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SALT LAKE CITY -- A state lawmaker wants to study whether the attorney general in Utah should be an appointed post.
Sen. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, also questions whether the AG should be a fundraiser.
"A lot of the money that the attorney general raises is from companies that kind of skirt the line - you know, of what's legal and what's illegal - and if the attorney general decides to not prosecute, then that's the judge and jury right there," Urquhart said Monday.
Urquhart says an appointed attorney general is the way the federal government operates. He insists it's a public policy question more than something directed at any individual.
Attorney General Mark Shurtleff told KSL's "Doug Wright Show" Monday he did believe it was "personal" and an "ongoing" issue of Sen. Urquhart. He calls the idea "ridiculous," and defended the integrity of his office.
"There's never been one founded allegation where anybody that has given me campaign contributions has received any kind of special deal, any kind of special favoritism," Shurtleff said. "I have prosecuted companies, I have gone after companies for antitrust violations who have given campaign contributions - it's just not there."
Urquhart in August 2009 met with an assistant U.S. attorney and agents from the IRS and FBI. They were investigating Utah County businessman Rick Koerber. Urquhart suggested at the time Koerber may have given Shurtleff donations through a third party to avoid disclosure laws. The senator called the allegation "all speculation," but also termed the practice "selling fire insurance" - akin to "buying off a judge."
Shurtleff dredged up the past Monday on KSL, calling the prior allegations "ridiculous" and "completely unfounded."
Urquhart acknowledges the idea of an appointed attorney general may be unpopular, because it disenfranchises voters.
He passed on his recommendation to the legislative management committee. Urquhart says if the body moves to study the issue, it will get a look in the coming months. A proposed amendment could be introduced in the 2012 legislative session, with a vote ultimately coming to Utahns in the 2012 general election if a bill is ever passed.
"This is something I think is a worth-while discussion and we'll just see how that discussion goes," Urquhart said.
Shurtleff welcomed the debate, contending an elected attorney general better serves the people.
"I've heard zero groundswell," Shurtleff said. "I don't mind going and sitting before a legislative committee and explaining just how important it is to have an elected AG who is answerable to the legislature as well as to the people of the state, who isn't completely controlled - and I can give example after example."
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
