Reader comments
Ethics meeting on complaints to remain closed

cover up comming | 1:15 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

I can see the republican majority already planning on covering this up !!

We in Utah have the most corrupt state government in the 50 states that's what having one party control does for you !!!

Matt | 4:05 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

If you want to talk corrupt you aren't even close.

As an example, have you ever heard of the Tennessee Waltz? The very last day of the 2005 legislative session the FBI 'waltzed' into the Tennessee legislature and arrested almost a dozen sitting legislators. Of that crew half a dozen are currently sitting in Federal pens for taking, in one case, almost $800k for legislative favors.

It is fun to poke fun at the Utah legislature, and even more fun to go after the Utah GOP but as far as corrupt goes, not even close.

In the past 10 years how many legislators have been arrested in Utah? I can think of two. How many are in jail? Zero. How many are being criminally investigated for something outside of a dirty campaign season? zero.

In Mississippi there are roughly 15 state, mostly local officials gowing through the process of investigation and trial.

I know, I know, fun to talk but let's be realistic on this. Should we talk California? How about Illinois? New York?

You are living in a vaccum of GOP hate, just keep that in mind.

And also, this is an internal House matter, not the FBI.

Take One to Know | 7:08 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Pat Shea talking about ethics. That's so hilarious I blew milk though my nose. I hope I didn't damage my computer.

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 8:06 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Of course it is closed. Our R's wouldn't have it any other way.

sideline | 9:08 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

David Irvine... Wait a minute, didn't he help with the last minute complaint against Walker? Didn't Walker vote for vouchers? In fact, I think key members of the UEA were at the Utah Supreme Court when a decision was handed down regarding Mark Walkers process.

How could one think that retribution was taking place from the Voucher Opponents on this. Couldn't be possible at all. That would be unthinkable.

hokey pokey | 9:15 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Hey Sheryl Allen - next time you are meeting with the State Democratic Party about how to punish Voucher Supporters like Hughes give them a shout out for all the little people! You may also want to ask them for a contribution to your Education Foundation Gala so you don't have to ask so many lobbyists for their financial support.

To Matt: | 9:21 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Thanks for your comments. Unfortunatly, us Utahns still feel as if we are not as good as everyone else. So, we tend to belive those that tell us how bad things are here. The truth is like you implied --Utah is a great place to live. Maybe there are a few bums here and there that cause some problems and they need to be dealt with. But, the "bums" are the exception not the norm.
Utah is great and if you don't like it here....well, don't let the screen door hit you in the butt on the way out.

Craig | 9:22 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Riesen did behave unethically. He leaked for political gain confidential information that should have been confirmed or denied prior to being made public. Riesen is as guilty as the alleged wrong on the other side. The attitude that I can do wrong if I am ratting out some one else does not hold water. It is not retribution it is calling out some one who did wrong. The ethics committee will not even air these in public due to rules. What gives this self righteous democrat the right to run to the press with out verifying the information.

Earl Hamiliton | 9:26 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Closed meetings and the Republican Leadership go hand in hand. We need to send a strong message this fall by voting out Curtis, Hughes, Morley, Buttars, Stephenson, and all the other big shot special interest bought Republicans. One party rule did not work in Russia and it does not work in Utah. All of these ethics violations need to be investigated and the findings sent out before the election. Curtis currently has almost $500,000 hundred thousand in his election fund. Most of all this money has come from developers, trial lawyers, nuclear energy, and tobacco and alcohol interests. We need to vote these guys out and bring back ethics reform and good open government in Utah. Vote Democratic and send these fat cat Republicans out to pasture. No more closed meetings and no more special interest bought Legislators!!!

Utah Republican's Are Corrupt | 9:36 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Why not have the meting in the open if its not corrupt? because they have something to hide!

SRD | 9:49 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Hello, there are five other allegations that no one seems to want to talk about. Trust me, Hughes, et al do not want this open to the public. Its all jsut posturing.

Reamer | 10:11 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

The reason they're not in jail Matt is because they make the laws. What Tom Delay did in Texas would be legal here. That's the problem with Utah Government.

Anonymous | 10:42 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

I fully support David Irvine, Sheryl Allen, Susan Lawrence, Phil Riesen and Rox McGee in their attempts to take down voucher supporters. After they take down Hughes and Walker, they need to go after EVERY SINGLE voucher supporter.

Support for vouchers is itself criminal These allegations are just icing on the cake.

Anonymous | 10:50 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

When Curtis was elected Speaker he opened the House Republican caucus meetings. They have been open ever since (last 4 years as I count it). You may not like Curtis' policies, but he has opened up the process and made the House more transparent.

Commoner | 11:41 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

I thought Reisen's IQ was suspect when he leaked the complaint, but now that he has hired Pat Shea, Utah's own ethics vacuuum, to represent him I know that he is a fool. And with Shea as his counsel soon everyone else will know it too.

Doggie | 11:52 p.m. Oct. 6, 2008

Why is Reisen trying to sweep the allegations made against him under the rug? Hughes is doing just the opposite. HE called for the investigation into the allegations against him. And HE called for the meeting to be open. Phil Reisen has asked that the allegations against him be dismissed without review.

Hughes' Grandstanding | 12:10 a.m. Oct. 7, 2008

Greg Hughes knew darn well from the get-go there was no way his hearing could be public. So he got to look like he had nothing to hide while asking for something he knew couldn't happen. He'd just been through this whole process with his buddy Mark Walker, so they all knew what the rules were for the hearings.

If they actually could change the rules and make the hearings open to the public, you would see Greg Hughes turn ghost-white in fear.

Greg, always be careful with who you bully and intimidate using you legislative influence. We aren't all so passive that one day you aren't going to kick the hornet's nest that will take you down. In fact, I think you've kicked a bunch of hornet's nests. We'll be anxious to see which one will sting you first.

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