Our reporting this morning apparently led to the creation of a Change.com Petition, demanding the removal of Basden.
Basden’s closest friend has quickly come to his defense.
In the comment above, Basden’s close friend, Matt Kiddle, states that Basden is not biased in his own experience, which is odd, considering Basden stated last December that Matt Kiddle is his good friend.
Notably, Basden and Kiddle serve together in a “Bishopric”—the highest local governing body of an LDS congregation.
A Bishopric consists of three men (a Bishop and two counselors) who work in lockstep to oversee the spiritual and temporal welfare of hundreds of members. They meet weekly in closed-door sessions, handle confidential confessions, determine the “worthiness” of members to enter temples, and manage church finances. This service creates a bond of brotherhood and confidentiality that far exceeds a typical friendship or professional acquaintance.
It is unclear what specific experience Kiddle has with Basden in a court setting. Kiddle is also a close friend of Lane Wolfley, who we also reported on Basden’s relationship with.
More to come.
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