This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Patrick Henry Caucus, founded by several conservative Utah legislators, pitches itself as a grass-roots organization espousing conservative states' rights and limited-government principles.
It also seems to be branching out as a merchandising operation.
The Provo Daily Herald ran a story earlier this month about the Patrick Henry Caucus inviting other legislatures to form their own chapters — at the affordable price of at least $500.
To become part of the national caucus, new chapters would pay $100 per legislator, with the proviso that at least five legislators be in a chapter.
Since that story ran, I have learned that the caucus is selling lapel pins or, in the words of Rep. Craig Frank, R-Cedar Hills, the lapel pins will be given as a token of appreciation to those who donate to the Patrick Henry Caucus.
During the Legislature's monthly interim committee meetings Aug. 18, members invited to a closed Patrick Henry Caucus gathering before the scheduled meetings were told the caucus would discuss "merchandising opportunities."
Some legislators have said they had been told about Patrick Henry Caucus membership emblems for dues-paying loyalists that would be numbered and maintained under the ownership of the caucus. That way, if someone left the caucus, the emblem would be retained by the group.
But Frank didn't want to talk about that part.
When asked about the numbering system for affiliates, he repeatedly said there is no numbering system for the lapel pins. When asked three times about some membership numbering system for something other than the lapel pins, he curtly said "that is not information you need to know at this time."
Earlier, you might recall, Rep. Carl Wimmer, R-Herriman, another Patrick Henry Caucus founder, began offering himself to out-of-state organizations as a speaker, for a fee.
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Déjà vu for Sen. Hatch • U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch must be getting used to his bills having unintended consequences years later.
The Tribune pointed out last week that local officials would face hurdles if they tried to use city ordinances to block a proposed mosque near ground zero in New York, thanks to a federal law Hatch championed in 2000. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act was intended to protect churches against discrimination from local officials.
While a zoning law in Tennessee that was blocking the LDS Church's attempt to build a temple was used as an example of why the law was needed, Hatch acknowledged that the law would also have to be applied to the mosque in New York, which several conservative groups have protested.
Hatch, in 1984, sponsored the Equal Access Act, which prohibited schools from banning Bible clubs meeting at schools. The intent of the law was to insure that Bible groups had the same rights as other groups.
That law was cited in 1996 when gay students wanted to have a club at East High School. Hatch at the time said it was "crazy" to say the law accommodates gay and lesbian associations.
But because of concerns the law could be used in a lawsuit if gay clubs were not given the same access as other clubs, the Salt Lake City School District banned all nonacademic clubs at all its schools.
Better to deprive everybody of the opportunity than to open it up for gays, the reasoning went.
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What's in a name? • Mike Parr, of Sandy, recently returned from a cruise to Alaska, where he bought a nice-looking police vest from the Cotton Traders.
The vest itself, however, is polyester. A card that came with the vest boasts the name of the store's managing director, Fran Cotton.