Attorney General Mark Shurtleff's comments at today's DABC, "Alcohol and Pregenacy Don't Mix" press conference

 Tomorrow, I will have the entire DABC press conference posted on this blog, but I thought I would post Utah Attorney General  Mark Shurtleff's comments tonight due to the timely nature of his message and recent events.  

Mark Shurtleff attacks blogger after receiving $5,000 check

This post is a summary of Sam E. Antar’s posting labeled Overstock.com (NASDAQ: OSTK) CEO Patrick Byrne Pays Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff to Defame a Blogger.

- August 2007 Deputy Attorney General Richard Hamp invites Sam E. Antar to speak at the 14th Annual White Collar Crime Conference, Antar agrees to do so at no cost to Utah taxpayers.
Approximately two weeks later Hamp contacts Antar requesting that Antar not mention Overstock.com in his presentation and only discuss Overstock if he is asked a direct question about the company.

- October 30, 2007 – Overstock.com makes a $5,000 campaign contribution to Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

- October 31, 2007 – Antar presents at the conference; the program lists him as “ Sam Antar – Former CPA and Former CFO of Crazy Eddie, Inc. Mr. Antar helped mastermind one of the largest securities frauds of its time.” Chief Deputy Attorney General Kirk Torgensen later praises Antar, calling him a “rock star”

- November 2, 2007 – Antar receives an email from Deputy Attorney General John Kimble complementing Antar on his presentation at the conference.

- November 8, 2007 – Attorney General Mark Shurtleff writes an open letter to Overstock.com claiming that “(he was unable) to post this letter as a comment on his blog,” and that he was “warned that Mr. Antar might use this speaking engagement to suggest that (his) office or (Attorney General Shurtleff) personally endorse or support his accusations against Overstock.com or some other public company.”

- November, 2007 – Antar is contacted by Torgensen alerting him to the fact that Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne was “tee’d off” about Antar’s presentation.

- November 13, 2007 – Hamp attempts to contact Antar via voicemail but is unsuccessful. In the voicemail Hamp again compliments Antar but states in the voicemail that “we know our boss (Attorney General Shurtleff) has probably not been as appreciative but John and I sure are.”

- November 14, 2007 – Overstock.com issues a press release claiming that Antar refuses to post Shurtleff’s blog post.

- November 15, 2007 – Antar receives Shurtleff’s letter for what he claims to be the first time at 11:40 AM EST and posts the letter at 2:45 PM EST, immediately after presenting another free fraud presentation.

Later in the day Antar receives a call from Hamp confirming that Shurtleff lied about Antar and that he was never consulted by Shurtleff about any agreements made by Hamp and Antar relating to Antar’s presentation. In the same conversation Hamp disagrees with Shurtleff and that he was treated poorly by the office.

Antar attempts to contact Shurtleff via phone and email regarding the situation, but is unable to receive a response, this, despite the fact that Shurtleff had a correspondence with blogger Tracy Coenen wherein he refuses to retract his statements regarding Antar.

Torgensen contacts Antar asking what Torgensen can do to rectify the situation; Antar requests a full apology from Shurtleff that is sent out on the same channels as the original press release. Torgensen requests a day to see if he can get approval for a press release to “clarify the inaccuracy.”

November 16, 2007 – Antar contacts Torgensen asking about the status of the press release. Antar is told that he has “gotten and (sic) apology from three people in my office.” Antar responds that the lack of a correction “casts a shadow on your office and casts a shadow on the ethics and integrity of your office.” Torgensen responds by saying that he “understands where you are coming from, Sam.”

- December 25, 2007 – In an interview in Fortune Magazine Shurtleff, when discussing Antar’s allegations that Shurtleff is “doing the bidding of a wealthy backer” replies that it is “bullcrap” and continues to insult Antar, stating that “to a thief everyone looks like a thief.”

