The case of the golfing legislators is over, both Republican and Democratic House leaders said Wednesday, with no official action taken against the sportsmen.
Without being required to do so, two of three House members who missed meetings at a national convention because they were golfing will repay the state for that "lost" day, a third House member will consider doing likewise.Several weeks ago, three House members and two senators, all Democrats, went golfing in San Diego on the day - they thought - before the start of the annual convention of the National Conference of State Legislators. Unfortunately for them, some NCSL committees to which they were assigned did meet on Sunday, the first time legislators had NCSL Sunday meetings. Even worse, KSL-TV Channel 5 was at the convention and took pictures of them golfing when, in fact, they should have been in meetings.
One senator and two House members missed some meetings, a senator and House member arrived late for their meetings.
Senate GOP leadership met in San Diego, reviewed the circumstances, and quickly said no action needed to be taken against their golfing members - Sens. Rex Black, D-Salt Lake, and Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, because pre-conference meeting schedules were incomplete, the men's tee off times were delayed and a van scheduled to return them to the convention center was late. If not for those circumstances, beyond the senators' control, they would have made their meetings.
Wednesday, House Speaker Rob Bishop, R-Brigham City, said the three House members - Reps. Kurt Oscarson, D-Sandy, and Brent Goodfellow and Gene Davis, both D-Salt Lake - showed no "malicious abuse" in their actions and that no formal actions will be taken against them. "It's over as far as I'm concerned," said Bishop.
Democratic House leaders, however, were concerned that only Democrats were singled out for criticism at the convention. While not saying that Republicans may have also missed meetings to play golf, attend church or do other non-legislative activities (Republican leaders deny any Republican did any of these things), the Democratic House leaders said after talking with Oscarson, Goodfellow and Davis, some type of action was needed.
Accordingly, says House Minority Leader Frank Pignanelli, D-Salt Lake, Oscarson and Goodfellow will reimburse the state for one day at the convention - the Sunday in which they missed or were late to meetings. (In fact, Oscarson has already given the House clerk a personal check for $175, which is one-fifth of the convention registration fee and one day's per diem and hotel room.) Davis is considering doing likewise but wants to think about it some.
Davis says his caucus leaders have placed him in a "very precarious position." "I did nothing wrong," says Davis. If the golf tournament and transportation had been run as promised, he wouldn't have missed his Sunday meeting. "If I pay some kind of fine - which this looks like - then it looks like I did" do something wrong. Within several weeks Davis will decide what he'll do.