An exemplary public servant

Utahns often complain that they don't want their politicians to be so, well ... political. They want them to vote their conscience rather than to blindly follow the dictates of a party leader.

They couldn't have done much better than electing Bill Orton.

The three-term representative from Utah's 3rd District was an anomaly. He was a Democrat elected in what may be the nation's most Republican district. He was re-elected twice, including in 1994, when Republicans swept to majorities in both houses of Congress. He might even have held that seat right up until his tragic death Saturday in an ATV accident, if not for a politically charged move by then-President Bill Clinton.

Clinton, seeking re-election in 1996, decided to gain points among environmentalists by declaring a large portion of Orton's district the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. He did so without seeking input from any Utahn, including Orton. Rather than make the announcement in Utah, Clinton chose to hold a press conference at the Grand Canyon. The timing of that move was devastating to Orton's own re-election. No doubt many voters wondered what good it did to have a Democrat representing them in Congress, if the Democrat in the White House ignored him that way. Others may simply have wanted to punish Clinton by voting for Orton's opponent.

That was unfortunate. Orton deserved better. His voting record showed he was not a slave to party politics. He was fond of saying that neither party was right all the time.

Some may say he had no choice but to vote against his own party much of the time, given the district he represented. But Orton was genuine, a maverick who most often voted with a block of conservative Democrats. He later lost a low-key race against incumbent Gov. Mike Leavitt, who was about as politically bulletproof as a politician could be. Orton still won five of the state's 29 counties, including Salt Lake County, but lacked the funding to conduct a more effective campaign.

Orton's death raises legitimate concerns about the safety of all-terrain vehicles, which are so popular in Utah. An ATV accident also claimed the life of Democratic state Sen. Pete Suazo in 2001. Lawmakers may need to revisit safety requirements.

More importantly, however, the accident took one of Utah's brightest and most capable men at a time when he still had much to offer. In many ways, Orton exemplified traits that ought to define all public servants.