- February 9, 2008 – Byrne claims that Antar invited himself to a meeting with Shurtleff, met with him, and agreed not to spin the presentation or blog as Shurtleff agreeing with Antar’s views on Overstock.com. Byrne claims that “Sam had this meeting then immediately welched n that promise.”

- August 18, 2008 – Antar posts on his blog, whitecollarfraud.blogspot.com about these events and signs it “Sam E. Antar (former Crazy Eddie CFO and a convicted felon).”

For further details, again, please visit Antar's blog.

From White Collar Fraud: Shurtleff - the Sign Stealer

Click here for the full post -

Mark Shurtleff is seeking re-election as Utah State Attorney General. However, many voters are unaware that in 1998 Mark Shurtleff, running as a GOP candidate for the Salt Lake City Commission, was caught removing his opponent's campaign signs by the police.

According to a 1998 article in the Deseret News:

…Mark Shurtleff was caught pulling down one of his opponent's campaign signs…. Shurtleff pulled down the Reberg sign on Union Park Avenue near 7500 South. West Valley resident Allen Hose, who has worked on Democratic campaigns, saw him do it and made a few calls, including to the local police.

The Salt Lake City Tribune also reported:

Republican Mark Shurtleff, who has stressed honesty and integrity in his campaign, admitted his actions to police….

While Mark Shurtleff still claims to espouse “honesty and integrity” as the cornerstone for his current re-election bid to be Utah State Attorney General, in reality he is the best corrupt public official that the unprincipled management team at Overstock.com (NASDAQ: OSTK) can buy.

I will have more to say about Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff in my next blog post. In the mean time, you can read my previous blog posts about Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, here and here.

From Jean Welch Hill's Blog: Shurtleff and Education Funding?

I realize it may not be a smart political move to direct people to my opponent's website, but I must say, Mark has one of the saddest posts on his site that I have ever seen.

He has put together a 23 SECOND video on education funding. Anyone who has ever paid even the slightest attention to education funding can tell you there is no possible way to say anything meaningful on the topic in 23 seconds, and Shurtleff's video proves them right.

More...

The Attorney General and Conflicts of Interest

By Jean Welch Hill

Utah Democratic Candidate for Attorney General

Weber County residents were likely surprised when, earlier this week, they learned that the Weber County Attorney had been asked to investigate whether laws had been broken during the contentious Republican primary race for Utah Treasurer. This is unusual, since neither of the candidates (Mark Walker and Richard Ellis) live or work in Weber County. None of the alleged misdeeds occurred in Weber County, either.

So why is the Weber County Attorney involved, you ask?

The reason is that the person normally responsible for investigating such cases – Utah attorney general Mark Shurtleff – has an unmistakable conflict of interest. The attorney general is unable to do his job, and the Weber County Attorney is forced to pick up the slack. And that’s a shame.

Here is the back story. Treasurer candidate Mark Walker allegedly offered his opponent in the primary election, Richard Ellis, a bribe to get out of the treasurer’s race. Such an offer would violate Utah law. Utah’s Lieutenant Governor undertook an investigation and referred the case to Attorney General Shurtleff immediately after the polls closed.

And there lies the problem. Despite the allegations of misconduct and the possibility of an investigation by the attorney general’s office, Shurtleff wholeheartedly endorsed Walker and hosted a fundraiser for him. Having so clearly taken sides, it would be impossible for Shurtleff to make an impartial assessment of the case on the merits. Shurtleff himself seems to have acknowledged this, by appointing the Weber County Attorney as special counsel in the matter.

If this were a single oversight, it would be regrettable but possible to overlook. People make mistakes. But this is not the first time Shurtleff has allowed politics – and particularly political fundraising – to jeopardize his ability to serve as a watchdog of the public interest. Consider two other prominent examples.

Radioactive Waste. One of the most dire problems facing the state is the issue of radioactive waste disposal. As is now well known, EnergySolutions hopes to dump tons of overseas nuclear waste at its facility in Tooele County. A bipartisan coalition led by Gov. Jon Huntsman and U.S. Rep. Jim Matheson is battling the EnergySolutions scheme.

