Utah Republican Party

State Central Committee Stands for Ethics in Government,

Opposes Current Initiative

SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Republican Party supports ethics in government.  The State Central Committee, which is the governing and policy making body of the Utah Republican Party, passed a resolution that supports ethics in government yet opposed the "Government Ethics Reform" initiative at their meeting on Saturday.  (Full text of passed resolution below).

Today Dave Hansen, the Utah Republican Party Chairman, stated:  "I was pleased to see The Utah Republican Party State Central Committee reaffirm its platform which demands honesty, integrity, morality and accountability from public officials.  The Utah Republican Party will continue to stand for ethics in government and will support meaningful measures to ensure ethical behavior."

On Saturday, the Committee voted to stand in opposition to the "Government Ethics Reform" initiative.  The Committee also voiced concerns as to the initiative's constitutionality including the move of responsibility for ethics in government from the voters and their elected officials to an unelected, unaccountable commission.  Even some of the initiative's supporters admit its flaws and know it will require legislative action to improve it.

The party has concluded that while Republicans support ethics in government, the initiative is flawed and usurps the Constitutional power given to the Utah's voters.

FULL TEXT OF RESOLUTION PASSED ON SATURDAY,  NOV. 21 IN BOUNTIFUL, UTAH

Resolution Supporting Ethics in Government and Opposing the Utah for ethical government (ueg) initiative

WHEREAS, the Utah Republican Party Platform states: "We demand honesty, integrity, morality, and accountability of our public officials" and further states: "We will work to expose and stop corruption.";

WHEREAS, the Utah Republican Party supports our republican form of government "by, through, and of the people" through elected representatives who are answerable to the people and who are empowered only by the consent of the governed;

WHEREAS, Utahns for Ethical Government ("UEG") is collecting signatures in an attempt to place an initiative entitled "Government Ethics Reform" on the ballot;

WHEREAS, among other things, the UEG initiative removes responsibility for ethics in government from the people and their elected representatives, and places it in the hands of an unelected, unaccountable commission;

WHEREAS, the power to judge "the election and qualifications of its members, and [to] punish them for disorderly conduct" is a plenary power that is constitutionally vested in and reserved to each house of the Legislature;

WHEREAS, the Utah Legislature has recently passed House Bill 345 (Lobby Restrictions), House Bill 346 (Campaign Report Amendments), Senate Bill 156 (Gift/Meal Provisions for Public Officials), Senate Bill 162 (Campaign Fund Use), House Joint Resolution 14 (Ethics Training), Senate Joint Resolution 6 (Legislator Communication with Judiciary) and created an Ethics Standing Committee to address ethics reform in Utah; and

WHEREAS, the Utah Legislature shall consider a number of additional bills during the upcoming 2010 legislative session addressing ethical, transparent, and open responsive government.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Utah Republican State Central Committee demands ethical government and supports legislation to improve ethical, transparent, and open responsive government, but opposes the constitutionally flawed UEG initiative UEG initiative entitled "Government Ethics Reform."