Sunday Funnies: Utah GOP Settles ‘Civil War’ over SB54

There's blockbuster political news this morning concerning the ongoing SB 54 squabble, as Northern Utah media report that "the bickering factions of the state Republican Party put aside their differences and took steps to ensure that the party will be able to have its candidates on the ballot in 2016."

Here's the lede, via Fox 13 News:

TAYLORSVILLE — It appears Republicans will be on the ballot in 2016 in one of the reddest of red states.
The Utah Republican Party’s Central Committee voted to comply with a new election law during a special meeting here on Saturday. The vote by an overwhelming number of committee members may end an internal party fight over the direction of the state’s most powerful political party.

Read the delightful full morning stories, folks:

• Utah GOP settles ‘Civil War’ over SB54 - Fox 13 News
• To get on ballot, Utah GOP takes steps to comply with Count My Vote deal - Salt Lake Tribune

"For all the complaints of, 'we don't have enough time,' they sure got that done quick. Now drop the lawsuit UTGOP and deal with [reality as it exists,"] sez one savvy Trib reader.

Surprise of Surprises: Utah GOP Suddenly Plans to "Move Toward" Complying with New Election Law - Updated

What a difference a day makes, eh gentle readers?

In the aftermath of Monday's WCF story, wherein we revealed that Chairman James Evans of the Utah GOP was conducting a survey to tap the lumpencitzens' opinions in re the his party's ongoing interest in thwarting the percived ill effects of the new SB54 "dual track"political nominations law, we find these two illuminating stories in the Utah online media today, seemingly indicating that stubborn Utah GOP "leadership" seems suddenly poised to engage in a major, 180-degree flip-flop.

"It doesn't mean we have to accept [the new law] or we have to approve it was done, but we have a responsibility as a governing body and the delegates have a responsibility to make sure we can be prepared for 2016 and it's my responsibility to make sure we can get to that point," GOP state party Chairman James Evans reluctantly admitted Tuesday.

Read up, folks.

• First Results of GOP Survey Show Republicans Want to Comply with SB54 - Utah Policy
• Utah GOP plans to move toward complying with new election law -Salt Lake Tribune

What a difference a day makes, eh gentle readers, now that early polling results are rolling in, especially with GOP Chairman James Evans now realizing that he has a sane August GOP convention challenger breathing down is throat?

• Liljenquist Mulling a Challenge to Evans for GOP Chair

And BTW, here's another link to the ongoing GOP SB54 survey, for those possibly "neglectful" WCF readers who might have forgotten to throw in their own 2¢:

• SB 54: The Way Forward Survey

Update 5/14/15 8:00 a.m.: Republican leaders say they have a lot of lobbying to do in order get delegates on board with the changes required by the "Count My Vote" compromise that passed the legislature last year:

• 'Lot of persuading' yet to be done to sell GOP delegates on SB54 changes

Don't let the cat get your tongues, O Gentle Ones.

Online Survey: Utah Lumpencitizens Urged to Weigh in on GOP Candidate Requirements

We urge all Weber County Forum political wonks to throw in your own 2¢, inasmuch as befuddled Utah GOP "leadership" was gracious enough to ask

Well lookie here, folks. In its tireless effort to avoid the perceived ill effects of the of the SB54 candidate nomination compromise, the Utah GOP is conducting a survey.  Here's the lede from Lisa Riley Roche's full Deseret News story:

MURRAY — Salt Lake County GOP delegates were urged Saturday to participate in a state party survey about what requirements candidates must meet to run as Republicans under a new law being challenged in court.
"We do have to move forward and prepare for 2016," Utah GOP Chairman James Evans told the more than 1,000 county delegates gathered at Cottonwood High School for their annual convention.
He said the party can't afford to lose its focus on the upcoming election "because we don't want a Democrat to gain even an inch in Salt Lake County or anywhere else in this state."

Read the full story, O Gentle Readers:

• Delegates urged to weigh in on GOP candidate requirements

Here's the "nitty-gritty":

The state party survey, which went out last week, lets Republicans weigh in on some of the controversial proposals that have surfaced to deal with changes made to the candidate nominating process in SB54.
The proposals include requiring would-be Republican candidates to meet with party officials, attest to their support of the party platform and, for the first time, pay a yet-to-be determined fee before being allowed to run.
The survey also asks whether Republican candidates should lose their party membership for choosing to bypass the caucus and convention system in favor of the newly available option of gathering signatures for a spot on the primary ballot.
Results of the survey, being conducted by mail and online, are scheduled to be discussed Tuesday at a meeting of the state GOP's executive committee. The final decision on the proposals will be made at the party's state convention in August.

