Drop out, Cook is urging Workman

Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman's independent challenger wants her to exit the mayor's race, but not in a way that would allow the Republican Party to name a replacement.

Merrill Cook hand-delivered a letter Monday to Workman urging her to exit the race, the same day the embattled mayor discussed her options with party leaders and advisers.

With District Attorney David Yocom planning to announce today whether to file charges against Workman, there has been whispering that Republican leaders and lobbyists are pressuring the mayor to find a way to be replaced on the ballot.

Workman has been under investigation in the hiring of two employees to work for her daughter at the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Valley. An independent panel last week announced there was reasonable justification to charge Workman with felony misappropriation of public funds, since the two employees were paid through county funds.

Deputy Mayor Alan Dayton said Monday that if there are calls for Workman's resignation, they are probably coming from lower-tier party members, not leadership.

Workman, who reiterated her resolve Monday to remain in the race, did have a Monday morning conference call with party leaders and a Monday evening meeting with members of her political inner circle, Dayton said, which may have also spurred the replacement talk. While Dayton was not personally involved in the meetings, he said that none of the participants was pushing her to leave the race.

If Workman is charged with a felony, the Salt Lake County Council will put her on a paid leave of absence. Dayton would become acting mayor.

Cook, in his letter to Workman, says some GOP lobbyists are urging Workman to have a doctor certify that she is disabled so the party could name a replacement candidate.

For all intents and purposes, state election law provides that the Salt Lake County Republican Party could replace Workman on the November ballot only if a doctor certified her as mentally or physically disabled. Death, improper candidate filing or running on the presidential ticket are the other three conditions.

But leaving for medical reasons would be "absolutely fraudulent" and "a highly manipulative and cynical move that would likely spew more venom into an already poisonous atmosphere," according to the letter that Cook left on Workman's doorknob Monday.

Rather, Cook wrote "it may be in the best interest of the Republican Party" for Workman to drop out of the race. Cook served two terms as a Republican congressman but is running for mayor as an independent. Cook says county mayor should be a nonpartisan office.

But Workman has no plans to drop out of the race.