House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, refers to Allen and Mascaro as "dissident Republicans" who have been courted by Democrats to switch parties. Both Allen and Mascaro are leaders in the so-called Reagan Caucus in the House, a group of 15 or 20 moderate House members who in recent years have had run-ins with GOP House leaders.

Hansen said two years ago he tried to get a pay raise for the state auditor, an office held for years by Republicans. Current auditor Austin Johnson is a Republican. A bill was being run by a House GOP leader to raise the treasurer's pay.

"When I tried to get a raise for the auditor in that bill — thinking it was only fair — they (GOP leaders) fought against it," said Hansen. He tried to find out why and was told that Johnson was involved in a legal case that some House Republicans didn't like — so didn't want Johnson's pay raised.

"We have to get away from this punitive attitude," said Hansen.

"In the Legislature we do things that either help people or hurt people. And (the current GOP attitude) is to do things that hurt people. Why? Let's just do what is true, what is honest, what is best for the most people. More ethics investigations could be coming — if what we're seeing is just wrong. And we'll see what happens," said Hansen.

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