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Posted: 12:49 PM-WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday slammed Utah and Arizona officials for "turning a blind eye" to polygamy and added that he is "embarrassed" for the two states whose politicians are afraid to take action on child abuse and other crimes in those communities.

"I am a cheerleader for what is going on in Texas," Reid, D-Nevada, said on KUER's RadioWest broadcast from a Washington hotel. "I think Texas is doing what Utah and Arizona should have done decades ago."

Reid added that the children in the Texas polygamous compound were better off in foster care than in their dormitories where he said there was apparent sexual abuse going on.

"To have what goes on in Arizona and in Utah go on year after year after year and people turn a blind eye to it, I think it is a travesty. I am embarrassed for the two states. . . . Utah politicians are afraid to do anything about it, and I think that's wrong."

Reid's comments brought a swift reaction from an "outraged" Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and an equally incensed Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard.

"To have him come in, without any knowledge whatsoever, and to accuse Utah of doing nothing, is unacceptable," Shurtleff said in an interview. "He ought to get educated before he opens his trap, frankly."

Arizona's Goddard, a Democrat, called Reid's remarks "ignorant posturing."

"The man has no idea what he's talking about," Goddard said. "The senator certainly doesn't understand Utah and Arizona."

The Texas raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' YFZ Ranch has prompted a political and media firestorm, including drawing Reid, the nation's highest-ranking elected Mormon, into the fray.

Reid told KUER that polygamous communities have developed political power in Utah and Arizona and they are committing crimes "up and down" the region. He has asked for a federal task force to intercede because local law enforcement hasn't.

"The federal government should move in and see if they're violating federal laws, which I think they are," Reid said. "I think there are a lot of federal laws that they're going to take a look at and I think the task force would also focus attention on this and maybe bring to attention the state authorities - Utah as an example, that they should do something about it themselves and not depend on the federal government to do their work."

Shurtleff called Reid's remark about polygamists holding political clout over Utah politicians "bullcrap."

"Give one example!" Shurtleff said. "They would [have] not been in Texas had we not come out for them in Utah. . . . For crying out loud, we got Warren Jeffs, their prophet, serving two five-to-life, consecutive sentences. How is that not doing anything? How is that bowing to political pressure?"

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s spokeswoman Lisa Roskelley also disagreed with Reid's assertions and said "a lot has been done in Utah," especially with a focus on the "serious crimes of child abuse."

As for Reid's remarks, Roskelley said it was "an unfortunate and misdirected dialogue."

Still, she added that the governor welcomes a federal task force because a multi-state approach would be helpful.

Shurtleff also said he would be praising Reid if the majority leader were able to get the federal government to look at whether the polygamous communities are violating federal laws. Reid sent a letter to then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in 2007 and again last week to now-Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking the Justice Department to set up a federal task force to probe the polygamous communities.

Shurtleff said he's been asking for the same since elected in 2001 but that for Reid to say Utah hasn't done anything is wrong.

"To say Texas is doing everything right and that nothing has been done in Utah, again, that's uneducated," Shurtleff said, noting the FLDS bought property and has had some presence in Texas for four years.

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