Reader comments
'Punitive actions' by legislative leaders may spur ethics complaints

What we need are more Reagan Republicans (like Allen and Mascaro) and fewer Bush Republicans (like Curtis and Valentine).

Reagan was effective because he had the ability to co-opt party Moderates as well as cross the aisle to work with Democrats as necessary. Bush Republicans see politics as a war and consider those who are not fully in lock-step as traitors - then penalize them accordingly. Such a heavy-handed style of politics is divisive and unnecessary.

A one party system that this State GOP is pushing for breads corruption. It is to bad that honest people let power turn them into slaves of either greed for power or money. That is the reason that all politicans need to serve only a few years and then be replaced.

The Democrats had the majority in this state until 30yrs. ago. If the GOP leadership continues their abuse of power, that balance may shift once again. Republicans need to clean up their act or prepare to be voted out.

These five legislators are brave for stepping forward. They've ticked Steve Urquhart off enough that he is now referring to them as "grandstanding hacks" and "cancer". His blog is completely unprofessional, especially for a member of the Utah House now running for Utah Senate. I guess that is just a small taste of what is store for any legislator who disagrees with the powers that be.

Mascaro and Hansen, please keep on being dissidents. If you bring the corruption into the light they can't hurt you. Dishonesty can't stand light.

Allen and Mascaro are not Reagan Republicans. If anything they are Jimmy Carter Republicans.

Hansen? Didn't his brother shoot himself in the foot? Looks like a family skill. Neil has been shooting himself in the foot for years at the legislature.

To I'm Just Saying: Allen, Mascaro, and Hansen are grandstanders and media whiners. When they don't get their way it's everyone else's fault. It's the same stories year after year. They just like to wag the media dog.

Anonymous - You interpret standing up to Republican leadership over legitimate differences of opinion as whining. That is fine - you have every right to do so. However, to call them a "cancer", as Rep. Urquhart did, crosses a line. Again, I am glad someone is finally standing up to Bramble, Curtis et al. These are the same clowns that lecture party members about "speaking no ill" of other Republicans. "Grandstanding hacks" and "cancer" seem to qualify as speaking ill of others. Read the blog for yourself. Urquhart comes across as an arrogant fill-in-the-blank.

Sounds like the jocks are being mean to the nerds. The nerds have friends on the yearbook staff, so they'll make it sound like a big deal in writing.

Ever wonder why more capable people don't get involved in politics? In the private-sector (aka, real world), we call it "he who has the gold makes the rules."

Hansen, stop whining and go back to chess club.

Mascaro, Riesen and the others have the courage to do the right thing. The GOP leadership to have a lot to hide to want to avaiod the sunshine

Mascaro, Allen, Riesen, Hansen and the others have the courage to do the right thing. The GOP leadership must have a lot to hide to want to avoid the sunshine. It is a lot easier not to stick your neck out. As for "Junior High," this isn't the "Business world" it is supposedly a democratic government run by principles we've agreed upon.

Of course Urquhart comes across as arrogant on his blog. I assume that's his style, for better or worse. Maybe he calls them a cancer because Marcaro is a perpetual lier and is always whining to the media, while Allen is self-serving, corrupted by her employment, and lied in recent court documents. Their action tarnish and destroy the legislative process (like an internal cancer). They don't enhance it. Having corrupt politicians calling others unethical is not of interest to me.

This has nothing to do with standing up to "leadership". This has everything to do with childish antics by individuals who lose the policy debates day in and day out and will try to win any way possible.

Junior High will make it easier to understand: He who has the [votes], makes the rules. "Supposedly" that is a democracy.

And the legislature is actually a democratic republic, but they'll cover that later in high school.

I find it very interesting that the self proclaimed Ethics Democrat from Ogden, Neil Hansen, is the same Neil Hansen who used his Representative position to get a speeding ticket fixed in Mantua, Utah a few years ago! What a hypocrite. He is also the same Neil Hansen which hasn't been asked in years to floor sponsor any Senate bills, either party, gee I wonder. Mr. In-effective is what most people call him including this newspaper at the end of every session.

Hansen couldn't handle chess club. He's from a family that shows gun safety by example.

To Anonymous @ 3:08 - To be honest, I do not know Neil Hansen. I'd never heard of him prior to reading this story. I know Sheryl Allen, but only from her work with the Davis Education Foundation. Her group helped a neighbor kid get clothes for school after her dad lost his job. Pretty corrupt.

Please provide examples of what you allege in your post. What makes Mascaro a "perpetual liar"? How has Allen been "corrupted" by her employment? When did she lie, and what did she lie about?

If you don't think this has anything to do with standing up to "leadership", you obviously did not read the article we are supposed to be commenting about. I'm beginning to think we have cancer on this comment board - named Anonymous.

This sounds like a bit of electioneering - float some veiled comment of impropriety, let the media chew on it and try to drag this out until October and hope that somehow the public will elect a bunch of Democrats this fall. If you have something let's hear it. Put up or shut up as the saying goes.

Isn't this the same Neil Hansen that ran for Mayor of Ogden and DEMANDED an ethics investigation of his opponent, the incumbent? And Allen uses the same smoke and mirrors as a plantif against her own colleagues over a vote she lost on SB2.

Seems that Allen, Hansen, and Mascaro are nothing but incompetent legislators, unable to accomplish much but continue the drum beat of undefined corruption to make themselves look good. Reagan will be rolling over in his grave if these "fine public servants" are calling themselves "Reagan Republicans".

If they are unable to move their corrupt agenda, they file ethics complaints, law suits, and use the media as their PR firm. Bernick should be ashamed of being used as a shill for there agenda. On second thought, this is Bernick's agenda.

The very same. The SB2 complaint is the greatest work of fiction this state has ever seen. When the ends justify the means, selective morals follow.