Not to rain on anyone's parade, but . . . it's a hoax.
This is from the original article:
Patriots for a Moral Utah will hold a press conference to announce the initiative today at 1 p.m. in the Capitol Rotunda. The group is lead by Paul Jackson, whose Facebook page describes him as a 1992 graduate of Provo High School, a supporter of "traditional marriage" and a Tea Party enthusiast. Currently, he is the sole member of the Patriots for a Moral Utah’s Facebook page. It is unknown how many people belong to Patriots for a Moral Utah. There is no organization registered with the state under the name.
Although the press conference is still an hour away, some have wondered if the bill and the press conference is a hoax.
So, this is obviously one well-sourced article, eh? It's another stenography piece; the "reporter" probably got a call, checked the facebook page, and put it out there without any further fact-checking. Even a 5 minute search would have revealed that the story was phony. The author apparently didn't check or call the Capitol Building Schedule to determine if there was such a press conference scheduled.
The Capitol building requires that you schedule your events, reserve times, and even put down a deposit (shocking, that you would have to schedule an event to occur at the State Capitol Building, where there's like, security considerations and such).
Here's their schedule for March 8, 2010:
March 8 APPOINTMENT Capitol Board Room - Rep Julie Fisher KT 12/31/09 Changed from Thursday's during session 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM
March 8 APPOINTMENT Capitol Board Room - AG/Shelley Exeter- No Setup required 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
March 8 APPOINTMENT Presentation Room - Lane Beattie 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
March 8 APPOINTMENT Multi-Purpose Room - Utah State Chamber of Commerce - Alan Anderson - No Set Up RequiredD 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
March 8 APPOINTMENT Room 210 - Community Action Program- Karen Silver- No Set Up 12:15 PM - 1:45 PM
This is their March calendar: Note that they even list the cancellation of an event on March 2, noting that it was canceled by phone, at 1:30, an hour and a half before the event was scheduled to take place. Seems like it's pretty well updated.
March agenda.
In order to reserve the Rotunda, you have to put down a $3,000 deposit.
Rotunda
The Rotunda is a beautiful and spacious venue that gives class and elegance to large gatherings and celebrations. It is a room full of history and symbolism. The Capitol was dedicated and rededicated in this space and almost all of Utah’s past governors have walked its floor. Hundreds of thousands of visitors have gazed at its colorful murals and classic artwork. Every gathering under the towering dome of Utah’s restored Capitol is sure to be a memorable one.
* Second floor
* Capacity 2,500
* Private $3,000
* Non-profit or School $2,80
Capitol Hill Scheduling
So, no listing, one guy listed on the facebook page, no reservation or indication of any event from the official government site.
And the deadline for the "press conference" has come and gone, with no press conference.
Hmmm. . . . I found all this out in about 5 minutes through te Google. Next time, a little more research would be advisable, kay?
Now, can we let a more valuable diary get on the rec list?