Reader comments
Did Valentine approve Buttars' letter?

This Gibby-Buttars relationship needs to be investigated. This is getting out of control. What has to happen before the feds come in and clean up the Utah State Senate. This is bad, very, very bad.

Consider the allegation: Black baby means African-American infant according to NAACP who say Buttars was making a racial slur.

But Buttars was expressing his feelings about a bill, it being a black baby.

To me, this would mean he feels the bill would be a bad thing that could grow worse as times goes on.

But to the NAACP, who cry 'racist' every time someone speaks a word like black, the NAACP thinks Buttars meant the bill is an Anfrican-American infant. Crazy allegation.

I suppose the NAACP thinks a cowboy in a black hat is a cowboy in an African-American hat, or maybe an African-American in a hat that suggests racism.

NAACP are the real racists. They have caused Buttars to loose his life-long career.

I'm very concerned by Gibby's comments that Senate President Valentine approved this ex parte letter to a sitting Judge. This allegation should be fully investigated and if Valentine had any involvement in the matter he should ben censured by the Senate for his involvement along with Buttars who we have recently learned has had serious lapses in judgement ranging from his racist comments on the Senate floor, this letter to a sitting Judge to him telling members of a Senate committee not to vote for a bill he was sponsoring because he was unaware of what it did.

I could care less if Buttars is sponsoring bills with content that he is unaware of since that is between him and those who vote for him yet I do take umbrage with his letter to a sitting Judge and with his racist comments. That Valentine hasn't taken action against him is a little shocking but to be expected since he opposes the Utsh Legislature honoring Martin Luther King Day and probably agrees with Gibby and Buttars' actions.

I don't think it is wise for media outlets to be digging up a person's past history due to a vendetta they have against the man.

Utah wants to move on and so should it's media organizations.

And all we need is "the feds" intervening in an area of state rights. If you think Utah's politics are corrupt you need to spend a tad bit more time focusing an the absurdity that is Washington. Perhaps "the feds" should focus a bit more on the constitutional jurisdiction and clean up that filth before we the people give them the rights to intervene in our local affairs.

Please go back and read the constitution. The one the founding father's ratified.

Judge can not stand critisizm?
We have a major problem with ETHICS in the State of Utah
The Feds need to come in and take over

Buttars is out of control and needs to be removed. He is Utah's own little "Maverick" that cannot be kept in control.

I highly doubt Senate leadership knew of anything about this letter. President Valentine strongly understands eminent domain. Look at the 800 North corridor in Orem where the street is becoming a "freeway" one block from his home. Why would anyone think he would approve such a letter to a judge when he is an well respected attorney and understands the judicial system as well as, if not better, than most?

Come on D-news political writers, concentrate on truth and not speculation.

Does'nt Buttars just make ya proud to be an american?
What will he do next.
Is'nt he supposed to be a leader?
Can't we just get rid of this BOZO already.

I think that Chris Buttars illustrates the need for term limits for our elected officials. Even if they are replaced by Republican, white, Mormon, male, clones of the previous office holder, at least they will bring some new faces, and ideas, to the legislature.

This is still a very mild and censored description of Buttars' letter to the judge. This article essentially trivializes Buttars' comments. Buttars threatened the judge and danced right to the edge of ordering the judge to rule per legislater edict. Check out "other" newspaper sources for the last several days and you'll see what I mean. He was removed as the committee chairman only after the real story was published, and not here. Buttars got off easy, once more, as he is still on the committee. This man is an embarrassment to Utah but I absolutely support his constituents right to re-elect him. To support and re-elect him says volumes about his district.

Why would a Senator from West Jordan, and apparently the Senate President from Provo believe that they are a party in a land dispute in Mapleton? Can you say conflict of interest, hired gun? Mr. Buttars actions don't suprise me, he has always been an arrogant man, but John Valentine, I thought you knew better. Time to go to your new career Chris. Go be a lobbyist, you already have a good start.

The press serves a useful purpose in a democracy. A free press helps keep public servants honest. "Digging up a persons' past" can serve a useful purpose, especially if past performance is consistent with present behavior. Those who would muzzle the voices of dissent are no better than totalitarian dictators that history is replete with.

It's a good thing journalists aren't held to any sort of evidentiary standard before they publish, otherwise, there'd be no story here. This a classic example of hearsay and should be afforded very little weight at this point. Gibby SAID that Buttars SAID that Senate Leadership (which may or may not specifically include Valentine) SAID that the letter was okay. This sounds out of character for Valentine, who as a lawyer, knows how problematic an ex parte communication is.

I'll reserve judgment until the papers can point to better evidence than double-layered hearsay.

On a side note, why are some of you talking about the "feds?" They can't do anything; ever heard of the Tenth Amendment?

"Wordsmithing Exposes Hypocrocy... Story at 10:00"

Let me restate what 'Anonymous' (5:58 a.m. Feb. 27, 2008) said above, changing a few of his choice words and adding my own words in CAPITOL letters. Hmmmm... very interesting indeed...

>

The writer's original comments are just another blatant example of the hypocrisy seen again and again from those that continue to support these goons. It's nothing more than Utah's version of the "Good ol' Boys Club"; you protect my back, I'll protect yours.

Crooks and Liars are running (and ruining) this state. WAKE UP UTAH!

... this assertion by Buttars' pal Gibby certainly isn't going to make Buttars any more popular with Senate leadership....

Why are Buttars and Valentine sticking their noses in a land dispute in Mapleton?
This is poor ethics.
The judge's job is to interpret the law and that is exactly what he did. Take it to the Utah Supreme Court if you're not happy with the interpretation, don't involve two guys who've never been to law school or served on a bench.

It's obvious by now that the real stink in the legislature is coming from the head down. Valentine, the "well-respected" attorney, has lost my respect. Buttars is what he is, but Valentine should know better. Roz McGee is right; the leg desperately needs an ethics commission. But then there's Valentine and his Repub friends: "We don't need no stinkin' ethics commission!" Now we know WHY they don't want it. The smell is rising.

You have become the problem. Forget Buttars, he is just a minion. I remember your voucher defense last year--"all my neighbors support it"--well, I hope your cognitively challenged neighbors will remember the smell of Gibby-Gate when you come up for re-election.

Liberal Larry we do have term limits...it is called elections. The true reform needs to come first by zapping out the influence of the Eagle Forum on the state capital...the conservative caucus is their buddies and if you push out Buttars you need to take his friends. They are scary individuals and don't care what their constiuents say. They vote how their leader, Greg Hughes, tells them how to vote. The voucher proved that. This problem isn't just with Buttars...

I am in complete agreement with term limits from the federal level on down.To wit:the citizens of the great state of california a few years back voted into play term limits.approved whole heartly by a majority of the voters.but the politicians went into panic mode and filed a law suit to overturn the voters voice.and guess what????? the california supreme court sided with their fellow politicians and overturned the voters voice and desires.the term limits issue is collecting dust in some file cabinet.WHAT A COUNTRY!!!!!!!!

Let's sweep the ultra-ultra-right wing minions of Gayle Ruzika and the Eagle Forum out of the legislature! Enough of the bullying and arm twisting that these goons practice. We independents of Utah need to sweep these people out of office and reclaim our right to be represented without conflict of interest and Neo-Conservative control.