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SALT LAKE CITY -- The far left and the far right have come together to demand answers to a political mystery in Utah. The question is: How did the top choice of Democrats for a top federal job fall out of favor at the Democratic White House?
It doesn't compute, and we think the citizens of the state have a right to know. If there was a deal, what was the deal? What's the trade-off?
–Mills Crenshaw, talk radio host
A Republican's name has suddenly popped up to the top of the list of candidates for the job of U.S. Attorney for Utah, and critics on both ends of the spectrum say there must have been a backroom deal.
For months, veteran prosecutor Dave Schwendiman was expected to be the next U.S. Attorney for Utah. He was the choice of Utah's only Democrat in Congress, Jim Matheson, and had support from Republicans too.
But a few weeks ago, Schwendiman was out and Scott Burns was in. The conservative Republican is a former Iron County prosecutor who served under President George W. Bush as deputy drug czar and is now being vetted for a top job by the Obama White House.
"To kind of steal from Shakespeare, ‘There's something rotten, and it isn't in Denmark,'" says Claudia Wright, former liberal congressional candidate.
The far left and far right are weighing in with suspicions.
"How is it that a Republican operative suddenly becomes the nominee for a Democratic president?" Wright says.
"It doesn't compute, and we think the citizens of the state have a right to know," says conservative talk radio host Mills Crenshaw. "If there was a deal, what was the deal? What's the trade-off?"
"Today, Utah's left and Utah's right unite to ask Orrin Hatch Barack Obama, ‘What's the deal?'" progressive talk radio host Troy Williams says.
They say Hatch is a close, personal friend of Burns. They suspect he promised the White House his support on something else in return.
"Obviously, horses were traded," Wright says. "We just don't know which horses."
But a spokeswoman for Sen. Hatch said he did not make a deal. The statement sent by Heather Barney says: "Hatch was in support of Dave Schwendiman for that position at all times, and the White House was aware of his support."
Matheson's spokeswoman sent a statement saying: "We can't comment until we get more information from the White House."
Burns still hasn't been officially named by the White House. Conservatives in the coalition say they like him for the job; they just don't like the process.
The coalition members admit they don't know what put Burns at the top of the list, but they blasted President Obama anyway for not living up to his promises of open government.
The White House did not return KSL's call Tuesday.
E-mail: jhollenhorst@ksl.com
