The political tensions that have been simmering beneath an investigation into Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman's hiring of two employees burst into spectacular, partisan flame Friday.

A who's who of state and local Republicans called a news conference to come to Workman's defense and lambaste Salt Lake District Attorney David Yocom's motives for launching the investigation. To counterbalance, Peter Corroon, Workman's Democratic opponent in November's election, called one of his own to comment on the matter. Yocom also issued a statement.

Republicans, including state party chairman Joe Cannon, former congresswoman Enid Greene, Senate President Al Mansell, county councilmen Steve Harmsen and Russell Skousen and Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan called the investigation "outrageous." Yocom is a hypocrite and a political bully, they said, comparing him to Communist-baiting U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy. Yocom is "lying in wait" to damage Workman, given the opportunity, they accused.

Workman has taken several hits over the past several weeks, first in the "guzzle-gate" scandal related to misuse of county vehicle accounts and now Yocom's investigation for alleged illegal employee matters.

While conceding that the questions about the current mayor's activities obviously help him in his run for the county mayorship, Corroon said he would rather none of it had happened.

Even though Yocom has established an independent bipartisan panel to make the final determination on whether to charge Workman in the employment issues, Republicans said the investigation is "tainted" because Yocom has full control, which inevitably will influence the result.

"When you start this in such a white-hot political climate, it's very hard to have a calm examination of the truth," Greene said.

As grounds for their complaints, the Republican group pointed to an allegation by county deputy mayor Alan Dayton that Yocom once threatened to investigate Workman for political retribution.

In his statement Yocom said the independent panel "will review the evidence and take whatever action the law provides. . . .

"As the elected district attorney, my responsibility to the law and the people of this county is clear, to investigate whistle-blower complaints when they are brought to my attention and to proceed according to the law. I will continue to uphold my obligations without regard to political affiliation of the subject or subjects, and take action where the evidence warrants," the statement said.

For his part, Corroon said the Republicans are the ones making a nonpartisan investigation into a political matter.

"If it's being politicized, it's being politicized by the mayor's office and the Republican Party, not by the Democrats," he said.