Devil is in the details

The state Senate majority leader and co-chairman of the Ethics Committee, Sheldon Killpack, resigned on Saturday, a day after his arrest on DUI allegations. But if he chose, that single day would've given him enough time to tap his war chest — brimming with tens of thousands donated mainly to further the narrow bottom-line interests of corporations — for his personal use. Thanks to a loophole in an ethics law enacted last year, sitting officeholders can use the money for any reason. Former officeholders are out of luck.

He could've bought a very nice car, invested in real estate, paid down on a resort condo or even helped fund a campaign to prevent Utahns from voting on an initiative that would prevent lawmakers from doing what he could've done.

If lawmakers continue with these dodges and weaves and winks and nods during the session that begins next week, voters themselves would have an obligation to plug a legislative ethical code chock-full of loopholes. The devil in the details could be exorcised in November.

Bill Keshlear

Salt Lake City