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Utah lawmakers must have something to hide! Otherwise, why would they consistently, year in and year out, reject enacting meaningful ethics reform? It makes us wonder what kind of influence peddling is going on. And while we genuinely hope it isn’t the case, one has to begin asking who among the esteemed body might be on the take?
Clearly, on this issue, legislators are not listening to their constituents. As in past years, a new KSL/Deseret Morning News poll reaffirms that most Utahns – 67 percent – believe lobbyists should be banned altogether from giving gifts to Utah lawmakers. Yet, the legislators continue to rake in the goodies.
According to reports they’re required to file, lobbyists spent more than $140-thousand on the esteemed politicians last year. That’s more than $1500 per senator and representative. Because of the way the current law reads, however, the people of Utah don’t know who got what. More worrisome, the public doesn’t know what was given in return for all of those free meals, game tickets and rounds of golf. Again this session, it didn’t take long to scuttle reasonable attempts to enact change - to bring accountability to their ranks. And that, of course, leaves everyone wondering exactly what it is Utah lawmakers are hiding.