A Weber County Forum Tip O' The Hat to D-news reporter Lisa Riley Roche, for providing the link to the online survey, wherein Utah GOP "leaders" seem to be reaching out (surprise of surprises) to find out what Utah voters think:

• SB 54: The Way Forward Survey

We thus urge all Weber County Forum political wonks to click this link, fill out the survey and throw in your own 2¢, inasmuch as befuddled Utah GOP leadership (so-called) was gracious enough to ask for your input.

Utah Policy/KSL Insider Survey: The GOP Proposal to Interview Potential Candidates

One of the stupidest ideas to ever come forth in Utah politics?

In the interest of kickstarting a morning WCF discussion, we'll shine the spotlight on a new Utah Policy/KSL News survey, presented by Utah Policy's Bryan Schott. Here's the lead, O Gentle Ones:

Utah Republican leaders are toying with a proposal to form a committe to interview candidates who decide to use the new signature method to get on the ballot. The idea is to make sure they agree with the Republican platform. Our "Political Insiders" and readers think the plan is one of the dumbest things they've ever heard in Utah politics.
77% of the Republicans on our panel along with 74% of Democrats and 57% of our readers say the committee is is "one of the stupidest ideas to ever come forth in Utah politics."
Additionally, 85% of the Republicans in our survey disagree with the plan to interview candidates as do 91% of Democrats and 84% of our readers.

Check out the full article, for a full complement of charts and graphs, along with a sampling of select Utah Policy surveyee quotes:

• Utah Policy/KSL Insider Survey: The GOP Proposal to Interview Potential Candidates

So what about it folks? Is Utah GOP Chairman Evans's plan to "form a committe to interview candidates who decide to use the new signature method to get on the ballot" the dumbest idea ever?

Dan Liljenquist: No Vetting, No 'Initiation Fee' — In Short, No Litmus Test for Utah Republican Candidates

Warhorse Davis County Republican Dan Liljenquist "gets into GOP Chairman James Evans' "grill" in a very big way

Despite the unprecedented success of Republican governance in our state, it is sad for me to see the Republican Party itself divided in an acrimonious struggle over how Republican candidates are to be selected.

Dan Liljenquist Op-ed
Dan Liljenquist: No vetting, no 'initiation fee' — in short, no litmus test for Utah Republican candidates
April 30, 2015

Alexander Hamilton once said, “In politics, as in religion, it is equally absurd to aim at making proselytes by fire and sword.” Heavy-handed tactics will neither protect nor save the Utah Republican Party. If the party is to survive and thrive in the years to come, we must preach the principles of the party using persuasion, logic, compassion and kindness to continually grow, re-energize and renew our ranks.
In short, we must apply the principles of the Republican Party to the Republican Party.

Dan Liljenquist Op-ed
Dan Liljenquist: No vetting, no 'initiation fee' — in short, no litmus test for Utah Republican candidates
April 30, 2015

Choice "words of wisdom" from from warhorse Davis County Republican Dan Liljenquist, in this morning's Deseret News online edition:

• Dan Liljenquist: No vetting, no 'initiation fee' — in short, no litmus test for Utah Republican candidates

Note to Utah GOP Chairman James Evans:  Your days in Utah GOP leadership are clearly numbered, son, when hard-core GOP folks like Mr. Liljenquest are "getting in your grill" on the editorial pages of the Church-owned D-News.  Just sayin'...

Comments, anyone?

Salt Lake Tribune: GOP Considering New Screening For Candidates - Updated

Wake up before its too late, my Utah GOP friends!

Oboyoboyoboy. Looks like Utah GOP Chairman James Evens has finally slipped completely "off his rocker." Here's the lede from this afternoon's hot-off-the-press Salt Lake Tribune story:

A plan to have potential Republican candidates vetted and judged based on their commitment to the party's principles before being eligible for its nomination is drawing fire from some in the GOP who say it empowers a small elite group of insiders to decide who gets to be a candidate.
Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans said the idea of creating committees to help screen potential candidates springs from concern that, under the state's new nominating process, people who aren't even Republicans could gather signatures and get onto the primary ballot and the party would be helpless to stop them.
To combat that, Evans said candidates would have to come meet with the interview committees to become certified members of the GOP. If they refuse, they would be ineligible to be a candidate for the Republican nomination, he said, because the law says the candidates have to be a party member.

Read up, Peeps! And no! We are NOT making this up!

• GOP considering new screening for candidates

That's right! "$10,000 and a panel interview, just like Thomas Jefferson (and our other founding fathers) always wanted."

On the heels of last week's strong Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune editorials, together with Sunday's Frank Pignanelli/LaVarr Webb D-News Op-ed piece, we'd hoped Chairman Evens would gather his wits, and start playing amiably by "the new rules."

