Comments about ‘Ethics complaints could tear Utah House apart’

Good, I hope the Republican House disintegrates. Get rid of all incumbents.

Bob, end the knee-jerk condemnations. See the other op ed today.

Vote them all out--absolute one-party corruption!

Here we go again. Media trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. Can't sell those papers unless there is controversy somewhere. And if there is no controversy, then you have to make one up.

I'll be happy when the state legislature starts listening to what their constituents want instead of voting any darn way they please. The Wasatch Front is rampant with legislative bullies who don't care what the people want.

Tear the Utah "house" apart? Wow, that would be like Christmas morning. Let the tearing continue as it's long overdue.

More soapboxing from Bernick. Blah blah blah. Gift ban, ethics reform, blah blah blah. Can you ever write a column without whining about this non-issue? Have you ever been able to prove that a gift under $50 bought a vote for anything? I lobby and promise you, dinner at Ruth's Chris nor Jazz tickets buy votes. It just provides an enjoyable venue to talk business. I've had a state senator, one of Bob's favorite to criticize, tell me he'll still vote against the bill I need passed even while I'm signing the check for dinner. It's just business.

There should be an ethics investigation made up of a balanced number of Republicans and Democrats AND John / Jane Doe's - impartial John and Jane Doe's.

It shoudn't drag out all summer long concluding just before the November elections.

Good on you mate! We can all only hope that the chronic imbalance of power will eventually topple this house of cards.

Thank you Bob, keep up the good work. Too many legislators have become corrupt and no longer do the people's work, they feather their own nests and do not listen to their constituents once in office. Yup, this is what happens when there is one party in power for way too long....It's only the media that can bring attention to the craziness on Capitol Hill.

I would retitle this piece: "Republicans Eat Their Own: Pass the Ketchup!" And the problem is????

I have to tell you as a life long democrat I am even starting to wear thin on this story line. Time to move on until something new happens. This just seems lazy to me.

Can you see why those of us who can't afford expensive steaks and professional athletic events might feel as though we get the shaft from the legislators whose paychecks we sign? They're living it up with you while we're working half the year to pay for all the great new laws you think we need.

I hope this complaint gets filed and that for once the taxpayers of Utah get a little bit o' justice for those in office who continually ignore our pleas.

If you want those things so bad in your life just run for office. Then you can have the pleasure of being beat down by the press and your life brought out in public for all to see. Those expensive tickets can be yours but it comes with a price, and I'm not talking about your vote.

I don't elect representatives to go to the Hill to make friends with each other. I want them to do the job they were sent to do, legally and morally. I expect them to listen to their constituents, not lobbyists. When they cease to do this, it's time for someone else with a fresher perspective to be sent in to do the job.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with our governing officials. No problems. All is fine in Pleasantville.
This is just something those pesky liberals are whining about.

I don't know which makes me feel more like I need a shower: The Republicans' whining about being accountable for their self-serving corruption, or "Johnson's Army" trying to justify the behavior of lobbyists.

Tell me, JA, if your buying legislators steak dinners has no bearing on their votes, why do you guys make such a point to do it so often, and try to hide it?

The more the better. I'm interested to see just how far this can go and clean out the legislature before the end of the year. If the Reps are as squeaky clean as they claim to be, then the ethics investigations won't last long and it will all blow over.

Sadly, our legislature is a culture of scratch my back and I'll scratch yours (or leave me alone and I'll leave you alone).

Last year I asked a legislator why she voted against a particular bill. She couldn't remember what the bill was and when I reminded her of the title and the sponsor, she said, oh, well I just vote against anything he sponsors because I don't like him.

It's my observation that too many legislators spend too much time worrying about friends and enemies at the capital and not enough time worrying about constituents and what's good for the state.

I spent nearly every day at the capital during the most recent legislative session. I found many legislators on both sides of the aisle who were good, honest statesman (and women) with only good intentions. However, there were many more who spent more time playing politics (and boosting their own egos) than actually working for their districts.