Gym fees? Utah politicians find loophole in ethics law

Utah » Politicians spend campaign funds on things such as golf.

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Officials also spent more than $160,000 in out-of-state travel, mostly to conventions of legislative groups. But some took trips to such faraway places as China, Estonia, Israel and Germany.

Officials also spent nearly $12,000 to pay dues to groups they joined, ranging from the National Rifle Association to the Patrick Henry Caucus, chambers of commerce and the Farm Bureau.

After hearing examples of such spending, Cosgrove said he may take another look at the 2-year-old law and see if he can find ways to tighten it.

Burningham’s group, meanwhile, is suing the state over whether its ethics initiative qualified to appear on the ballot this year. It would do such things as ban candidates from passing on donations to other politicians and parties, ban corporate donations and limit contributions by others to no more than $2,500.

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