Sadly, these "gentle nudgings" seem to have had just just the opposite effect.

First order of "new business" for the upcoming  8/15/15 Utah GOP State convention?

Oust this idiot, before he irretrievably turns the Utah GOP into a dead-ender laughing stock!

Wake up before its too late, my Utah GOP friends!

Update 4/22/15 7:51 a.m.: Utah Policy chimes in this morning with a story of its own.  Don't miss the embedded audio of Monday's KVNU radio program, wherein "state Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Bountiful, was a guest, talking about possible changes to party vetting of candidates, when Chairman Evans called in – and the two had an interesting debate":

• Utah GOP Considering Test for Candidates to Circumvent 'Count My Vote' Deal

Update 4/22/15 2:15 p.m.:  The Trib's Pat Bagley "NAILS IT, once again (as per usual):

Update 4/23/15 10:30 a.m.: The Tribune keeps the pressure on with this morning's scathing house editorial:

• Editorial: GOP Politburo needs to trust its voters

And the Deseret News reports this morning on yesterday's Utah GOP Executive Committee "train-wreck":

• Utah GOP leaders going forward with new requirements for candidates

Update 4/23/15 7:51 a.m.: More from ABC4 Utah, focusing on the tactical split which is now occurring within in the "fractured"  Utah GOP:

• GOP members speaking out about controversial selection committee proposal (Video)

Update 4/25/15 8:00 a.m.: More blowback from the Tribune's Paul Rolley:

• Rolly: Republican vetting idea is latest act of desperation

It gets "interestinger and interestinger,"dunnit?

Deseret News Editorial: State GOP Leaders Need to Follow the Spirit of Compromise and Let SB54 Do Its Work - Updated

 Isn't it high time for the Utah GOP to quit kicking, screaming and dragging its feet? 

In the wake of Federal Judge Nuffer's Friday decision, denying the appellant Utah GOP's application for a preliminary injuction in the SB54 "Bait and Switch" matter, we'll direct our readers attention to this morning's strong Deseret News editorial, capably making the sound argument that Utah's exceedingly petulant Utah GOP leadership ought to just "throw in the towel," and "play ball".

"With time, the changes in SB54 will lead to more representative and inclusive government, which will increase participation. It’s time for GOP leaders to respect the good-faith compromise that resulted in the law and stop trying to fight it," urges the Deseret News:

• In our opinion: With no injunction for SB54, state GOP leaders need to follow the spirit of compromise and let the bill do its work

No. "The law isn’t perfect. It could lead to primary ballots with multiple names, or to candidates advancing with the support of less than a majority. But these are issues future Legislatures can tweak with amendments. The important thing for now is to shake loose the nominating process," the D-News editorial board adds.

Our take?  The Utah's GOP's continuing stubborn opposition to the SB54 compromise, which "was passed by a Republican-dominated Legislature and signed by a Republican governor," after all,  represents an accurate and precise reflection of the politically out of touch attitude of  the Utah GOP "leadership" apparatus, which prompted the Coint My Vote petition drive in the very first place.

What say you, O Gentle Ones?  Isn't it high time for the Utah GOP leaders (so called) to quit kicking, screaming and dragging their feet, and start behaving like grownups?

Just a thought.

Update 4/15/15 9:25 a.m.: The Salt Lake Tribune also chimes in on this topic, with a like-minded editorial of it's own:

• Editorial: Adapt and move on, Utah GOP

Salt Lake Tribune: Is Count My Vote Deal Unconstitutional? Judge Says He (Still) Wants to Know Why - Updated

We'll applaud Federal District Court Judge Nuffer's generousity in providing the appellants "one last chance"

As a followup to our previous coverage of the Count My Vote lawsuit, in which the Utah Republican Party seeks to overturn last year's SB54 compromise, which establshed a dual-track political nominations systen in the State of Utah, we're delighted to report that this pending litigation seems to have reached a crucial tipping point, during Thusday's status conference, according to this morning's Salt Lake Tribune story as the Utah GOP requests a preliminary injunction this morning:

A federal judge said Thursday he wants the Utah Republican Party to offer a concrete case for why a deal cut last year to change how candidates for political office are chosen violates the U.S. Constitution and should be stopped from being implemented.
U.S. District Judge David Nuffer said he wants attorneys for the party to be able to point directly to the Constitution or legal precedent to show why specific lines and provisions of the deal legislators cut with Count My Vote — a group formed to push a ballot measure to change the nominating process — violate the law.

Read the full story, folks:

• Is Count My Vote deal unconstitutional? Judge says he wants to know why - SLTrib

"I have not read anything yet that supports the generalized impingement of association argument you're making," Nuffer told the GOP appellants. The judge said he wants to see cases cited that would support the claim that, by dictating how candidates can be nominated, the state overstepped its bounds and denied the party its First Amendment rights.

