Walker said he was resigning to save his family from the pressure of what he believed were politically motivated accusations.
But by resigning, that pressure on his family has been replaced by a new pressure: He has four children, his wife is pregnant with a fifth, and because he is no longer in the Legislature, he suddenly loses that great Cadillac health insurance coverage lawmakers secured for themselves several years ago.
Utah Public Employee Association officials say he can keep insurance coverage with COBRA, but it is extremely expensive. Instead of the 2 percent to 7 percent of the premium the employee pays, COBRA clients pay the entire premium, plus an additional 2 percent. That means Walker would pay about $1,300 a month to keep the insurance.
Because Walker quit his job at Zions Bank in the midst of his campaign for treasurer, he doesn't have a job. But, reportedly, he received a generous severance package from Zions that gives him his salary for dozens of weeks.
Shrouded in mystery: Walker's resignation, by the way, halts an ethics investigation that also was going to pursue the claim that Walker had a powerful accomplice in the Legislature who could secure the funding of a $54,000 raise for his opponent, Richard Ellis, in the Treasurer's Office. If such an accomplice exists, he or she will remain masked.
It's a small world: James Bradshaw, Walker's defense attorney, is House Speaker Greg Curtis' law partner.
Bradshaw, it seems, would be a good choice for Walker's defense attorney. He also represented then-House Speaker Mel Brown when he was brought before the House Ethics Committee 10 years ago for alleged improper discussions with a lobbyist about a job.
Speaking of Curtis: The speaker has access, in one way or another, to more than a half million dollars in campaign funds.
Generous contributors have pumped up Curtis' personal campaign account to the current balance of about $250,000. He also has some control over the House Republican Caucus PAC, which at last count had $190,000, and his Speaker's PAC was worth close to $100,000 at the close of the last reporting period.
That's $540,000, for those counting, and due largely to the good will of lobbyists who conduct business with the Legislature and make all those contributions because of their sincere interest in continued good government.
Need a fact checker? Patrice Arent received a letter this week from Republican John McCain's presidential campaign urging her to continue her great support for the party, as a member of the Republican National Committee, and get firmly behind the campaign.
The campaign was right about Arent being part of the national committee. In fact, she is the national committeewoman-elect from Utah. But it's the other national committee - the Democratic National Committee - and she supports Barack Obama for president.
prolly@sltrib.com
