A smiling Sen. Orrin Hatch handed out $270,000 to local charities Tuesday and promised that the event that raised the money - his Utah Congressional Challenge - would continue. But it may have to change.
The golf tournament, now 5 years old, has drawn fire. Recently Congress enacted federal ban on gifts to legislators from lobbyists and reformers don't like the fact that corporations pay a lot of money to golf with their local representatives, provide free lodging and more.The tournament has raised more than $1.06 million for Utah organizations, said Hatch, who promised to "continue to do it even if I am the only member of Congress who shows up."
Charities like the challenge (which distributes proceeds through the Utah Families Foundation that Hatch and wife, Elaine, started) "do an awful lot of good around the country," he said.
"In all the time I've held this tournament, I have yet to be lobbied."
Twenty charities received checks from the foundation Tuesday during a press conference at the Guadalupe School.
Hatch said the recipients were selected for their ability to impact families who have certain characteristics. Among them are lack of a parent, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, illness and abuse.
The grant checks ranged from $1,500 to $25,000 and were given to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Utah, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Caring Program for Kids, CAPSA, Canyon Creek Women's Crisis Center, The Children's Center, Center for Women and Children in Crisis, Family Support Center of Ogden, Guadalupe Schools, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Utah, National Ability Center, New Horizons, Park City Peace House, Quigley Women's Center, Ronald McDonald House, Springville Museum of Art, Utah Assistive Technology Foundation, Utah Boys Ranch, Utah Council for Crime Prevention, YWCA and Utah Arbitration Dispute.