OREM — State Rep. Kathy Bryson, R-Orem, says she has no problem letting her constituents know where they can call her or even send e-mail, but she balks at revealing her home address because she fears for her personal safety.
The location of Bryson's residence became an issue last October when her estranged husband, Utah County Attorney Kay Bryson, ordered her not to return to the family residence.
Since filing for divorce, Kay Bryson has publicly questioned whether Kathy Bryson is indeed residing within the boundaries of her Orem legislative district, as required by state law.
On Friday, Kathy Bryson offered to let a Deseret Morning News reporter visit her current residence, but she withdrew the offer when the reporter declined to sign an agreement not to tell her editors the address or allow it to be published. As Bryson drove through an area near 50 West and 1000 South inside her district, she waved in the direction of a number of apartment buildings and told the reporter that was the area where she is currently living.
Controversy surrounds the high-profile divorce.
Kay Bryson has publicly accused his wife of forging his name on loan and property documents and keeping the money for her own personal use. He has asked the FBI to conduct a criminal investigation.
Kathy Bryson added another element this week on the House floor during debate involving a domestic violence bill when she said that she personally has experienced domestic violence in her home.
"I'm no stranger to domestic violence; a loaded gun was held on me," Kathy Bryson told the body. While she did not name a specific person during the debate, she later told the Deseret Morning News that the incident occurred about three years ago in her Orem home.
Kay Bryson bristled at the comments, saying he felt the remarks implied that he was the abuser.
"I have never, in 35 years of marriage, touched my wife in anger," Bryson said. "I have never held a loaded gun to her head."
"My mother is a nice person, but she cannot tell the truth," said Lisa McCarley, a married daughter of the Brysons who now resides in Texas. "Our whole family has given her every opportunity to come clean, and she won't."
Alana Ashman, also a married Bryson daughter who lives in Arizona, said she and her sister feel compelled to speak out in defense of their father.
"We can't let people think that (he's abusive). We have never, ever, in our entire lives seen him be violent in any way," Ashman said.
Other Bryson children offered similar views of their mother as they joined in support of their father.
Kathy Bryson says her children don't know everything that's gone on in her marriage and that she's deliberately withheld upsetting information from them.
She is appalled that the bitterness of her divorce is forcing her children to take sides.
"I won't say anything about my children," she said. "I will say this is private. This is painful."
Kay Bryson said if Kathy Bryson wanted to keep their business private, she should not have stood and implied that he was abusive.
Orem Police Lt. Bob Conner said there's no record of Kathy Bryson filing any type of domestic violence complaint against her husband.
Kathy Bryson said she did not file a police report but did seek out an attorney and speak with church leaders about her concerns.
The Bryson divorce also has political and legislative leaders wondering who to believe.
"I'm pushing to know what's going on," said Brad Daw, legislative chairman of District 60, which Kathy Bryson represents. "If Kay smeared Kathy, if Kathy is playing games."
Daw said the issue of Kathy Bryson's residency is really quite a minor issue.
"Frankly, it would be really, really stupid of her not to just rent a place in Orem, in her district," Daw said. "It would be easy."
House Majority Leader Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, said there have been no edicts issued to Kathy Bryson about keeping her personal affairs out of the halls of the Legislature.
Kathy Bryson said she currently uses a post office box number on the Legislature address listing, something she says is common among legislators.
"My home phone number has not changed in seven years," she said, "and is still the same today: 226-2061. My e-mail address, kbryson@utah.
gov, is available."
Bryson said she actually lives just a few blocks from the marital home she shared with Kay Bryson until last October.
"I'm still in my district and I'm still part owner of my former home, so I actually have two residences in my district."
Meanwhile, Federal Bureau of Investigations officials continue to probe the forgery allegations made by Kay Bryson.
"We're investigating whether there was a violation of a federal statute," said FBI spokesman George Dougherty on Friday. "This case is not going away."
E-mail: haddock@desnews.com