A former Utah congressman, who helped lead on Clinton impeachment, dies

Former Utah Rep. Chris Cannon, a conservative Republican businessman and lawyer who served in Congress from 1997 to 2009, died Wednesday. He was 73.

Several close friends confirmed his death Thursday to The Salt Lake Tribune, though they did not state a cause.

A descendant of a family prominent for generations in Western politics, Cannon graduated with several degrees from Brigham Young University, pursued a successful business career and was an associate solicitor for the Interior Department before defeating Democrat Bill Orton to represent Utah’s 3rd Congressional District.

He would be reelected five times and was one of 13 managers of the 1998 impeachment by the U.S. House of then-President Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair.

In an alliterative Feb. 9, 1999, impeachment argument to the Senate urging Clinton’s conviction, Cannon implored Democrats and Republicans alike “to set aside partisanship, politics, polls and personalities, and exchange them for loftier inclinations, those of procedure, policy and precedent.”

”We, as Americans and legislators, have never supported a legal system which has one set of laws for the ruler and another for the ruled,” he continued. “... Because I love this country and its institutions, I pray for inspiration for each of you as you seek the proper legitimate outcome.”

The Senate acquitted Clinton.

Cannon was one the most conservative GOP House members in his day, reflecting the political leanings of his district. His voting record once earned him a lifetime score of 96 of 100 from the American Conservative Union.

Cannon and brother Joe, who is 74 and survives him, are also remembered for acquiring faltering Geneva Steel in Provo from U.S. Steel in the late 1980s and operating it until its closure in 2001.

Chris Cannon was born in Salt Lake City on Oct. 20, 1950. Cannon is survived by his wife, Claudia, and seven of eight children. His daughter Rachel died in 2005.

Praised as a visionary

His death brought an outpouring of sadness from friends and Utah’s top politicians as well as prayers offered on behalf of his survivors.

Gov. Spencer Cox posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, calling the former congressman “a dedicated public servant working on criminal justice, drug policy, regulatory reform and other issues during his time in the House.”

Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson called him “a great leader and dedicated representative who served his community with passion and integrity.”

Sen. Mike Lee posted of Cannon that he will “miss his insights, encouragement, and friendship.”

Rep. John Curtis, who currently represents a redrawn version of Utah’s 3rd District from Cannon’s day, wrote on X that Cannon “was one of a kind. A visionary with big ideas coupled with personality and thoughtful humor.”

Rep. Celeste Maloy, from Utah’s 2rd District, said Cannon served “with integrity for more than a decade.”

“A good portion of his district is now my district,” Maloy added, “and I know how he fought for rural Utah.”

Trending tech

Other top Utah politicos heralded his legacy in interviews and described Cannon as highly intelligent, wonkish on key policy issues and a visionary, especially on technology and what during his stint in Congress was an emerging internet connecting the globe.

“Chris loved to look into the future and try to figure out what was on the horizon that nobody else was thinking about,” said Stan Lockhart, a longtime GOP operative who was Cannon’s fundraising chair in the early 2000s.

“He was ahead of his time on where technology was taking the world,” said Lockhart, now a lobbyist. “He often talked about the potential harms as well as the potential good.”

State Sen. Curt Bramble, who climbed the ranks of Utah County Republican politics with Cannon, said he “could see things that others couldn’t and that was sometimes a little hard to grasp — but he was a true visionary and would actually act on and pursue that vision.”

“Look at his various business pursuits, his legislation,” Bramble said. “He was generally on the cutting edge of new ideas.”

Joe Hunter, Cannon’s former congressional chief of staff, said on X that while stubborn and “a fighter” in his political roles, “privately, he was a different guy.”

“He couldn’t walk past a homeless person without digging into his pocket. It took forever to get to lunch or dinner on Capitol Hill,” Hunter said. “And... he was really funny. RIP my friend.”

Former Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who defeated Cannon in a 2008 Republican primary, said he hoped “we all can thank him for his valiant, patriotic work fighting for the USA.”

Fellow Utah County resident and former Gov. Gary Herbert said he had “long admired his distinguished service in Congress and appreciated all he did for his district, for Utah, and America.

“Utah,” Herbert added, “has lost a great public servant.”