Sounds as if the appellant Utah GOP's pleadings so far have been so far insufficient to make its case, dunnit?

Fox News 13 also provides a couple of timely and informative stories on this topic too, shedding further light upon the status of the pending litigation at this crucial juncture:

• Witnesses claim ‘Count My Vote compromise’ bill will destroy Utah GOP - Fox 13
• Judge says he’ll rule tomorrow on Utah GOP’s ‘Count My Vote’ injunction request -Fox 13

We'll applaud Federal District Court Judge Nuffer's generousity in providing the appellants "one last chance," before he "rules from the bench,"  which is what he indicates he'll do as early as today.

Stay tuned, folks, as we'll continue to follow and update this now fast breaking story.

Update 4/10/15 5:59 p.m.: Hot off the press from the Salt Lake Tribune:

A federal judge on Friday refused to block a new Utah law that will change the way candidates are nominated in next year's election.
U.S. District Judge David Nuffer ruled from the bench at the conclusion of a more than five-hour hearing on the Utah Republican Party's quest for a preliminary injunction against SB54.
Nuffer said the GOP had failed to show that the law placed unconstitutional burdens on the party.

Here's the full post-hearing story, peeps:

• Federal judge deals Utah Republican Party a blow in its challenge of new election law

The prevailing appellees' next anticipated step, we suppose? A Motion to Dismiss, we guess, inasmuch as the Utah GOP appears incapable of either pleading or proving that SB54 "places unconstitutional burdens on the Utah GOP."

2015 Utah Legistive Update: Sleazy Utah Legislators Advance Bills To Undo Count My Vote Compromise - Updated

Sodden Question: Will level-headed Utah GOP legislators like Curt Bramble have the political juice and integrity to defeat Senator Jenkins' sleazy, "back-stabbing" "end run"?

Just like clockwork folks, and just as we've foreshadowed, it appears that slimy Utah GOP lawmakers are on track to advance a pair of bills sponsored by tea party Senator Scott Jenkins, which seek to renege on last year's Count My Vote compromise, which established a dual track (Caucus-convention/Direct Primary political nomination system in Utah:

• Committee approves bills that grapple with prior year's election law - Deseret News,
• Bills take aim at Count My Vote compromise - Tribune

It'll definitely interesting to find out whether level-headed Utah GOP legislators like Curt Bramble, who engineered the original "deal," and hustled his compromise SB 54 through the State legislature in the spring of 2014, will have the political juice and integrity to defeat Senator Jenkins' sleazy, "back-stabbing" political "end run," no?

Update 2/10/15 9:35 a.m.:  Yesterday we posed the Sodden Question: "Will level-headed Utah GOP legislators like Curt Bramble have the political juice and integrity to defeat Senator Jenkins' sleazy, "back-stabbing" "end run"?"

This morning Utah Policy's Brian Schott provides this optimistic answer:

• Bramble Confident Count My Vote Compromise Will Survive

Here's the gist, folks:

"Every legislator that voted for SB 54 knew that if we passed it and the governor signed it, they would withdraw the initiative. They acted in good faith and it's important that we maintain the integrity of that," says Bramble. "If we don't then how will any group feel comfortable negotiating with this body."
And that's the key. Most of the lawmakers who voted for the compromise last time around are still on the hill.
"There's a critical mass up here that supported the compromise last year," Bramble points out.

Will Utah's far right "sacrifice its honor for power"?

We guess we'll soon find out.

Breaking: Utah Republican Party Poll Shows Public Support for Delaying SB 54 - Updated

Republican "Bait-and-Switch"?  "It’s starting to feel that way."

Hot off the press this morning, we learn from Utah Policy.com and the Salt Lake Tribune, that the Utah Republican Party, eager to reneg on the on the 2014 SB54 legislative compromise which modified the process for Utah election nominations, and established a dual-track system for picking Utah political party election nominees, is working like a demon to toss a monkey wrench into the modified process which Utah's Republican Party-dominated state legislature enacted just last spring.  On the heels of December's UtahPolicy.com poll, which revealed that a majority of Utahns support 'Count My Vote,' and oppose GOP effort to Stop SB 54, it seems that (surprise of surprises,) the Utah GOP has now come up with a "contrarian" poll of its own.

According to the [Utah GOP's most recent] survey, when asked if political parties should be given more time to comply with the law, 56% of Utahns support that idea as do 56% of Utah Republicans.
The survey also shows Utahns support that lawsuit against SB 54, insofar as allowing the courts to sort out any constitutional questions surrounding the legislation. 59% of Utahns and 67% of Republicans say they support letting the courts have their say about the law before it goes into effect.

