Monday, July 07, 2008

Breaking: Representative Mark Walker "Cuts and Runs"

Walker turns tail, and resigns from Utah Legislature

Startling news from this morning's Deseret News. Hours before the Utah House of Representatives ethics committee was set to bring down the opening gavel, Walker jumps ship. According to House Counsel, Walker's resignation deprives the committee of further jurisdiction in the matter. From the D-News article:
Rep. Mark Walker, R-Sandy, resigned his seat in the Legislature, his campaign manager in his unsuccessful run for state treasurer said Monday morning.
The confirmation came just moments before the House Ethics Committee was scheduled to convene to consider allegations that Walker tried to bribe his GOP primary opponent in the treasurer's race, Richard Ellis.
"He said, 'I just can't do this to my family anymore. I know I should stay and fight….I'm done,' " said Steve Hunter, who ran Walker's campaign.
Hunter said Walker turned in a letter of resignations Sunday night to House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, and plans to spend a few weeks with his family in a secluded cabin.
And this is very interesting, we think:
"He feels like if he resigns, everyone's going to say he's covering for the unnamed legislator. There's no one to cover for," Hunter said, a reference to suggestions another lawmaker was involved in the alleged bribe.
Remarkable political insight for a poor guy (Walker) who's likely to wind up as "Utah's Political Patsy of the Year."

And so much for the concept of using the ethics committee investigation as a vehicle to clear his name.

Of course the criminal investigation remains pending, and unfortunately, Mr. Walker can't "resign" from that.

Perhaps Walker will "draw his line in the sand" there.

Well....?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can we all say Watergate. This is a classic example of I'm not a crook. Just how deep this culture of corruption runs is going to be the great headlines in Utah for the election. Just watch and see.

Anonymous said...

Just watch:

Exactly. Like Nixon, he claims to be innocent, but he's going to resign anyway. I don't know if Mr. Walker is guilty of having done what he's charged with or not. I haven't seen the evidence nor have I heard his defense. But his refusing to fight the charge and his resigning instead have added, for me, significant weight to the suspicion that he was involved in something at least unethical [if not illegal].

Perhaps Mr. Walker's main mistake was allying himself with the Fruit-Loop-Right Republican Legislative leadership: Curtis, Bramble, Buttars et al. Still true and always will be, that when you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas....

Anonymous said...

Utah Democratic Party press release regarding Walker's resignation can be found here.

Anonymous said...

AaaahahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!
Did I mention HA?!!
hehe

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