Behind the RNC's 'warning' text in Utah's fight over Proposition 4

SALT LAKE CITY — The Republican National Committee is getting involved in Utah's fight over Proposition 4, sending a text message this week warning about a company working to convince voters to remove their names from a ballot initiative petition.

"Warning: Be careful about people asking for your information about petition signatures," the text message stated. "We have received reports these paid canvassers work for a firm under criminal investigation in another state. Don't give them your information, just say NO!"

KSL has learned the text message refers to Dallas-based Advanced Micro Targeting Inc. Last year, Missouri's Republican attorney general announced a civil investigation into the company over reports it employs "illegal immigrants" in its signature-gathering efforts.

The company's president denounced the RNC's text message — and the complaint filed in Missouri that prompted the probe — as a "lie," noting his company is "not under criminal investigation."

Meanwhile, Utah's Republican Party chairman condemned out-of-state groups seeking to prevent this issue from getting on the November ballot.

It's all part of a whirlwind period before the lieutenant governor's office will either certify the signatures in support of the Proposition 4 repeal initiative — or declare them insufficient.

'Warning' text

This fight dates back to 2018 when Proposition 4 was narrowly passed by Utah voters. It created an independent commission to recommend new political boundaries to lawmakers every 10 years while setting standards to avoid gerrymandering by not favoring one political party over another.

After the GOP-controlled Legislature weakened the commission and chose maps of its own, voter groups sued, leading a judge to throw out Utah's congressional map and adopt a new one that created a Democrat-leaning district in Salt Lake County.

As Republican legislative leaders pursue an appeal, Utahns for Representative Government said it turned in enough signatures over the weekend to qualify the initiative for the November ballot, asking voters whether or not Proposition 4 should be repealed. Both President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance have come out in support of the initiative.

But the fight isn't over. Once a voter's signature is posted on the lieutenant governor's website, they have 45 days to request that it be removed.

On Monday, the Republican National Committee sent out its "warning" text about the signature gathering company working to remove names from the petition, along with a graphic featuring the words "Utah Alert!" The picture said it was paid for by the RNC and authorized by Utahns for Representative Government. KSL was told the Utah group approved the graphic, but not the specific wording in the text message that was sent out.

A subsequent text message sent on Tuesday was less specific.

"Opponents are asking that you remove your name," it read. "Don't let special interests cancel your vote. Keep your name on to uphold constitutional redistricting."

That message was sent by Utahns for Representative Government, not the RNC, and was already planned to go out before the earlier text, according to Rob Axson, chairman of the Utah Republican Party and one of the organizers of Utahns for Representative Government.

Axson said the second text reflected the message Utah organizers are trying to spread.

"There are a bunch of groups that are wanting to come into Utah to try to encourage or shame or bully people into removing their names," Axson said. "Let's let Utahns have the chance to decide this. Let's trust the process to play out."

Billy Rogers, president and founder of Advanced Micro Targeting Inc. — the company referred to in the text message from the RNC — disputed the claims made while suggesting he wants the committee to retract its statement.

"The fact of the matter is that someone made a complaint to the Missouri attorney general, claiming that we hired undocumented workers," Rogers told KSL. "That's a lie."

He said his company ensures that workers are eligible to work through E-verify. Rogers added that his firm has "complied with the most recent request from the Missouri attorney general."

"At the end of the day, they put out something that is untrue," he said of the RNC's text message. "My question to them is, are they going to retract it?"

The RNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Rogers said his company was hired by Defend Utahs Ballot, a Delaware-based political issues committee organized in opposition to the Proposition 4 repeal effort, to run a door-to-door campaign in Utah encouraging voters to remove their names from the initiative. He declined to say how many workers are in Utah or how long they have been in the state.

Axson noted that even if the initiative clears the signature thresholds, it will still need to be approved by voters in November.

"Let's let this state decide," Axson said. "Let's not be infringed upon or bullied by a bunch of people who don't live here and who don't have to deal with the consequences years down the road."

'Voter intimidation'

Advanced Micro Targeting Inc. is not the only group working to eliminate signatures from the Proposition 4 repeal petition. Better Boundaries, the group behind Proposition 4's original passage in 2018, is doing the same thing.

"Better Boundaries is a small grassroots organization, and our signature removal work has been powered by Utah volunteers, Utah organizations, and donations from Utahns," said Elizabeth Rasmussen, the organization's executive director. "Given allegations of deceptive signature gathering tactics and reports of fraud, we encourage everyone to check whether their name is on the petition and remove it if they choose."

But David Griffin, an Alpine resident who signed the petition to put the Proposition 4 initiative on the ballot, told KSL he was disturbed by a text message he received recently from Better Boundaries, asking if he "really meant to sign something that allows politicians to rig their own elections."

"How dare you suggest that I'm too stupid to know what it was when I signed a petition," Griffin said. "That's your view of me — I'm too stupid to have an opinion different than yours."

Griffin called that message a form of "voter intimidation," but Rasmussen disagreed, especially with reports of fraudulent signatures submitted in Utah County and misleading tactics from some signature gatherers.

"So yes, we are reaching out to verify," Rasmussen said. "It is a simple check asking if you meant to sign. If not, here is the official process to fix it."

What's next?

While the signature verification for the Proposition 4 initiative plays out, Utah lawmakers are still considering trying to amend the state Constitution to give the Legislature explicit authority to overrule or amend ballot initiatives.

Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, suggested lawmakers will look to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot this year, but he didn't provide any details.

As for the effort to overturn Proposition 4, Schultz told reporters on Tuesday he's "excited that Utahns will have a chance to make the decision on it" if all the signature requirements are met.

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