Worker says firm forced donations

An employee of a prominent developer said she was forced to give $2,000 to the campaign of Lohra Miller, Republican candidate for Salt Lake County district attorney.

Shauna Hardy says that if she had refused to make the political donation, her boss said it would hurt her politically at Wasatch Property Management. Hardy was one of 12 employees who received $2,000 bonuses, but they didn't receive the checks until they signed a $2,000 check to Miller's campaign fund, Hardy said.

"I knew it was wrong," Hardy said Tuesday. "I knew in my gut I shouldn't have done it, but I did it anyway."

Hardy felt so guilty about the forced donation that she called Miller and asked her to give the "dirty money" to Primary Children's Medical Center. Miller complied, and the check was signed on Sept. 22.

Hardy said her boss first came to her and asked if she would be willing to donate money to Miller's campaign if the company gave her a bonus. She refused, but then reluctantly gave in after warnings of political fallout within company ranks.

A former University of Utah law professor this week called for an investigation into the proxy campaign contributions. Donors cannot make a contribution with someone else's funds, according to county election law.

John Flynn, who taught ethics and constitutional law at the U. for 42 years, said he has no affiliation with either Democratic candidate Sim Gill or Miller but said he was enraged after reading news reports about proxy contributions to Miller's campaign coffers.

"I've just been appalled by money and politics and the games these people play," Flynn said.

Flynn, who was a special counsel in Washington during Watergate, sent a letter to the county district attorney, Utah attorney general and lieutenant governor that said an investigation must be completed soon to maintain "the integrity and outcome of the Salt Lake County district attorney race."

Miller said she is completely open to an investigation and insists she did nothing wrong.

"I did not know anything, and if it harms my campaign to stand up and do the right thing, then so be it," Miller said. "I think it should be investigated. I am frustrated because I have acted in good faith and tried to do the right thing."

Attempts to reach Wasatch Property Management executives were unsuccessful Tuesday.

Miller admits she accepted $24,000 in donations from Wasatch executives, including $2,000 from Dell Loy Hansen, the company's chief executive officer. After reading a City Weekly article alleging employees were forced to make the donations, Miller says she called every employee who made a donation.