Howell challenges Hatch over comments about NAC

Scott Howell, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, has challenged Sen. Orrin Hatch's reported involvement in negotiations between the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News, calling it a "serious lapse in judgment and another example of (Hatch) losing touch with local concerns."

Several media reports last week said that Hatch, R-Utah, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called AT&T officials in mid-1999 to say he would not object to the Deseret News obtaining control of the Newspaper Agency Corp., which handles advertising, production and distribution of the two newspapers. The Tribune has controlled NAC since the corporation was created in 1952.

The reports have fanned frenzied discussions and follow-up media reports about negotiations between the two Utah newspapers and AT&T, which owns the Tribune. Deseret News officials have said repeatedly they are not interested in operating the Tribune. The Deseret News is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In the statement released by his campaign, Howell said lively news competition is a vital issue of free speech for Utahns. "A delicate balance must be maintained between church and state in Utah, and healthy newspaper competition is central to that balance," Howell said in the statement, suggesting Deseret News control of NAC would hurt that competition.

"Sen. Hatch, as Utah's representative in the Senate for 24 years and a long-time member of the Senate Judiciary Committee . . . should understand the First Amendment and antitrust implications of this issue," according to the statement.

Campaign press secretary Alex Nibley attacked Hatch's involvement, saying "back-door deals and intimidation" is how Hatch does business.

Chris Rosche, press secretary to Hatch, told the Deseret News last week that Hatch is not involved in any negotiations involving the telephone giant and the Salt Lake newspapers.

Rosche said a constituent from Utah asked Hatch to evaluate antitrust issues under a scenario in which the Deseret News were to purchase or gain control of the NAC.

"At a cursory glance, Sen. Hatch did not believe there were any major antitrust issues that he could see," Rosche said. "That was it."

Rosche said he did not know if Hatch was asked to call AT&T to express his opinion about the possible deal — even though other news media have reported that he made such a call.