“I think it’s a very good thing they’re (the committee) taking it seriously,” said Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful, who testified before the committee this week. “But the system is still flawed. Legislators sit as prosecutors and jurors. Complaints are rarely filed because it is so hard on the person the complaint is against and on the person who brings the complaint.”
Hughes came before the committee after former Rep. Susan Lawrence, alleged Hughes had offered a $50,000 contribution to her reelection campaign back in 2006 if she would change her vote on vouchers. Lawrence contends she declined the offer.
Allen testified that Lawrence confided in her about the conversation she had with Hughes and Allen said she encouraged Lawrence to come forward.
“I could tell at the time that Susan was extremely uncomfortable about these offers; she told me that this wasn’t the way candidates were supposed to be getting money, and I agreed with her,” Allen said in her statement to the committee. “Susan Lawrence is a woman of great integrity and character, and I absolutely believe she had no doubt that Rep. Hughes was suggesting that, as she saw it, she could get much needed financial help if she would switch her position.”
Hughes maintains he did not make the offer and has complained that it is all just dirty politics right before the election.
Rep. Kevin Garn, R-Layton, agrees.
“People are making false accusations,” said Garn. “Clearly this is electioneering. It is pretty obvious there are political agendas. We need to continue to look at ethics reform and see where we can tweak it, but this is the Democrats trying to win seats. Just look at the people getting charged and the seats that would become vulnerable. It was a Democrat who leaked it with no first-hand knowledge.”
Garn is referring to Rep. Phil Riesen, D-Holladay, who has been blamed for tipping off the media about the complaint.
“They could have waited until after the election instead of three weeks before,” said Garn. “It is just shameful. This is not ethics reform but behavior of a certain party. There is no question in my mind that he (Hughes) will be exonerated.”
Riesen’s lawyer, David Irvine, Bountiful, said the timing was not a Democratic plot. “They’ve been looking at various charges against Rep. Hughes for the last couple of months,” said Irvine. “Sheryl and other legislators asked me to become involved. They had been concerned about legislators using power to solicit contributions with the subtle inference they would suffer retribution (if they didn’t comply). It took some time to find people who would testify in a complaint.”
Irvine said Riesen had done nothing wrong in taking the information to the media. “It is a bogus charge to say he did it to get Democratic seats,” said Irvine.
“Phil believed it was his obligation to make the charges public. He said the conduct was wrong, and people should know about it. There is no good time to file a complaint. People will always say it is political. That’s why we have a two-party system for checks and balances. People might think rules are different for them.”
In other testimony, Davis Education Association Director, Joel Briscoe was also asked to testify about a conversation he had with Rep. Paul Ray, R-Clearfield during a recent school district meeting with regard to bribes.
“Rep. Ray was at the meeting but not on the agenda,” said Briscoe. “Two people were sitting next to him talking about the Hughes case. Ray spoke up and said he had also been offered $100,000 to change his vote on vouchers. He told us when he declined, they went to others and offered $150,000 if they would run against him.”
Briscoe said after the meeting he followed Ray into the hall and continued to discuss what happened. Briscoe was later subpoenaed by the committee about what Ray had told him. Ray also testified.
“I don’t think I was surprised,” said Briscoe. “I think some of the campaign contributions are not used properly; it is not ethical.”
Allen said she has felt extreme pressure over the whole complaint but still believes it was the right thing to do.
“It will absolutely be hard during the upcoming Legislative session,” said Allen. “I’m going to try and continue to work on it (ethics reform). I hope I’ll be allowed to be a voice. Sometimes when people are upset with you they won’t let you be a voice — but I’ll really try.”
bginos@davisclipper.com
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