GOP asks Yocom to probe Rocky's spending practices

Salt Lake County Republicans formally asked District Attorney David Yocom Friday to investigate Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson on his use of public funds.

At a press conference Friday, GOP leaders faced tough questions as they insisted Yocom should apply the same standard he used when he investigated and later prosecuted former Republican Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman. She was acquitted by a jury.

Following the conference, James Evans, S.L. County GOP chairman, delivered a letter to Yocom, asking for an investigation.

The conference took on a partisan tone with Evans, who has often sparred with the city's Democratic mayor, and justice courts prosecutor Lohra Miller, who in 2002 ran against Yocom, also a Democrat, doing all the talking.

Reporters noted that back when Yocom was putting Workman through the wringer, many in the GOP, including Evans, said the district attorney was misusing his prosecutor's discretion.

So if prosecuting Workman for misusing public monies was a bad idea, isn't it also a bad idea to go after Anderson now, they reasoned.

Evans didn't directly answer that question but turned it around on Yocom, saying the district attorney established a precedent. He pointed to a press release Yocom issued last year when he went after Workman.

Yocom pledged In the July 2, 2004, news release to investigate "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 affiliations of the subject or subjects, and take action where the evidence warrants."

Anderson, who has not been returning calls from the Morning News for several days, gave a short statement to KSL Radio while on his way to a funeral Friday.

District Attorney spokesman Bob Stott said the office was "analyzing" the Republican letter but "it's going to take a few days" for a decision.

"James Evans and whoever else is in on this with him has engaged in nothing but a vicious, partisan attack and it's driven by a completely irresponsible and deceptive media," Anderson said. "The media has taken generalizations, deceptions from the Deseret News and without checking their facts, they've perpetuated and exaggerated this story to the point that it's become a national fiction."