The diaries of Ronald Reagan have just been published and some interesting things are coming out. The Salt Lake Tribune has an article about what the diaries say about Orrin Hatch, including this tidbit:

Hatch made another appearance in Reagan’s diary over the senator’s efforts to get a pardon for the Rev. Sun Yung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church who was convicted of filing false income tax returns and conspiracy. Hatch objected to the jailing of Moon on grounds that it came close to violating his freedom of religion rights.

“Senator Hatch is after me to grant clemency to the Rev. Moon,” Reagan wrote in a Dec. 24, 1984, entry. “I’ve explored this & find I just can’t. I have, however taken action to see if I can grant him a furlough over New Years. It seems that day is the holiest in that religion.”

Very interesting.