Read up, folks:

• Utah Republican Party Poll Shows Public Support for Delaying SB 54
• GOP wages rare Sunday fight against law passed by its own members

Within each the above stories we find references to the the ongoing efforts of Weber County's own Senator Scott Jenkins, who'll be fighting like a badger during the upcoming 2015 legislative session, to retroactively "gut" or "kill" the SB54 compromise legislation.  And in that connection, we'll helpfully link yesterday's Salt Lake Tribune story, which fleshes out Senator Jenkins's obstructive efforts planned to date:

• Senator proposes bill to close Utah primaries

Here's a telling quote which we've plucked from the SLTrib story, folks, which neatly summarizes the Utah GOP's efforts in re this issue, wethink:

Does [Rich McKeown, executive co-chairman of Count My Vote, think Republican leaders are attempting a bait-and-switch to get Count My Vote to withdraw its efforts by passing SB54, with leaders now pushing to revoke that law? "It’s starting to feel that way," McKeown said.

The Utah GOP: You can trust 'em just about as far as you can throw 'em.

Don't let the cat get your tongues, O Gentle Readers.

Update 1/6/15 10:15 a.m.:  Utah Political Capitol provides further analysis and discussion of Senator Jenkins's above-referenced bill:

• Flagged Bill: SB 43 – Closed Primary Amendments – Sen. Scott Jenkins

Exclusive Poll: Majority of Utahns Support 'Count My Vote,' Oppose GOP Effort to Stop SB 54

In typical GOP fashion, the Utah GOP is now charting the course to construct its own "alternate reality"

Click to Enlarge Image

According to the latest Dan Jone poll, "Nearly 2/3 of Utahns support giving candidates a path to the primary ballot that is outside of the current caucus and convention system. 
A new statewide UtahPolicy.com survey conducted by Dan Jones and Associates poll finds 62% support the "Count My Vote" effort to allow candidates to get on Utah's primary ballot through a petition rather than navigating the current caucus and convention system. Less than a third say they oppose "Count My Vote," UtahPolicy.Com reports this morning:

• Exclusive Poll: Majority of Utahns Support 'Count My Vote,' Oppose GOP Effort to Stop SB 54

Utah GOP Chairman James Evans says he's not surprised by the numbers. "This poll is about the 'high-level' view of Count My Vote," he said. "These answers are not unexpected. Utahns support the idea of Count My Vote."

"Evans says they [the Utah GOP} will be in the field with their own polling beginning next week."

In typical GOP fashion, the Utah GOP is now charting the course to construct its own "alternate reality," it would seem:

• Why the Republican Belief in So Many False Narratives?

"As for the numbers showing Utahns oppose the GOP lawsuit against SB 54, executive co-chair of Count My Vote, Rich McKeown said "It's been remarkable to watch a small group of people fight to preserve a system the majority clearly does not want. It's amazing to see the extent they will go to in order to preserve the status quo."

Don't let the cat get your tongues, O Gentle Readers.

Salt Lake Tribune: Mike Lee Could Be Vulnerable If Count My Vote Changes Stick

Mike "Shut-down-the-government" Lee's in deep political trouble, wethinks

Tantalizing Salt Lake Tribune story, focusing on the upcoming 2016 General election, through the lens of Utah's new SB 54 dual-track political nomination system  Here are the key paragraphs:

The first crop of candidates to go through Utah’s new nominating process in 2016, if it holds up in court, will include Gov. Gary Herbert, the four Utah House members and — perhaps most notably — Sen. Mike Lee.
Herbert, according to a new poll, won’t have any problems. He’s got a 74-percent favorability rating.
Lee, though, does appear more vulnerable.
A slight majority — 52 percent — view him favorably, while 45 percent have an unfavorable impression, according to the poll released this week by the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University. Nearly one-third of those have a strongly unfavorable perception.

In fact, Lee’s overall approval rating of 52 percent is a substantial improvement from a year ago when, on the heels of waging an intense budget battle that led to the federal government shutdown, Lee’s favorability was at just 40 percent and 56 percent had an unfavorable impression, with 43 percent strongly unfavorable.

Check out the full Robert Gehrke story here:

• Mike Lee could be vulnerable if Count My Vote changes stick

Lee has of course been jumpin' through hoops and workin' like a dog to patch up his rock bottom approval ratings, in the interim since he and his pal Ted Cruz shut down the government in 2013:

• Mike Lee steps out of Ted Cruz’s shadow

Some politicos are still speculating about the real political motivation behind the Count My Vote movement however, according to Mr. Gehrke's story:

"To me, they just have an end game for a particular election cycle," [Utah GOP Chairman James} Evans said, although he wouldn’t name Lee specifically. "Everyone needs to ask the question: What else is going on here?"
Others are more direct.
State Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, who is committed to undoing the nominating changes in SB54, thinks the changes are squarely focused on ousting Lee. If SB54 survives, he said, he expects former Gov. Mike Leavitt, one of the founders of Count My Vote, to challenge Lee in a Republican primary.

