This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I am appalled by what I have read regarding the Utah Department of Health granting a multiyear, multimillion-dollar contract to R&R Partners to do anti-tobacco advertising for Utah ("Rolly: Questions raised about state's pick for anti-smoking campaign," Tribune, Aug. 6).
This smells bad for a number of reasons. First, R&R Partners has done extensive pro-tobacco work in Nevada, successfully lobbying legislators to dilute the state's indoor clean air act. Now, Nevadans and visitors to that state, including Utahns, will no longer be protected from cancer-causing secondhand tobacco smoke in many of the venues they frequent.
Secondly, somehow Utah's state purchasing office forgot to include a conflict of interest clause in the Request for Proposal for the tobacco contract that would have revealed R&R's conflict. As a result, R&R didn't reveal its pro-tobacco work, and even though state officials are now aware of it, they are saying they have no choice but to honor the R&R proposal.
Lastly, R&R's principal in Utah, Bob Henrie, is known as Gov. Gary Herbert's most trusted political adviser.
Seems to me this is the sort of thing that John Dougall, our state auditor, is required by the responsibilities of his office to review.
Tavia McGrath
Salt Lake City