Would-be S.L mayor has a court record

The field of mayoral candidates in Salt Lake City is back up to eight, but if the newest would-be mayor is elected, he would be barred by court order from visiting an elementary school attended by his constituents' children.

Robert K. Muscheck has filed the initial paperwork with the city recorder's office required for a run at the mayor's office. The filing period, when candidates will officially declare themselves in the race, is July 2-16. Muscheck on Tuesday refused to speak about his candidacy until he decides for sure whether he will run.

But a search of Muscheck's court records shows that in December 2000, a 3rd District judge issued a permanent injunction keeping him off the grounds of Edison Elementary School, after faculty there complained that he had a history of threatening and intimidating them.

Muscheck had two children attending Edison as students at the time, court records show.

According to the complaint filed by the Salt Lake City School District, Muscheck frequently showed up at the school dressed in a military uniform "to intimidate others." During his visits, he reportedly insulted faculty and staff members with anti-gay and misogynous slurs and profanities and told school officials his young son was "now a white supremacist."

In a 2002 document Muscheck filed with the court that unsuccessfully sought to have the injunction lifted, he claimed the school's faculty was pushing a pro-gay, pro-choice agenda on his children and other students at the school.

"I am against having homosexuals working or having contact with my children (students) at any time," he wrote. "I am anti-abortion pro-life and want that platform taught to my children."

He wanted teachers to be required to answer whether they were pro-life and whether they supported gays and lesbians working with children.

He also complained that the school was too easy on students, saying that martial arts should be taught in the classroom, students and teachers should be required to wear uniforms, the school's food service should only include vegetarian meals and students should be forced to eat all the food that was served to them, the school district reported.

Muscheck could not be reached for comment later Tuesday on the court injunction and whether he is or has been a member of the military.

If Muscheck remains in the race, he will be one of eight candidates currently vying to replace Mayor Rocky Anderson. Muscheck is one of 11 people who have considered running during the past year, either in comments to the Deseret Morning News or by filing the city's initial paperwork. Most have done both. Several early candidates have since dropped their campaigns.

Currently running are House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake; City Councilman Dave Buhler; former City Councilman Keith Christensen; colorectal surgeon J.P. Hughes; Centro Civico Mexicano director John Renteria; City Councilwoman Nancy Saxton ; and County Councilwoman Jenny Wilson.

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E-mail: dsmeath@desnews.com