Partisan politics may affect races for county attorney

In recent weeks, several incumbent county attorneys have been removed from contention at their respective GOP conventions: Some were not nominated for this year's elections perhaps because of a specific complaint, others possibly because party officials decided someone new would do better, others for unnamed reasons.

Newcomers include:

• Box Elder County: Steven Hadfield, who got enough votes to beat out Amy Hugie.

• Duchesne County: Stephen Foote, who booted Karen Allen.

• Tooele County: Douglas Hogan, who won over Doug Ahlstrom.

• Utah County: Jeff Buhman, who triumphed over Kay Bryson.

Also, in Cache County GOP incumbent George Daines is facing an intraparty challenge. He will face Joe Chambers in the June 27 Republican primary.

Some observers blame Bryson's messy and public divorce from former Republican Rep. Katherine Bryson for his loss at the party's county convention, while a "GOP backlash" in Tooele County is credited with ousting Ahlstrom.

In Duchesne County, some delegates pointed to the lack of law enforcement support for Allen in their decision to select Foote, her own chief deputy, as a replacement.

"The fact that the majority of law enforcement officers are publicly backing Foote definitely caught my attention," said a delegate who asked not to be named. "I think it's vital that the prosecutor's office maintain the confidence and support of law enforcement if we want to maximize our resources in fighting crime in this county."

Allen was recently the subject of a complaint brought before a victims' rights committee that may end up before the Utah State Bar.

Davis County Attorney Mel Wilson, a veteran prosecutor who chose not to run again, says the office has always been political in nature, but he thinks it has become even more so now. "I sense there's been a real change in the environment when it comes to politicizing my (and others') decisions in the office," Wilson said.

Partisan politics are partly to blame and Wilson is an outspoken proponent of making many county offices non-partisan, including county attorney, treasurer, clerk and sheriff, to free them from these influences.

"As long as you've got elections and parties vested in them, you're going to have that," Wilson said. "It's just a reality."