Lt. governor's campaign role called 'inappropriate' by two candidates for attorney general
Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson is, under state law, Utah’s chief election officer, with the responsibility “to oversee, and generally supervise, all elections an Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, Utah’s chief election officer, is also campaign finance committee co-chair for Derek Brown, one of several Republican candidates for Utah Attorney General. Under state law, she has the responsibility to oversee all elections and functions related to elections in the state. However, Rachel Terry, candidate for AG, and Frank Mylar, Attorney General candidate for Attorney General, called this "inappropriate" and suggested that Henderson's fundraising role for Brown created an appearance of a conflict of interest. Matthew Burbank, University of Utah political science professor, called Henderson's campaign fundraising a potential conflict of interests and questioned whether other disputes in the Attorney General's race would be handled with impartiality.
Published : 4 weeks ago by https://www.facebook.com/kutv2news, Brian Mullahy, KUTV in Politics
Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson is, under state law, Utah’s chief election officer, with the responsibility “to oversee, and generally supervise, all elections and functions related to elections in the state.”
She is also campaign finance committee co-chair for Derek Brown, one of several Republican candidates for Utah Attorney General.
• With her name on the ballot, Lt. Gov. Henderson sequesters from questions about election
“I think it’s inappropriate,” said Rachel Terry, candidate for AG, of Henderson’s fundraising role for Brown. “Even though it’s not prohibited by law, it creates an appearance of a conflict of interest, and indeed, I think there is a conflict of interest.”
Terry told KUTV Henderson’s campaign post undermines credibility, and said the lt governor should resign from it.
Attorney General candidate Frank Mylar said he was “flabbergasted” Brown offered Henderson the fundraising co-chair position, and flabbergasted she accepted it.
“That’s a clear conflict of interest,” Mylar said, adding he also thinks Henderson should step down as a lead campaign fundraiser.
In a written statement to 2News, Lt. Governor Henderson said she is tasked with investigating complaints on whether candidates are eligible for the ballot, saying, “I have repeatedly proven my ability to decide such matters in a fair and objective manner, regardless of any external political pressure or outside influence.”
She cited the case of Trent Christensen, yet another AG candidate, who was the subject of a complaint of Christensen “not being registered to practice law in Utah.”
Henderson said she “thoroughly investigated, and “determined the objection had no merit, and denied the complaint.”
Matthew Burbank, University of Utah political science professor, called Henderson’s campaign fundraising “a potential conflict,” and said “it raises real questions.”
Burbank said it’s not that the lt governor has, or “would do anything wrong,” but whether other disputes that may arise in the Attorney General’s race would be handled with the same impartiality.
For his part, Brown said he’s “honored to be supported by some of Utah’s most trusted Republicans,” adding he’s “the best person to lead Utah’s efforts to push back against federal overreach as our next Attorney General.”