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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Summit County Commissioner Sally Elliott asked for the resignation of county Democratic Party Chairman Rob Weyher, who faces misdemeanor charges of drunken driving, assaulting an officer and offering a candidate a bribe to withdraw from a race.
Weyher refused and hinted he may run against Elliott in 2008.
"If he does run, I'll whup his butt," Elliott said.
Elliott's call for Weyher to step down came at the party's county Central Committee meeting Monday.
"It's come to the time when another person could more effectively help get Democrats elected in Summit County," she said.
Weyher, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges, said, "There are some people who want to operate under the Napoleonic code that assumes I'm guilty till proven innocent. But this isn't France."
Party stalwarts also are over whether Summit County's form of government should be changed from a three-member commission to a five-member council with an appointed executive. The issue goes to voters in November.
Elliott and Democratic County Commissioner Bob Richer favor the change. Weyher and former county Democratic Chairman Mike Marty oppose it.
In April, Republican Bill Miles, who opposes the change in government and is running against Richer, said he received a campaign contribution from Weyher and Marty.
Weyher said, "I'm still the chairman. And I'm working to get our candidates elected. I'm working to get Bob Richer elected."
Also Monday, Weyher nominated Marty to fill a vacancy as vice chairman of the South Summit area and said Marty would take on many of the chairman's day-to-day duties until November's election.
Lora Bonham, county Central Committee secretary and a legislative candidate, said the move may placate some who see publicity surrounding Weyher as a cloud over Democratic candidates.
"It's part of a response to assuage angry Democrats in this county, until he can get his day in court," she said.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
