By Lionel
I couldn't help being amazed with the news today that Utah State Attorney General Shurtleff had been completely cleared, by his buddy the Lt. Governor, of any wrong-doing over his "selling" the great seal of the State of Utah to the highest bidder.
My comments on this outrage from the KSL web site:
HUBRIS ALIVE AND WELL IN UTAH GOVERNMENTWho said we don't have a stinking ethics problem in Utah government?
Let's see now - Company gives Shurtleff $10,000.00, A few days later Shurtleff gives company an endorsement letter on state letterhead in direct violation of plainly written state law, company promptly uses said letter to advertise their service nationally, citizens cry foul, Shurtleff has his political insider pal - the Lt. Governor - give reading on legality, political pal says "hey, no problem no violation."
7 comments:
Chicago politicians have nuttin' on us here in Utah, Lionel, ethics-wise, in your blogmeister's never humble opinion.
Thanks for the most excellent submission.
Shurtliff accepts trip expenses and funds to give speech of support to the loan shark business in the Bahammas.
No Conflict of interest? No harm no foul?! And of course the 56% of the Utah legislature (based upon last year's "campaign finance donations" and significant "gifts" from lobbyists...why no...I don't see any corruption or graft within Utah politics. After all these are good Mormon trained folks (88% of Leg.) who know and fully understand ethical behavior!
Have faith, Lionel.
Shurtleff, Herbert and a few others won't get past the pearly gate.
Mark Shurtleff is a classic crook, and Gary Herbert is a classic political hack.
These sleazebags, I would bet, are also active members of the LDS church in good standing, as am I.
I remember when Spencer Kimball spoke to a youth group telling them not to take "filty lucre." It seems things have changed.
But it's not just corruption, it's incompetence running rampant. Read this article about Bush. It's like the priest saying he had to spend the night in the whorehouse to preserve chastity.
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US President George W. Bush said in an interview Tuesday he was forced to sacrifice free market principles to save the economy from "collapse."
"I've abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system," Bush told CNN television, saying he had made the decision "to make sure the economy doesn't collapse."
Bush's comments reflect an extraordinary departure from his longtime advocacy for an unfettered free market, as his administration has orchestrated unprecedented government intervention in the face of a dire financial crisis.
"I am sorry we're having to do it," Bush said.
But Bush said government action was necessary to ease the effects of the crisis, offering perhaps his most dire assessment yet of the country's economy.
"I feel a sense of obligation to my successor to make sure there is not a, you know, a huge economic crisis. Look, we're in a crisis now. I mean, this is -- we're in a huge recession, but I don't want to make it even worse."
At a G20 summit last month in Washington, Bush resisted some proposals for global financial regulation and argued free market principles still held true despite the global economic downturn.
And administration officials have also referred to the primacy of the free market when discussing a possible government bailout for the troubled US auto industry.
In the interview, Bush said that a "disorganized bankruptcy" of the carmakers could create "enormous" economic difficulties.
But the US president has yet to announce how his administration will proceed amid calls from Detroit automakers and Democrats for a bailout drawing on funds set aside for financial firms.
There are 50 states. 40 of them have created independent ethics review commissions --- i.e. not composed of legislators. The new Republican leadership of the Utah legislature, when asked if Utah would create an independent ethics commission said "it's not needed." So the boys will merrily go on monitoring their own ethics, and patting each other gently on the back, if that, when problems occur, claiming they "misunderstood" the rules they themselves created.
And the beat goes on....
Curm, the Utah State legislature just determinded that it's ok for one rep to bribe another, no problem, it was campain cash, ithapens all the time was the defense.
Since repubs believe so strongly that money equals freedom of speach I'll propose these changes.
All campain donations represent the exersize of free speach from the donor, this exersize represents their take on that specific race, it should not be allowed to be transfered or carry that money past that specific election. No campain money should be allowed to be carried past Dec. 31st of that election year. No personal warchest that can be used personally after retirement. Any campain money left over should go into the general fund of the state, or a charity. This would also apply to money raised by a political party and given to a specific candidate. Once it's in his/her name it's spend it or lose it.
This should apply to all elected officials, muni, county, state and all. There should also be a specific date that no money can be raised before to shorten the endless campain cycle.
Removal of personal financial gain would go a long way to the raising ethical standards, most certainly in the ethically bankrupt State Utah.
We don't need ethics committees because we have Howell and Schwebke.
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