News Release: It’s ‘arrogance on steroids,’ says Democratic Party leader

The chair of the Utah Democratic Party Thursday urged Utahns to consider recent headlines when they go to the polls this year and next.

“Welcome to the Republican Party of Utah. This is arrogance on steroids,” said Wayne Holland, chair of the Utah Democratic Party.

State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff Thursday fired two Special Assistant Attorneys General who gave legal advice “contrary and inconsistent with advice given by me …” regarding the school voucher mess.

In his May 11, 2007, letter to the Utah State Board of Education, Shurtleff demanded the school board follow his instructions stating in bold print, “I am the constitutionally designated sole legal adviser to both the Utah State Office of Education and the Utah State Board of Education.” He went on to explain, "All legislation is presumed valid until it is stayed or overturned by a court of competent jurisdiction or repealed by the legislature."

Less than seven days later, Shurtleff - protecting the jurisdiction of the courts and the Legislature when it comes to determining the validity of a law - announced on KUTV that he had sent a letter to gas retailers in Utah informing them he would not enforce The Motor Fuel Marketing Act. “I sent a notice out, years ago to all the retailers out there. This is a law that I'm not going to enforce,” he told KUTV.

Republican Speaker of the House, Greg Curtis, thumbed his nose this month at Gov. Huntsman, Democratic lawmakers, and Utah voters telling journalists he would not abide by the will of the people regarding results of an upcoming referendum on school vouchers. Curtis’ mandate to supersede the results of a multimillion dollar election? 20 votes. Curtis barely retained his seat last November.

3rd District GOP Congressman Chris Cannon voted last month against putting more police officers on the street.

• At their state convention Saturday, some Republicans want to discuss whether undocumented workers are really “trained terrorists.”

• Some Utah County Republicans indicated last month at their convention in Provo that they believe the devil is involved in fostering illegal immigration.

• The state GOP - the party that lectures us on fiscal responsibility – fired its executive director last month apparently because he couldn’t manage money.
  

“As the number of bodies floating by in the river continue to grow under GOP leadership, Utah voters standing on the banks are going to start looking further and find out who is throwing the bodies in …” said Holland. “I believe Utahns will hold these characters accountable at the polls.”