Tired of your lawmaker? Try selling them on eBay

SYRACUSE — One Utah man is so fed up with how his representatives voted during the most recent legislative session, he's doing what many people do with unneeded or unwanted items — he's selling them. 

After 19 bids, the current price for Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, late Friday was $305 on eBay. Sens. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and Stuart Adams, R-Layton, are also listed for sale. 

Randy Miller, a land surveyor and president of Utah League of Independent Voters, said he got the idea to list his representatives on the auction site after a financial seminar motivated him to sell some things around the house. 

"I don't need them anymore," his postings read. "They evidently never needed me."

Miller's grievances against Stevenson include his votes to up the tax on food, shield government workers' electronic communications from open-records requests, and prohibit the use of electronic signatures on citizen initiative referendums. 

Upon hearing he was up for sale, Stevenson said, "Well let's see how much I'm worth." 

Stevenson, who couldn't keep from laughing as he voiced his reaction to the listing, said he doesn't recall ever communicating with Miller, but said he would be "more than happy" to do so. 

"It's very surprising how many folks … if you don’t vote the way they think you should vote, they think someone has purchased you."

After racking up more than 400 page views, Miller said he began to wonder if anyone would bid on his original listing for Stevenson. But it didn't take long until the bidding went into the hundreds.

"I could not believe it," he said.

Miller has since listed other lawmakers for sale. He has sold three of Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, for $25 each in a dutch-style auction. 

After struggling for years to raise funds for his grass-roots political organization, Miller said he's almost earned $1,000 in one day from bids and pledges.

"This is kind of a big day." 

— Amanda Verzello