Hughes said he understands that any number of legislators often "leak" information to the media. But he said Riesen's conduct is way out of line. He accuses Riesen of knowing that Lawrence didn't want her letter made public, that he arranged for TV cameras to film two House Democrats and one Republican leaving a Tuesday private meeting with House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, in which ethics concerns in general and Lawrence's concern specifically, were discussed, and generally orchestrating "an October surprise" attack on him personally that could lead to his defeat in his hotly contested race in House District 51.

"The clock is ticking on me. I'm under the gun," said Hughes. He believes he will be "completely cleared of any wrongdoing" by the ethics investigation, and the sooner the better.

"We have reached a new low in Utah politics," said Hughes. The allegations by Lawrence — whom Hughes still calls a friend — Riesen and others "is an abuse of the ethics process."

Still, Lawrence's letter, which she defended Wednesday, is harsh in its accusations against Hughes.

Lawrence said in her letter, which is dated Sept. 3, 2008: "In my conversation with Rep. Hughes (in the spring of 2006), he told me that if I were willing to change my position, on the school voucher issue, and vote in support of a bill on vouchers, to be introduced in the next session (in the 2007 session, where a voucher bill passed in the House by one vote), he knew where he could get me a large sum of money for my campaign. I think the amount he mentioned was around $50,000."

Lawrence said she asked where the money would be coming from. Hughes was vague, but hinted it would come from voucher supporters.

Judy Clark, executive director of Parents For Choice in Education, the main pro-voucher political issues committee, said her group did not discuss vouchers or campaign support with Lawrence, never gave her any money. "We respected her position, and did not engage her."

"Like other groups, we support like-minded people" who supported their goals, Clark said, as many other groups, including the anti-voucher Utah Education Association, does.

Lawrence said she told Hughes she wouldn't change her vote on vouchers. Later, Hughes approached her again and said he could get her some campaign cash if she would just agree to be absent from the voucher bill vote, Lawrence said.

"Again I expressed to him my decision, made before I was ever elected, that my vote would never be influenced by anything other than my conscience and my constituents," Lawrence wrote.