So whaddaya think, folks? Does U.S. Senator Lee still have a giant "kick me sign" affixed to his back, despite our Utah electorate's obvious short-term memory deficit?

Our take?

Yep! Mike "Shut -down-the-government" Lee's still in deep political trouble, wethinks, notwithstanding ongoing Utah GOP shenanigans.

Remember what momma taught ya's: "You're judged by the company you keep." And moreover, while Utahns might be a mite "forgetful" from time to time, that still ain't quite the same as political amnesia, is it?

Salt Lake Tribune: Governor Herbert Lauds GOP For Suing Him - Updated

A callous disregard for the peoples' desire to improve the nominating process

By Blackrulon

I see via a story in the Salt Lake Tribune that Governor Herbert took the unusual step Saturday to "support the Utah Republican Party for suing him this week — as part of its effort to overturn the new law that changes how parties may select their nominees":

• Governor Herbert lauds GOP for suing him

If the Governor was concerned about the law he could have vetoed the bill or allowed it to become law without his approval. It appears that he jumped on the bandwagon to approve the bill but now has received pressure to disapprove it.

Even for Utah this is a callous disregard for the peoples' desire to improve the nominating process. It seems he still fears a challenge from Becky Lockhart for governor. He is simply jumping to the far right Tea Party Wing to secure his renomination and reelection. Governor

Herbert was for SB54 before he was against it.

Update 12/10/14 10:22 a.m.: Uh-oh.  Looks like Governor Herbert has flip-flopped again:

• Gov clarifies, says Count My Vote reforms are constitutional

Most excellent rimshot from Trib reader Skier Jim: "Who does Herbie think he is? Mitt Romney?"

Salt Lake Tribune: Rolly: GOP Suit Against Count My Vote Could Backfire

We're inclined to believe that Count My Vote petition negotiators capably "did their homework"

Fascinating Paul Rolly story in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune, suggesting that as the "chips fall" in the Utah GOP's anti-SB54 lawsuit, Utah GOP party boss "James Evans, with all his 'good' intentions, could be the best friend the Count My Vote advocates could have":

• Rolly: GOP suit against Count My Vote could backfire

"...several legal experts have told me that if any part of the bill is found to infringe on a party’s constitutional rights, its the part that requires a political party to meet certain criteria in order to have its nominee on the general election ballot under that party’s official banner," Mr. Rolley reports.

Mr. Rolley sets forth those SB54 provisions which are most likely to to be vulnerable to constitutional challenge:

In order to qualify to have their nominee from the caucus/convention system appear as their designated candidate on the general election ballot, however, they must agree to certain rules set down by the law. They must change their threshold for a candidate winning the nomination at convention from 60 percent to 65 percent of the delegate vote. They also must have alternate delegates who can sub for delegates unable to attend the convention. And, they must allow unaffiliated voters to vote in their primary elections.

Mr. Rolley also identifies the statutory provisions most likely to be left intact:

Legal experts tell me that the courts have been consistent in upholding a state’s right to set the criteria for candidates getting on the ballot. More than 40 states already have some form of a direct primary. But political parties do have rights to set their own policies and rules. So if there is a chance of anything being overturned, it would be the rules imposed on the parties under SB54.
If that is struck down, however, the Count My Vote part of the bill — the signature-gathering process for direct access to the primary ballot — would still be intact because when the Legislature passed the bill, it included a severability clause. That means that if one part of the bill is declared invalid, it does not invalidate the rest of the bill.

Taking the foregoing into account, we're inclined to believe that in negotiating the SB54 compromise bill with the State Legislature, Count My Vote petition advocates capably "did their homework."

We'll be sitting on the edges of our seats,  eagerly waiting to find out whether a strong dose of "the law of unintended consequences" is in the cards for the "petulant" Utah party bosses," even in the event that the above-cited portion of SB54 is eventually struck down by the federal court, of course.

Howbout you, O Gentle WCF Readers?

Wednesday Morning GOP SB54 Bait&Switch Mini News Roundup - Updated

Republican Party "civil war," anyone?

