'Ghost PAC' on attack

Two political fliers accusing a number of Utah Republican candidates for state and county offices of assorted ethical violations and criminal behavior may prompt more than political defenses.

Because of the fliers, which come from a political action committee called Truth in Politics, at least one candidate is threatening legal action and several legislators already are promising to tighten campaign finance laws. Specifically, rules for PACs and political issue committees may require that the contact information for the groups allow people to easily contact them — something TIPPAC's statement of organization does not do.

In fact, repeated attempts by the Deseret Morning News to contact TIPPAC's chief financial officer and C.L. Peacock, the only donor listed on the group's Tuesday financial disclosure, failed. The only listed phone number hangs up on the caller after four or five rings, while a resident of the only listed address, a ski condominium near Deer Valley, did not answer after almost 20 minutes of knocking. Additionally, a Web site for the group is "under construction" and a biography of Peacock does not have any contact information.

It was only by contacting consultants for the group that TIPPAC senior adviser Debbie Willhite, who is based in Washington, D.C., could be found. The fliers, she said, are meant to highlight problems within Salt Lake County government and the lack of willingness by elected officials to address those problems. Utah is a "pilot" state for the national group, although they plan to target candidates in states that have legislative elections in 2005, such as Virginia, Willhite said.

"We want to see if we can get some kind of change in Utah," she said. "Maybe we can restore faith in government."

Although the fliers only target Republicans, Willhite said their group is nonpartisan and only highlighted Republicans because change will not happen "as long as one party controls the state." The group is not coordinating its efforts with any other party or activist group, and all of the information in the fliers is based on reports in state newspapers, she said.

TIPPAC has mailed at least two fliers, one entitled "Salt Lake County Wall of Shame," which has pictures of nine Republican county and state officials or former officials with graffiti-style accusations painted over their faces. The second flier is entitled "Map of Corruption" and points to places in the county where "scandals" have taken place. Willhite said they plan at least one more flier, plus radio ads, if time can be purchased.