A primary thrust of Utah’s anti-radioactive waste effort has come through its position on the Northwest Interstate Compact on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management. Utah is a member of the Compact, and Utah’s representative recently cast a decisive vote against the EnergySolutions project. But in a virtually simultaneous action, EnergySolutions filed suit claiming that the Compact lacks authority over the radioactive waste facility in the west desert. Needless to say, if we are to avoid becoming the world’s dumping ground for radioactive waste, Utah will need the most aggressive and vigilant legal representation.

And there lies the problem. During his two terms in office, Shurtleff has taken more than $45,000 in campaign contributions from EnergySolutions, its predecessor Envirocare, and their corporate executives.

Shurtleff is on the fence, with a huge campaign donor on one side and the citizens of Utah on the other. This should never have happened. When it comes to an issue of such unparalleled importance, it is simply unacceptable for Utahns to be uncertain about where our attorney general’s loyalties lie.

Payday Lenders. Another policy issue that has been squarely in the public eye is the proliferation of payday lenders in Utah. These businesses often charge interest rates as high as ten percent – per week! That can amount to an annual interest rate of more than 500%. Many desperate borrowers find themselves unable to repay their loans, and end up owing even more to collections agencies. Yet Utah remains one of only seven states with no laws that would prohibit loans with such exorbitant interest rates. We need leadership at the state level to enact sensible laws to prevent predatory lending practices.

And there lies the problem. Shurtleff has taken no less than $70,000 from payday lending companies and their representatives during his time in office (including over $30,000 since January of this year) creating yet another problematic conflict between his political aspirations and public responsibilities.

Our attorney general should be educating the legislature about the perils of payday lending operations and advocating for sensible regulations to protect the public. In contrast, Mark Shurtleff has been one of the payday lenders’ strongest advocates at the Capitol. Given the massive investment that the payday lenders have made in his campaign, it is fair to ask who he truly represents, those who voted for him or those who paid him to run.

All candidates must get involved with fundraising. But the attorney general is an officer of the court and the paramount defender of the public interest. Utahns have every right to demand that their attorney general conduct his political affairs with a vigilant eye towards avoiding potential conflicts of interest. For without a change of behavior in the attorney general’s office, voters in Weber County and across Utah will continue to find themselves disappointed and disenfranchised by unnecessary conflicts of interest.

Uh, uh, uh...

Shurtleff clarifies conflicting letters on Walker investigation
A.G. clears confusion, says treasurer's primary bribery probe will continue
By Cathy McKitrick
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:06/27/2008 06:15:29 AM MDT

Two county attorneys tapped to look into bribery allegations against state Rep. Mark Walker will continue to investigate a possible criminal violation, the state Attorney General's Office said Thursday.

Attorney General Mark Shurtleff's office issued the statement to clarify its seemingly contradictory letters on the matter released a day earlier. The letters came from different officials in the A.G.'s Office, one seeming to indicate the investigation was being dropped and the other that it was going forward.

continue

NEWS RELEASE: Jean Welch Hill Criticizes Shurtleff's "OVERLY COZY" Support for a Pro-Voucher Judicial Nominee

SALT LAKE CITY - Jean Welch Hill, the Democratic nominee for Utah Attorney General, today took issue with Attorney General Mark Shurtleff after he voiced strong support for a judicial nominee who was one of the principal advocates for last year's failed voucher effort.

"As a sitting Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff should not be fawning over a judicial nominee," Hill said. "Our judicial system depends on strict independence between the executive and judicial branches. The public's faith in the system is compromised if there is any question about that independence. Overly cozy comments about judicial nominees could raise serious concerns if the Attorney General's office ever has to appear before the judge, which would be a near certainty if the judge is confirmed by the Senate."

