From Deseret News archives:
Legislature can't handle its own ethical challenges
In fact, before formal charges were filed against Hughes by three House Democrats, it's clear to me that some GOP House members tried to sidetrack the complaint, stopping it completely in return for a promise of ethics reform in the 2009 Legislature, or at the very least, delaying the complaint until after the Nov. 4 election. (I've seen no evidence that Hughes himself was part of these attempts.)
As this column goes to press Thursday, the House Ethics Committee, after a week of secret hearings, has not issued a decision on the six counts against Hughes, R-Draper.
And if it turns out that the bipartisan committee clears Hughes in all charges, or through a split vote can't reach a decision on Hughes, then the House members' actions may prove justified.
I mean, why put a colleague through the public ethics wringer just before his re-election if, indeed, it turns out that he did nothing that rose to the level of an ethics violation? Raw, mean partisan politics would be the accusation laid on the Democratic complainants.
It is sad although understandable, given the current political/ethical standards of the Utah Legislature that even when attempts are made to bring some portion of ethical accountability into play, that that attempt in itself must be pulled through the power-political strainer.
Yet, it is clear from documents I've seen that Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, believes she was offered political deals if she would dump the Hughes complaint, or at least postpone it until after next month's elections. Allen rejected all such offers, it appears.
And it turned out that Allen didn't have the power to stop the complaint but she did end up not signing it. Only Democratic Reps. Phil Riesen, Roz McGee and Neil Hansen signed the complaint.
But Allen was a clear mover in bringing various people together on the main charge against Hughes: that he offered former GOP Rep. Susan Lawrence tens of thousands of dollars in campaign money in 2006 if Lawrence would either switch her vote on private school vouchers or, at the very least, walk off the House floor and not vote on an upcoming voucher bill in the 2007 Legislature.
Recent comments
"If you see the world as us against those who don't stand with us �...
Good insight, Bob | Oct. 20, 2008 at 10:53 a.m.
Have you endorsed your Republican opponent for the State Treasurer?
A question for Walker | Oct. 19, 2008 at 11:03 p.m.
The fact Walker is saying he made a mistake and is willing to move on...
Karma | Oct. 17, 2008 at 4:57 p.m.
- Funeral today for Utah soldier 11:16 a.m.
- Vaccination clinic set in St. George 11:15 a.m.
- $47B paid in suspect Medicare claims 11:11 a.m.
- 3 dead in Reno helicopter crash 11:02 a.m.
- Galaxy headed to MLS Cup 10:45 a.m.
- Veteran climber dies in Himalayas 10:36 a.m.
- Slovakia beats U.S. 1-0 10:30 a.m.
- Suicide attack kills 11 in Pakistan 10:28 a.m.
- A president of Europe? 10:18 a.m.
- Riesch edges Vonn in WCup slalom 10:13 a.m.
- Williams leaves, won't play tonight
- Attack meant to kill apostle
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Man killed during 3rd I-15 crash
- Bench proves fruitful for Y.
- Trial begins in toddler death
- D-Will home for daughter
- Unga family is making its mark
- ESPN suddenly loves MWC
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
348 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
199 - Senators want food tax restored
162 - Will state consider gay rights law?
145 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
113 - Celtics crush Jazz
104 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
103 - Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
95
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
Bingham's got a lot of talent for having a bunch of Juniors and sophomores....
Ben Cahoon is a class act!!
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge,...
There is a VERY special place in hell for guys like this...Even ANIMALS know...
RE:Joe & Exactly. I tend to see the opposite way. I think that when Dwill...
Joe & Exactly are typical people who don't understand the game of basketball,...
I guess we only see what we want to see. But, the fact is that if BYU had...
It would be great if BYU could pull this off. Never count out a team that...
That's what i heard too!
Washington and Franklin believed in Providence, not Got. Franklin started to...

