Washington • Switzerland still welcomes tourists and investors from abroad, but no longer welcomes foreign missionaries. New employment rules that went into effect at the start of the new year ban religions from sending even unpaid missionaries to the small corner of Europe.

Thirteen members of Congress who are Mormon sent a letter to the Swiss ambassador, objecting to the ban and pleading for an exception.

“We respectfully request that senior leaders of the LDS Church be given the opportunity to discuss this matter at the highest levels of the Swiss government,” the letter, sent in late 2010, reads.

The Swiss ambassador sent a respectful, yet perfunctory, letter in response, and while some meetings took place, the rules went forward.

“To me that was very disappointing, and that battle may not be over yet,” said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.

But for some, the fact that Mormon lawmakers waged the battle at all is troubling and they point to it as evidence that if elected president, Mitt Romney may use his post to promote his faith and protect its interests.

“I think it is a very serious problem that would arise if he is president,” said Fred Karger, a gay-rights activist from California running a fringe campaign for the Republican nomination. He argues top officials at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints coordinated the letter to the Swiss ambassador. He also says it shows the influence the faith’s First Presidency can wield simply by picking up a phone, an influence that would grow greatly if, instead of calling senators, those church leaders could call the White House.

“How can a President Romney turn down a call from the First Presidency?” Karger asked. “He has been an obedient, faithful Mormon his whole life; he won’t just disregard it. I think the separation of church and state is designed to prevent exactly that.”

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Aware of the spotlight » Mormon lawmakers and scholars say there is nothing illegal, unethical or untoward about the LDS Church petitioning its government for help on such matters, though they recognize that a Mormon in the White House would bring new levels of scrutiny from Republicans uneasy about the faith and Democrats concerned about its conservative political posture.

“In the event that Romney were elected president, both sides would be anxiously looking for any signs that he was promoting his faith or doing the bidding of the LDS hierarchy,” said Grant Hardy, a history and religious studies professor at the University of North Carolina-Asheville.

Hardy, a member of the LDS Church, expects a Romney administration would be reluctant to nominate Mormons to top government positions or to invite too many to participate in White House events. And while most would expect him to work with prominent Mormons in Washington, such as Hatch, his interactions with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who is also Mormon, would likely draw extra attention.