On the heels of our recent reporting concerning the ongoing GOP SB54 Bait&Switch fiasco, we'll shamelessly (but cheerfully) incorporate the following "mini news roundup," obtained via the ever politically informative UtahPolicy.Com.  Now that the petulant Utah GOP party bosses have filed their lawsuit, it seems that all hell has broken loose amongst and between the competing Utah GOP factions:

Utah's Democrats switch their position on the "Count My Vote" compromise while some GOP lawmakers support the Republican lawsuit against the law:

• SB54 Causing a Schism Among Republicans While Democrats Support the Compromise
• Utah GOP fractured over Count My Vote lawsuit
• Some GOP legislators backing party lawsuit

LaVarr Webb pens an open letter to Republicans who back the lawsuit against the CMV compromise law:

• An Open Letter to Opponents of SB 54

We'll continue to keep you informed, of course, as the developing political firestorm continues to engulf Utah GOP Party Chairman (and "payday" loan shark)  James Evans, et al.

Republican Party "civil war," anyone?

Update 12/2/14 1:00 p.m.: The Standard-Examiner also chimes in this morning on this topic with it's own strong editorial: "Hopefully a federal lawsuit filed Monday by the Utah Republican Party will fall flat on its face, efficiently dismissed by a judge," sez the SE editorial board:

• Our View: A petulant GOP lawsuit, 

Yep, folks, is a newspaper firing on all cylinders, wethink.

Utah GOP Sues State to Invalidate Count My Vote Changes

Tyrants? No... These GOP "party elites" are merely resorting to the courts for your own good

As a followup to our earlier reporting on the subject, we'll cast the spotlight on a couple of morning stories from the Deseret  News and the Tribune, which confirm that, true to their threat, The Utah Republican party has indeed filed its lawsuit, implementing the GOP strategy which we'll henceforth lovingly refer to as the "SB54 GOP bait&switch":

The Utah Republican Party has filed a lawsuit against the state, alleging that changes enacted during the past legislative session to the way nominees are chosen for office violate the party's constitutional rights.
"[The change] violates the party's constitutional right to free association and infringes on its rights to free speech and due process, its ability to control its own brand and message, and its authority over its endorsement, name, and emblems," argues a lawsuit filed in federal court by the GOP over the weekend.
The party is asking a federal judge to strike down SB54, which enacted the changes.

Check out the full stories here, peeps:

• Utah GOP sues state over changes to candidate selection process
• Utah GOP sues state to invalidate Count My Vote changes

For the detail-oriented among us, you can check out the Utah GOP's 44-page federal complaint via this link:

• UTGOP Lawsuit over Count My Vote

Here are the plaintiff's "causes of action" in a nutshell, folks, laid out count-by-count:

1. For Declaratory Relief Establishing The Unconstitutionality of SB54 For Violating The Party’s Rights
2. For Injunctive Relief To Prevent The Deprivation Of Plaintiff’s Constitutional Rights
3. Trademark Infringement

That's right, folks, our GOP "friends" are even claiming that the State Legislature has misappropriated their "party emblem":

No wonder the GOP party bosses are so "royally pissed off"

And lest you might leap to the conclusion that Chairman Evans and his ilk are behaving like "anti-democratic tyrants," remember; these GOP "party elites" are merely resorting to the courts for your own good. By denying you the right to directly participate in the Utah political nominations process, and by clinging to their precious "insider-driven" caucus/convention system, they're merely attempting to protect you lumpen Utah "sheeple" from yourselves, after all, right?

We'll keep you all posted as this case develops, and will keep our eyes peeled for the State of Utah's responsive pleading, once it pops up on the "interwebs," of course.

Salt Lake Tribune: GOP to Sue Over Deal That Lets Candidates Skip Utah’s Caucus System - Updated

No doubt about it; these latest Utah GOP power-grabbing maneuvers will be a true marvel to behold

Upon the publication of yesterday's Weber County Forum story, reporting on rumors about Utah GOP "legislative and legal plans to gut the law and obstruct intent of the compromise Count My Vote law, passed overwhelmingly in the 2014 Legislative Session, empowering voters by giving candidates an alternative path to the primary election ballot," little did we realize that we'd be following up on new developments a mere 24 hours later. The staff of the Tribune have been working like dogs on this story however.  So here's the latest, via the Trib's Robert Gehrke. Now that the November elections are in the past tense, it appears that the Utah GOP party bosses are pulling out all the stops and moving full speed ahead.Here's Mr. Gehrke's introductory lede to this morning's eye-popping Trib story, for starters:

The Utah Republican Party plans to file a lawsuit Wednesday, asking a judge to declare unconstitutional a deal to let candidates compete for the party nomination while circumventing the party's convention process.
Meantime, a state senator and opponent of the deal, Sen. Scott Jenkins, R-Plain City, said he will once again sponsor legislation that would essentially obliterate the agreement, allowing parties to make their own rules when it comes to nominating candidates.

