Payday lenders are generous to Shurtleff

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff seeks a third four-year term this year, and he's looked to some old friends for much of his campaign fundraising — like payday loan operators who charge an average of 500 percent interest annually.

Shurtleff, 50, is a conservative GOP attorney general who at times angered core Republicans over his more liberal stands, like including gays in hate crimes laws and opposing Amendment 3, which banned same-sex marriages in Utah.

Shurtleff raised $38,400 from payday loan owners this year, about $1 of every $4 given to him, according to new financial disclosure forms required before Shurtleff faces renomination at Saturday's Republican State Convention in Orem.

Shurtleff raised $161,625 in 2008, leading among candidates for attorney general, auditor and treasurer. Next best fundraiser was state Rep. Mark Walker, R-Sandy, who is running for state treasurer. He raised $46,605.

The attorney general has also received a $50,000 donation from IWorks, nearly a third of all his donations. IWorks is an Internet firm whose CEO, Jeremy Johnson, donated a house for "Lost Boys," an outreach program that Shurtleff supports for young men who leave polygamous families.

Shurtleff also took $35,000 from Bloosky Inc., a Provo Internet firm whose top brass Shurtleff has also gotten to know. "When you run for re-election, you ask supporters for money, which is what I did," Shurtleff said.

He accepted $5,000 from 1-800 Contacts, a contact lens firm that in recent years has been giving more and more to Utah political races and, as a lobbyist, has entertained Utah legislators at expensive events.

Shurtleff became a poster boy for the payday lender trade with his support of its organizations. Earlier this year a group of payday loaners organized their own fundraiser for Shurtleff.

"It was a reception where I spoke," Shurtleff said, acknowledging that payday loan businesses welcome and appreciate his stands on their legal business operations.

In January of this year Shurtleff spoke in favor of payday loaners before a debate at the University of Utah, arguing that banning payday loans here (as has been done in a few states) would take away an option that allows people with poor credit "to avoid bankruptcy, repossessions and welfare. That would be immoral: not to give people that opportunity" of a payday loan.