Rechanneling gifts: Legislators shift cash donations

Legislators also gave at least $81,600 to other politicians and political groups or parties. They ranged from local mayoral and city council elections to supporting groups including Equality Utah (gay rights), Utahns for Public Schools (anti-school choice voucher campaign), Parents for School Choice (pro-voucher), the Utah Education Association and the National Rifle Association.

Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, gave $5,000 to her husband, Stan Lockhart, for his successful campaign to become chairman of the Utah Republican Party.

Memberships, travel

Lawmakers also paid $6,800 for annual membership fees to a variety of organizations. It was spent on groups ranging from chambers of commerce to Kiwanis clubs, Rotary clubs, the National Rifle Association, the Utah State Historical Society, the Farm Bureau, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance.

Finally, legislators also used campaign money to pay at least $80,000 for nonelection year travel. Goodfellow spent $120 to obtain passports, and Rep. Karen Morgan, D-Cottonwood Heights, spent $40 of campaign money toward a passport.

Most of the travel was related to service in the Legislature, including meetings of the National Conference of State Legislatures in Boston and similar groups in Texas and Florida. Several members also chose to use campaign funds for themselves and spouses for a legislative trip to China, instead of using state funds.

Is it ethical?

While legislators say campaign donations and lobbyist gifts do not buy their votes, critics have long questioned how much extra access it may give special interests that seek to influence legislation.

"It is basically up to the legislator to say what is appropriate use of their campaign funds," Burbank said. "Some of their expenditures may be fine." Legislators clearly have to have appropriate clothing, and so they may justify campaign expenditures on that.

But having a large pot of cash available is also a temptation.

"Does someone need to get his car fixed and he just says, 'I'll use my campaign account,"' when, in fact, the car repair may have little to do with his political activities, Burbank said.

Many times, legislators say, they don't even solicit the cash — checks just come in the mail. Others, such as Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Sandy, have fundraising events. Her golf tournament last spring brought in around $30,000 in mostly $1,000 checks from businesses and lobbyists. "The year before my (re-election) campaign I hold a golf tournament. I'm out campaigning in an election year," she said.

In Legislatures gone by, there were bills introduced aimed at tightening lawmakers' personal use of their campaign funds. Former Rep. Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake, routinely carried such a bill, which sometimes failed without even getting a public hearing.

But last November Becker was elected Salt Lake City mayor. And as of Friday there were no prefiled bills or bills being drafted that deal with lawmakers' use of their campaign funds. So it now appears the issue won't be addressed in 2008, an election year for all 75 House members and half of the 29 senators.

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E-mail: lee@desnews.com, bbjr@desnews.com