When was the last time they've had one of these type of legislative ethics hearings?

The SL Tribune reported that it was in 1998 when then-House Speaker Mel Brown was accused of having an improper job discussion with a lobbyist.

Honest to Pete! Will this kind of stuff ever end up there on the statehouse steps? Such an enbarassment to this state. Do we have any statesmen, or are they all just politicians?

Shouldn't the ethics committee investigate Mel Brown for his extramarital activities with a legislative aide? If that's not an ethical violation, what is?

Let me guess that he was probably one of those self-righteous, sanctity of marriage defenders.

The "Utah House Ethics Committee"? Are you kidding me?

I wish they could also questio the ethics of the AG also and the Lt Gov

how come we are not looking into ethics violations of IHC when they paid lobbyists to sway the senate task force towards their side when they were in danger of having to pay taxes for a change instead of monopolizing healthcare in Utah?

Trust me dude. Don't ask too many questions. You might end up with a brick through your front window from one of our indignant ethics crusaders!

I hope when they are looking into Walker, they take the time to look into Curtis, Bramble, Lockhart, Dave Clark and Greg Hughes. It seems this group has had their way too long. The intimidation and not so subtle comments made to those not supporting their agenda needs to come to light. How long will Curtis be allowed to demand certain people be fired for disagreeing with him, and any investigation from Shurtleff's office conveninetly finds the complaint without merit, and is closed to the public. Let's clean house now that they people are being exposed for what they are.

And what are the specifics of the allegations against Hughes, Clark, Bramble, Lockhart, and Curtis? That they are effective legislators and you dislike their voting record? Claiming "ethics violations" because you don't like their politics is unethical at best.

I got a hundred bucks that says all the leadership Republican piggies at the public trough will ultimately find that this fellow piggy of theirs did nothing whatsoever wrong. After all, he was just operating by the Republican play book.

The article points out that this situation is very rare at the Legislature. I think the implication is that the legislators are moral and ethical and that is why it is rare. I say BS, the reason it is rare is because these Republican leaders (Bramble, Curtis, Valentine, etc) keep such a tight lid on every move, action and thought that goes on in the Legislature. They bully the legislators into meekly complying and shutting up about all the sleazy and crooked insider dealing that goes on up there in the insiders club.

None of this will ever change as long as Utah sheep, er I mean voters, start throwing the bums out of office and elect honest citizens in their place.

Clean house? Are you kidding me? We wouldn't have anyone left in office if that were to happen. Nothing is going to happen anyway. The committee will just get enough sound bites in the media and let people feel like they are doing something about it long enough to get through Nov elections then it is business as usual. Face it, the ugly truth is politics is a dirty game that the few rich and powerful enjoy playing.

Isn't it interesting how hate filled and nasty we are under the cloud of anonymity. We can say things about people that no one knows we said and dang it we feel better. Lots of rumors little truth is what politics are and sadly we crave the sensationalism of it rather then the honesty of it. We should be proud to be from Utah and most of us holding temple recommends where we are asked how we treat our fellow neighbors. This my friends is hate at its truest form. If you can do a better job I am sure alot of them at capital hill would love you to take the spot so they can throw arrows at you constantly.

All I'll say is kudos to Rep. Allen and Rep. Mascaro and boo to Speaker Curtis.

Don't forget the three D's!

Cathy- we take our cues from our dear republican leadership. We're nice as can be in person, but on an anonymous message board, just like in a closed-door ethics hearing, or a closed-door leadership meeting, we can be degrading and nasty. We'd be kinder to them if they set a better example for us to follow.