The judicial nominee is Clark Waddoups, who was nominated yesterday by President Bush to serve on the Utah district court. Shurtleff was quoted in this morning's Salt Lake Tribune as saying, among other comments, that Waddoups "goes above and beyond in everything he gets involved in," is "as qualified as they get," and is "a great pick."

Waddoups has a long history as a voucher proponent. He unsuccessfully represented pro-voucher forces before the Utah Supreme Court in an attempt to strike down the referendum that enabled Utahns to vote on the voucher program. The Supreme Court rejected Waddoup's arguments, and Utah voters subsequently rejected the voucher scheme in a resounding fashion.

Shurtleff has been a vocal voucher supporter as well, and has clashed with Jean Welch Hill on the subject. Ms. Hill, who is an attorney for the State Board of Education, advised the Board against implementing the controversial voucher program while the issue awaited the referendum vote. Shurtleff was intensely critical of Ms. Hill and stripped her of her status as a special assistant attorney general.

"It is alarming that Mr. Shurtleff went out of his way to comment about this particular judicial nominee, because they worked so closely together on the voucher debacle," Hill said. "It raises legitimate concerns about cronyism, and also suggests that Mr. Shurtleff hasn't learned many lessons from the voters' overwhelming rejection of vouchers last November."

Mark “Merchant of Venice” Shurtleff

Yes, Attorney General Shurtleff, we need Pay Day Loans!

Those companies face high risk and overhead while serving their sophisticated and financially secure clientele. You lead the charge to help those charitable, consumer conscious lenders from facing the same fate that other states like Georgia and North Carolina did when they said “No More Payday Loans.”

I would hate to think you and your party would have to take away an option that could eliminate usury loans that have a median rate of 521% in Utah. I would hate to think our great state would even think of putting a cap on the allowable interest charged. I am sure the Republican Party will receive the benefit of campaign donations from our “Pay Day Pros.” No strings attached of course…

Have you considered allowing “A pound of flesh” to be exacted for non-payment of loans? Think of all the entertainment value…Oh, but that wouldn’t work…Shylock’s loan was interest free.

Bill Barron

Utah Attorney General Shurtleff Slanders Congressman Jim Matheson

Congressman Jim Matheson has always stated that he is a Utah Democrat who puts his constituents ahead of partisan politics.

On February 16, Congressman Matheson rightfully voted for a nonbinding resolution expressing support from Congress for the U.S. troops serving in Iraq while opposing Bush's plan to send 21,500 more combat troops into the war. It should also be noted that this non-binding resolution passed the House with bi-partisan support.

On Saturday February 17, 2007 Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said the following in his keynote speech at the Washington County Republican Party's Lincoln Day breakfast at Dixie State College:

"I'm sad to say that your representative, who likes to say he's Republican in his heart, voted with (Democratic House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi,"

"This Democratic resolution in the House and Senate right now condemns our president and our soldiers."

Shurtleff then reminded the audience that Republican candidates John Swallow and LaVar Christensen failed in their attempts to unseat Matheson.

"I don't want to dis on Matheson, he's a nice guy, but this is what we're talking about,"

Source: Deseret News

Shurtleff was referring to Christensen's ridiculous accusations during his failed campaign that Matheson would rubber-stamp whatever Pelosi and the Democratic leadership wanted.

Attorney General Shurtleff is also a nice guy, but that doesn't excuse him from putting words in Matheson's mouth and rubber-stamping LaVar's ridiculous and unsucessful campaign rhetoric.

Congressman Matheson has always represented his district in a bi-partisan manner, but would LaVar or Swallow have done the same?

Furthermore, Shurtleff's comment that Congressman Matheson is "a Republican in his heart" is nothing more than a blatant mis-representation leaving one to wonder what the AG really has on his mind?

I personally support Congressman Matheson's decision to vote for the non-binding resolution that clearly stated support for our troops. Simply said, it was a vote of the Congressman's conscience.

What I want to know is where is your conscience Mr. Shurtleff?

One would think that Utah's Attorney General would know better than to slander Utah's most popular congressman.