Skordas to defend Workman

Republican Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail Wednesday evening, the same day she hired prominent Democrat Greg Skordas to defend her against felony charges of misuse of public money.

The embattled county mayor was booked on the charges, then released, according to a jail records clerk.

Earlier, in a surprising and politically charged move, she changed defense attorneys, replacing veteran defense attorney Ron Yengich with Skordas.

Skordas is good friends with District Attorney David Yocom, a political foe of Workman's and the man who is prosecuting (some Republicans say persecuting) the mayor. Skordas also worked as Yocom's chief deputy for eight years, from 1986 to 1994.

The experienced defense attorney is his party's nominee for state attorney general, running against Republican Mark Shurtleff.

"That is really interesting," political consultant LaVarr Webb said when he heard the news. "There really are a lot of tangled webs there. All these folks are political players."

Webb said it's difficult to determine who benefits and who loses politically in the matter. But Workman's camp, at least, is convinced that Workman will benefit — if not politically at least legally.

"Greg knows the operation of the DA's office from the inside out," Workman said in a statement. "There is no one better equipped or prepared to face Mr. Yocom in a politically motivated prosecution than his former chief deputy."

The mayor, who is currently on administrative leave, said in a telephone conversation that she's "pumped."

Skordas said he was unsure of the ramifications to his campaign.

"I don't know what kind of (political) fallout I'll have from this," he said Wednesday. "I hope people understand that this is what I do for a living."

He acknowledged that taking on the case would give him a higher campaign profile, but "I could become an ax murderer too — they have high profiles."

Workman met with Skordas Tuesday evening and again Wednesday morning, when he was hired. The fit, intense, methodical lawyer, who represents the family of Elizabeth Smart and has been involved in the Lori Hacking case, replaces the flamboyant, bountifully mustached Yengich.

Despite appearances, Skordas was quick to say that he is "a Dave Yocom fan." He and Yocom spoke by phone Wednesday and, Skordas said, his former boss "seemed happy that she had good counsel."

Others, however, reported that Yocom was unhappy with his former aide.

Yocom was in a conference in Moab Wednesday and unavailable for comment. Yengich's office referred all media calls to Skordas.