Comments about ‘Gov. Gary Herbert defends meeting with Alton Coal Development’

Meeting with the company wasn't necessarily wrong. Giving them special privileges after they donated thousands of dollars to his campain was.

I just lost more than a little respect for Herbert. Alton is a beautiful part of the state and this place will wreck it.

"There will be no independent investigation, because there is nothing to the accusations, Herbert's office has said."

And that's why we need an INDEPENDENT authority to investigate. The lunatics in the asylum don't think they're crazy.

Herbert is losing credibility with each word that comes out of his mouth. We need a leader to get our state back on track, and Gary's simply not leading.

The timing on this is just too suspicious not to question.

Gary, I could care less about the man running against you's actions. I am however concerned about your actions. I remember you from Utah county.

We need an investigation.

Well gollee gee guv, it 'quacks like a conflict of interest', 'it swimgs like a conflict of interest', and it 'feathers like a conflict of interest'...oh my donald duck...it must be a conflict of interest. Bro Gary, give the $10K back and move on. When will u politicians learn that basic concept.

What Herbert needs to recognize is that a lack of transparency is why people are so upset with the Utah Legislature and Congress.

If Alton is going to be sacraficed to aid his coal constituents, at least be straight with us and open about it. Give Alton equal time face-to-face with the governor so they can air their side of how trucks of coal driving in and out of their community will impact their quality of life.

Gary Herbert received $50,000 to defend and advocate for Energy Solutions (then Envirocare, seeking their original license), even made direct calls to opponents to pursuade them to bring their opposition around & support the creation of the Envirocare nuclear dump.

Today, while the public overwhelmingly opposes importation of nuclear waste from other nations, and depleted uranium (which gets more dangerou through time), Governor Herbert feins opposition to accepting DU importating other nations' waste, yet allows the trains to deliver the DU while calling for a study to determine what to do. (?????)

Energy Solutions just declared void their agreement with Gov Huntsman, Gov Herbert's old boss.

Gary will appear to be opposed to DU and imported waste for political reasons, but ultimately Energy Solutions will get their way with no substantial opposition from the governor.

The Utah public is getting sold out by the Governor & the Legislature, and public opposition to this critical issues not withstanding, the public will reflexively & overwhelmingly re-elect them.

Why do people find this coal mine backroom agreement surprising? That's the curious thing.

Three options for politicians - Deny - Defend - Lie!

Heaven forbid, in these extremely difficult economic times with many a good person looking for work, especially in rural Utah, that the Governor push a bureaucracy to move a little faster on a permitting process to allow a company to create some badly needed jobs in an area that badly needs them.

It is amazing to me how puny minded people are getting. Do we always automatically assume that people are lying? If the voting public keeps acting like idiots they very soon will be represented by people just like themselves. This constant sniping, accusatory, slimy political barrage is keeping a lot of very good people out of politics. We will end up with exactly what we deserve.

As for Utah conservative, you obviously haven't spent more than 30 seconds looking at the rigorous environmental requirements placed on any mining operation. There will still be plenty of beautiful scenery to look at. And, I am sure the people in that area will be very grateful for the jobs and economic activity that goes with it. Unfortunately, the $200 you spend there every 3 or 4 years just won't keep them going.

Gary Herbert will sell Utah to the highest bidder and the sheeples will vote him into office to do so - Utah thinks it can separate itself from the Federal Government but they will become servants to the GOP idiots in Utah - can't win for losing

Herbert you scumbag. You are not here to govern! You are obviously here to do the whatever the highest bidder desires. I think that makes you a prostitute.

Sounds like the Trib crowd is over here pushing for their man Corroon.

You guys at the Deseret Snooze are hilarious. You obviously despise Gov. Herbert and so continuously create controversy for him out of nothing.

I love it.

And I'm confident it won't work in helping to seat your beloved Corroon.

I haven't seen Corroon's name mentioned here, except by you. Nice attempt at deflection.

We had a governor who was a statesman because he did the right thing regardless of the political cost.

Now we have a governor who puts the political thing ahead of the right thing, just like our legislators.

We need a referendum on political ethics more than ever. Sign the petition and put it on the ballot!

It is time to put the people back in charge of the government.

HERBERT=CORRUPTION

Meeting with constituents is fine. It just concerning when the meeting happens to coincide with a $10k donation and aquid pro quo. This smells bad. And everyone knows it. Corruption corodes government. When one party dominates a state like ours- these little good o'l boy deals start to creep into the system.

Do you really think if the Governor was trying to do something nefarious the mining company would have made a direct contribution in their name. With PAC's, political party funds and other special interest funds there are a thousand ways to hide money.

The Ethics Referundum is a joke. The honest people are already complying and the crooks still won't comply. The only way to ensure good government is for good, informed people to get involved. Today, in this country, it seems only the vitriolic nut jobs are being heard.

As I said before - we are getting exactly what we deserve. The way the Ethics Reform package is written the only people who could safely run for offie is government employees or the unemployed. Everyone with a real job will be conflicted out or rightly will not want to disclose confidential client information.

Ethic reforms, term-limts, campaign finance reform and the like are tools of a lazy electorate. All they really do is drive the crooks further underground and keep anyone from really looking. They give a false sense of comfort.

The people do need to be heard again, just like on Vouchers. Our "leaders" feel like they need not respond to public opinion, like we're fortunate to have them preside over us. It happens over & over again. They just don't get it.

Time for not just Ethics Reform, but making electronic signatures acceptable for referendum petitions. It's time for a more responsive democracy in Utah.