Utah Attorney General Paul Van Dam won a big one Tuesday, even if it only was the word "chief."
Van Dam persuaded senators not to place "chief" before "legal advisor" in a proposed constitutional amendment. The matter may seem small, but Van Dam and bill sponsor Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan, say the change means a great deal to the duties of the attorney general.The constitutional amendment deals with the attorney general's responsibilities. Hillyard and the Constitutional Revision Commission believe state agencies should be allowed to hire their own staff attorneys. In fact, about 23 so-called "closet attorneys" are already working for various state agencies, giving legal advice to their bosses under the table.
Under the current constitutional provisions for the attorney general, that's illegal, all agree. The attorney general is the sole legal counsel for the executive branch, period.
But Van Dam has looked the other way as the 23 ply their trade because, as he says, he has control over those attorneys (he could probably get them fired) and works well with them.
Hillyard and the CRC want to make it all above-board. But most senators fear rapid growth of in-house attorneys, with different agencies fighting with each other, as attorneys are wont to do.
Still in the constitutional amendment is a change that would allow the governor to hire his own personal attorney and not rely solely on the attorney general or "closet attorneys" of his own.