Comments about ‘Walker registers as a paid lobbyist’

Hmmm... too unethical to be a legislator yet Walker will be rubbing shoulders with them as a lobbyist. Just amazing.

The Legislature can pass all sorts of laws regarding ethics, but if you are still an unethical person you will find ways around the law. And yes I realize there currently are no laws against immediately becoming a lobbyist and for many the name lobbyist is a four-letter word - but come on folks do you really need a law to tell you how to be ethical? Sorry, what was I thinking, this is Utah, of course they do.

If you want respect it is so simple. Don't accept gifts of any kind, in any amount ever. This is the only way to a bonafide claim that you are not being influenced. Buy your own meals and your own tickets. Do more than is expected and take less than you are entitled to. Limit the amount and types on campaign contributions you accept. Any unused amounts left over go to charitable causes. It's not that legislators don't know what is right, they lack the will to do the right thing leaving politics suspect.

It doesn't surprise me that this criminal is going to be a lobbyist for IHC insurance (AKA Select Health). They are corrupt and monopolistic.

I would like to see the list of who he is lobbying for.

A side note, or a sad note? I hold no expectation of any significant ethics reform form this session.

Walker can't be unethical, he is a member of the republican party. Remember he couldn't even hold a debate on Sunday because he had to go to church.

Everything about this guy says is a guise to get people, who won't think for themselves, to trust him. GOP member? Check. Goes to church? Check. Minor "misunderstanding" of the law? Check. Don't get me wrong being a GOP member and going to church is not a bad thing, but ask yourselves do you really think that this guy is a true reflection of what all of these things stand for? Absolutely not.

Now he is a lobbyist. Do you really think that he will start to respect the law when it comes to gifts to all of his buddies that supported him for treasurer like Herbert and Schurtleff?

What I don't get is why people aren't demanding that the GOP party purge itself of the unethical behavior. It has gotten so bad that they don't even hide it anymore. All they expect to do is build up the guise and hope people fall for it hook, line, and sinker.

Why do people trust/elect Republicans in this state? They are corrupt and unethical.

I think Mr. Bernick is getting his 'factual' articles mixed up with his 'opionion' columns. It appears that Mr. Gehrke (SL Tribune) found Greg Curtis on the registered lobbyist list AND his clients. Perhaps Mr. Bernick should do a little more research and and little less gossip which is manifested by paragraphs like, "And now there is talk that. . ."

So as a legislator it's illegal to offer a bribe, but as a lobbyist you get paid for it? I think they should have made it a stipulation that he had to stay away from the political arena for several years. He will have no remorse, no guilt, he's just been allowed to legally do what got him in trouble...

Day 2 of the legislature and we have Walker and Curtis back as lobbyists.

Gov, along with Buttars this is why we are not voting. Why bother?

Utah needs to follow Obama in regulating lobbyists to a two year cooling down period. Thought that was decided when AG Jan Graham became one.

So many in here think that Walker has no right to chose what he wants to do for a living...probably the same folks who are whinking at the new US Sec of Treasury failing to pay taxes for over 4 yrs.

What? Do we live in a one mistake society?

This guy should never be able to work again. He should go on welfare, food stamps and CHIP for his kids and let the taxpayers support his family.

Lobbying is a legitimate profession. You make money off your knowledge of the process and your relationships with people.

How many of you would not use your connections and past experiences to make a living?

Did ya see my last medical bill from IHC? Theyll go together like a hand and glove.

How dare he | 10:35 a.m. sounds pretty harsh to me. Wants the guy to "Never be able to work again"??? For a Misdemeanor offense!!! Sounds pretty harsh to me.

I wonder if he/she is as harsh on people who break our immigration laws? I dare bet not. People like this are usually just harsh on political opponents.

It's probably just more political clap-trap from a Republican-hater.

Hey, "No wonder he was smiling | 9:21",

Where did you get your information that Greg Curtis is a registered lobbyist?

Is this just more Democrat lieing? Or do you have some information the rest of us don't have?

His bio on wikipedia is current up to 2008 but there's no mention of him being a lobbyist. Did you just make that up? Or is it a fact?

I thought the ridiculousness of my post would make it clear that I was being sarcastic.

I'll cut the sarcasm and make my point. The guy is trying to earn a living to provide for his family. I'd rather him do that then free load off the government and tax payers like a lot of people out there.

And he should be forced to take a "economic stimulus package" that pays a "tex refund" to those that don't pay taxes....err wait...he would have to be US Sec. of Treasury for that one.

The answer to BIG DEAL's question, "How many of you...?," starts, with me, at one. Anyone want to raise me?

Mark Walker's unfortunate decision to take advantage of his connections and knowledge of the system (too bad he didn't have "knowledge" of the laws that apply to candidates running for election) benefits Mark Walker, but is a huge black-eye on a Utah Republican Party that already has an innumerable number of black eyes for which it has yet to show the slightest evidence of remorse.

These kinds of stories make it hard (or, rather, impossible) for proud conservatives to be proud Republicans, not to mention their effect on the average, already-very-cynical voter.