? 
 

*For years I have thought the church PR department has made a multitude of missteps. Basically been inept. 

In this way?  It depends on what you mean.  They did make a statement about Julie Rowe. Edit: though that was to be an internal statement to seminary and institute teachers.

Edited by Rain
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55 minutes ago, Rain said:

In this way?  It depends on what you mean.  They did make a statement about Julie Rowe. Edit: though that was to be an internal statement to seminary and institute teachers.

Not the same. They sent an unnamed statement to a news organization famous for political hit pieces against one of their members who was publicly contemplating a senate run. It has since been reported it came from Doug Anderson. The ‘hit piece’ is what it is. 
 

Seems very odd. 
Why would the church give this statement to ‘Vice?’

Edited by bsjkki
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54 minutes ago, bsjkki said:

Not the same. They sent an unnamed statement to a news organization famous for political hit pieces against one of their members who was publicly contemplating a senate run. It has since been reported it came from Doug Anderson. The ‘hit piece’ is what it is. 
 

Seems very odd. 
Why would the church give this statement to ‘Vice?’

Some with the communication department responded to an email. This person, up until the past couple days, was unknown, as the media had to google search his LinkedIn to identify his role. 

That’s what we know.

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