LAS VEGAS (Legal Newsline)- A group of state attorneys general met in Las Vegas on Wednesday for a private meeting to discuss legal issues relating to polygamy, spokespeople said.
In attendance were Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.
The meeting comes after a row between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., criticized authorities in Arizona and Utah for not doing more to crackdown on crimes in polygamous communities, such as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
The lengthy closed-door meeting was held at the office of Gregory Brower, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Also attending the meeting was Washington County (Utah) Sheriff Kirk Smith, Mohave County (Ariz.) Attorney Matt Smith and federal prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey recently appointed a senior Justice Department prosecutor to work with Utah, Arizona and Nevada to review how federal authorities can help investigate and prosecute polygamy-related crimes.
From Legal Newsline: Reach reporter Chris Rizo by e-mail at chrisrizo@legalnewsline.com.