Deseret News: Proposed Ethics - Too Strict to Live By?

Some Utah legislators are already screaming bloody murder about a citizens' initiative which would enact broad Utah legislative ethics reform

There was more news about Utah state legislative ethics reform late last evening from the Deseret News, which reports that some members of the state legislature are already firing back at the grass roots organizations Utahs For Ethical Government and Fair Boundaries, who are beginning the process of gathering signatures for a citizen's initiative which would enact a strict code of ethical standards for Utah lawmakers and create an independent ethics commission to apply the code and make enforcement recommendations to the Utah state legislature. You can read the full text of the proposed citizens' initiative here:

• Government Ethics Reform -Final Version

Those readers who'd prefer NOT to wade through the esoteric legal jargon can read the shorter Executive Summary here:

• Executive Summary

Deseret News columnist Bob Bernick reports that citizen legislators such as House Majority Leader Kevin Garn, (R-Layton) and Senator Howard Stephenson, (R-Draper) are screaming bloody murder that the legislation contained in the proposed initiative would trample legislators' constitutional rights... and we found this comment from Representative Garn to be downright laughable:

"Under this initiative, any three people in Utah could (bring a complaint and) ruin your reputation," said House Majority Leader Kevin Garn, R-Layton, who has attended detailed briefings on the initiative presented by legislative attorneys. "It has so many unintended consequences, you could be a legislator trying to do the right thing in your business and your legislative work, and you get nailed. It is ugly and mean-spirited."

We believe Mr. Garn's statement illustrates the precise reason that it's time for Utah citizens to pick up the reins, sign the petition and enact this legislation, which will drain the ethical swamp that's existed in the Utah legislature for far too many years. If Mr. Garn doesn't realize that it's already his unwritten ethical obligation as a state legislator to leave the special interests of his private clients (and campaign donors) at the door when he enters the legislative chambers, this new proposed legislation will certainly clarify the situation for him.

At the beginning of the last legislative session, there were almost four dozen bills aimed at creating broad changes in the state legislature's ethical landscape. By the end of session, the legislature had killed most of these bills... and instead passed paltry legislation which we labelled the equivalent of hitting the snooze button.

As State Senator Scott McCoy, (D-Salt Lake) says, The Legislature "has only nibbled around the corners" of true ethics reform. "The heavy lifting — like this initiative — has not been done. And it is perfectly appropriate for citizens to say, 'We'll do it for you,' if the Legislature itself won't."

We couldn't be more in agreement.

And if this proposed new law would result in a flurry of legislator resignations, as Rep. Garn suggests, we hope these departing legislators won't let the screen door slap them on the backside as they scurry out the State Capitol back door.

We'll continue to keep our eye on this highly-encouraging grass-roots movement, and will publish information about how to get your signatures affixed to a petition as this matter progresses.

That's it for now.

Don't let the cat get your tongues.