Here's the full story, Utah Sheeple:

• GOP to sue over deal that lets candidates skip Utah’s caucus system

Here's the nitty-gritty:

The GOP plans to argue in its lawsuit that attempts by the state to dictate the organization’s nominating process violates its First Amendment right to free association.
"My position has always been that the government doesn't have the authority to dictate how we select our nominees, period," said Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans. "A court will clearly have to define those boundaries and, absent that, the only boundary we have is what was passed in the law, and that is simply not constitutionally appropriate."
The lawsuit has been a long time coming and is a strategy that has twice been endorsed by the party's governing body and once received a vote of support from delegates. Evans said he plans to file the suit on behalf of the party on Wednesday.
It will then fall to the attorney general and the lieutenant governor to defend the law, SB54, a compromise with the Count My Vote group that received broad support during the legislative session.

And here's the addition kicker:

[Weber County's own Senator Scott] Jenkins, meantime, said Monday he will once again introduce a proposed amendment to the Utah Constitution which would plainly state that parties can pick their nominees any way they want, without interference from the state.
It would, in essence, wipe out the agreement struck in SB54.
"That dings Count My Vote pretty hard," he said.
Jenkins said he also plans to sponsor a bill that allows parties to decide who is allowed on their party primary ballot, even if the state is paying for the primaries.

Mr Gehreke further reports that "'Kirk Jowers, one of the leaders of the Count My Vote movement, said he has met with representatives from both [the Governor's and Attorney General's?] state offices and they have assured him they would defend the law 'with vigor.' 'We anticipate the state defending its law forcefully,' Jowers, an attorney, said. 'I think there really is zero legal question on the heart and soul of SB54.'"

We dunno, folks. Somehow Mr. Jowers's reassurances sound a mite like "whistling in the dark," No? The underlying fact that the Utah Governor and Attorney General are Republicans in this circumstance doesn't exactly inspire confidence, does it?

We'll keep you all posted on what we anticipate to be fast-breaking developments, of course.

No doubt about it; these latest Utah GOP power-grabbing maneuvers will be a true marvel to behold.

Update 11/26/14 9:20 a.m.: The Tribune chimes in this morning with a strong editorial, urging that SB54 should stand. "It was a reasonable compromise that should, at the very least, get a full election cycle tryout," says the Trib editorial board:

• Editorial: The party strikes back against SB54

Salt Lake Tribune Op-ed: Insiders Working to Kill ‘Count My Vote’ Reforms

Stripped of their former stranglehold over the Utah political nomination process, it seems that some GOP political insiders will stop at nothing to put themselves back in the drivers seat

Uh-oh folks. Seems that foes of Utah's March 2014 "Count My Vote" legislative compromise, which "statutorily established a sensible two-track system for Utah political nominations." remain hard at work, behind the scenes, attempting to once again re-establish plutocratic Republican Party "insider control" of the Utah political nomination process, according to one informative Saturday (11/22/14) Salt Lake Tribune op-ed.  Here's contributing author Kirk Jowers's introductory lede:

Senate Bill 54, the compromise Count My Vote law, passed overwhelmingly in the 2014 Legislative Session, empowering voters by giving candidates an alternative path to the primary election ballot. Now, I hear rumblings about legislative and legal plans to gut the law and obstruct its intent.

Check out Mr. Jowers's eye-opening full writeup, Weber County Forum political wonks, which describes possible new upcoming legislation, a possible lawsuit, along with a useful historical summary of "how we got here":

• Op-ed: Insiders working to kill ‘Count My Vote’ reforms

"If such an act of bad faith is attempted, it would trigger public uproar, risk a gubernatorial veto and prompt a major referendum campaign challenge," Mr. Jowers opines, quite rightly..

Back in April, we posted this:

And in a move which we'll characterize as a demonstration of exceedingly bad sportsmanship, it seems that the GOP crackpot faction ram-rodded through a convention resolution which would, if successful, reverse the landmark "Count My Vote" legislative compromise achieved during the 2014 Utah legislative session, which broke the GOP "extremist" nominations stranglehold, and statutorily established a sensible two-track system for Utah political nominations:

• Utah GOP pushes back against 'Count My Vote' compromise law

In the wake of the passage of this resolution, state GOP leadership remains "cagey" about precisely how this revisionary tactic would be implemented.  Nevertheless, we're sure that everybody will agree that the development of this story will be interesting to watch.

Consider yourselves "updated," folks. Stripped of their former stranglehold over the Utah political nomination process, it seems that some GOP political insiders will stop at nothing to put themselves back in the drivers seat.

This behavior is "exceedingly unsportmanlike," to say the very least.

We'll continue to carefully monitor this sleazy situation as it continues to develop, of course.