This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The collaborative decision by the governor, Attorney General Sean Reyes and the Legislature to expend as much as $2 million (if not more) to hire outside counsel to challenge Judge Robert Shelby's ruling to legalize gay marriage in Utah is ridiculous ("Lawmakers look for more outside help for attorney general," Tribune, Dec. 28).
The appellate lawyers in the Attorney General's Office are precisely the type of well-trained attorneys perfectly suited to handling appeals to the 10th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Utah Attorney General's Office has successfully handled appeals to the United States Supreme Court and prevailed before the United States Supreme Court.
This is a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money. Regardless of the merits of the appeal, the Utah Attorney General's Office would be well-equipped to handle the appeal. The attorney general appellate lawyers are the experts.
Walter F. Bugden Jr.
Salt Lake City