Bleak stated, "I am thrilled to get this opportunity. I really look forward to the challenge and hope to serve the public well."

Over the years, Bleak has been an on-again, off-again registered lobbyist. For the 2005 Legislature, he represented Cash America International, a Fort Worth, Texas, firm whose Web site labels it the nation's largest pawn shop/payday cash-advance operation. Becker said he raised concerns several years ago when former House Speaker Marty Stephens hired, from state funds, a spokesman for the House. "But the person worked only for the majority" Republicans, Becker said. Republicans have been in control of the House for 30 years.

Minority Democrats had to hire their own spokesman — mainly used during the 45-day general session — from PAC funds Democrats raised outside of state operations, Becker said.

"We asked specifically (if the state-paid person) could do some work for us. The answer was 'no,' " Becker said.

Curtis continued the practice of using state money to hire a House PR person, who reportedly only deals with the press and public for the majority Republicans, Becker said.

Becker is concerned that the new chief of staff for the speaker could be another partisan hire paid for with state funds.

"I don't know that yet, I don't know what (Bleak's) responsibilities will be," Becker said. "To the extent that this person, with a clearly partisan background, may serve in a partisan role and be supervising nonpartisan staff, it does raise questions to me. All we ask is that Democrats are treated fairly."

Ironically, as state GOP executive director, it was Bleak's job to help Republicans running for the Utah House and Senate to defeat Democratic candidates, including unseating Democratic legislative incumbents. The state GOP provides training and campaign help to a number of Republican legislative candidates each election.

Dayton is now leaving her job to work out of her house as a fund-raiser for the House Republican political action committee (the financial arm that aides GOP House candidates), as a fund-raiser for Curtis himself and for other political clients, according to the press release.

Meanwhile, Dayton's departure as a top House aide diminishes one possible conflict of interest. Dayton's husband, Alan Dayton, the former Salt Lake County deputy mayor, has just been hired by Intermountain Health Care as an intergovernmental relations manager, and as such will be lobbying the Legislature against various pending legislative attempts to tax and/or break up the large, nonprofit health care provider in Utah.

The IHC battle was one of the bitter fights in the 2005 Legislature, and a special task force is now looking into nonprofit health care in the state.

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; jloftin@desnews.com