Two political fliers accusing a number of Utah Republican candidates for state and county offices of assorted ethical violations and criminal behavior may prompt more than political defenses.
Because of the fliers, which come from a political action committee called Truth in Politics, at least one candidate is threatening legal action and several legislators already are promising to tighten campaign finance laws. Specifically, rules for PACs and political issue committees may require that the contact information for the groups allow people to easily contact them — something TIPPAC's statement of organization does not do.
In fact, repeated attempts by the Deseret Morning News to contact TIPPAC's chief financial officer and C.L. Peacock, the only donor listed on the group's Tuesday financial disclosure, failed. The only listed phone number hangs up on the caller after four or five rings, while a resident of the only listed address, a ski condominium near Deer Valley, did not answer after almost 20 minutes of knocking. Additionally, a Web site for the group is "under construction" and a biography of Peacock does not have any contact information.
It was only by contacting consultants for the group that TIPPAC senior adviser Debbie Willhite, who is based in Washington, D.C., could be found. The fliers, she said, are meant to highlight problems within Salt Lake County government and the lack of willingness by elected officials to address those problems. Utah is a "pilot" state for the national group, although they plan to target candidates in states that have legislative elections in 2005, such as Virginia, Willhite said.
"We want to see if we can get some kind of change in Utah," she said. "Maybe we can restore faith in government."
Although the fliers only target Republicans, Willhite said their group is nonpartisan and only highlighted Republicans because change will not happen "as long as one party controls the state." The group is not coordinating its efforts with any other party or activist group, and all of the information in the fliers is based on reports in state newspapers, she said.
TIPPAC has mailed at least two fliers, one entitled "Salt Lake County Wall of Shame," which has pictures of nine Republican county and state officials or former officials with graffiti-style accusations painted over their faces. The second flier is entitled "Map of Corruption" and points to places in the county where "scandals" have taken place. Willhite said they plan at least one more flier, plus radio ads, if time can be purchased.
Salt Lake County Councilman Steve Harmsen disputes the accuracy of the fliers and said that placing the words "Guzzle Gate" over his picture in the "Salt Lake County Wall of Shame" flier borders on libelous. Though Harmsen was not identified in any of the county scandals — they happened in separate offices — Willhite said that her organization tied him to the scandals because as chairman of the Salt Lake County Council, he did not pursue investigations of the allegations of illegal gasoline purchases. He said he is considering legal action.
"I've had nothing to do with any of it," Harmsen said. Tying him to the scandals "hurts my integrity and standing as a businessman in Salt Lake County, which meets the definition of libel."
State Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Valley, said that the group is a sign of new times in state politics, but one that is prevalent in the East: "ghost PACs." Their practice is to come into a state near election day, have phantom phone numbers and addresses, spread vicious attack advertising, then leave the day after the election.
In this case, Buttars said, he suspects that the group is specifically targeting him and Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Draper, because of their sponsorship of Amendment 3, which would put a same-sex marriage ban in the Utah Constitution. The group attacks Buttars as "guilty" in both fliers. He said the fliers took parts from a much longer quote. "Take a little truth, crop it right, and you've got a great lie.
"This is national gay politics, it's the gays out to get us," he said. "If they just attacked LaVar and me, it would be too blatant."
To stop future problems, he said "we've got to look at the whole PAC issue" and place strict requirements on how a PAC's leaders are identified.
"I think you should almost have to have a picture" of the organizers, Buttars said.
As for Christensen, the fliers attack him for giving away water rights. When asked about that, however, the representative could offer no explanation.
"To me it just seems groundless," Christensen said. "I don't even know what they're referring to."
Utah Democratic Chairman Donald Dunn said that the party had nothing to do with the fliers, and that he hadn't even seen one as of Friday evening. He said he knows nothing about the group.
E-mail: jloftin@desnews.com