Herbert meets with backers of ethics initiative

Gov. Gary Herbert and backers of a legislative ethics initiative agreed Thursday that the "ethics bar" in state government should be raised.

Herbert said he still opposes the Utahns for Ethical Government initiative — as he previously announced — but may not actively campaign against it.

Both Herbert and UEG chairman Kim Burningham said there are areas where they agree on legislative ethics reform.

"I hope you will detail" those agreements, Burningham said.

"I probably will," Herbert replied.

Herbert met with UEG for about 30 minutes in his office.

Capitol Hill politics will play a role in just how supportive Herbert may be for ethics reform in the legislative branch of government. Herbert seeks the GOP nomination for governor in 2010. It's still unclear if he will have a serious challenger from his own party.

The 74 Republicans in the Utah House and Senate are automatic delegates to the state GOP convention. While there are 3,500 delegates, support from incumbent legislators is important to any statewide candidate.

Republican lawmakers almost universally oppose the ethics initiative, for which supporters are now gathering 95,000 registered-voter signatures to get the proposed law on the 2010 ballot.

In detailing some of his concerns with the initiative, Herbert raised points made by some GOP lawmakers and their attorneys.

After the meeting, Burningham said "it is my fear" that Herbert had been listening too much to the legislators, not hearing the other side of the story.

The governor offered to personally get involved in bringing attorneys from both sides together so they could hash out some of the concerns with the initiative.

"The public is confused" by what the initiative really means, the governor said.

It's best to emphasize reforms they agree with, Herbert said. He said he likes the idea of an independent ethics commission, more disclosure of legislators' conflicts of interests and campaign accounts, and stronger penalties for not reporting on time.

"There ought to be a gift ban discussion," so lawmakers can't take lobbyists freebies, the governor said.