This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
For years, government watchdogs have worked to reform laws governing legislator/lobbyist relationships to keep undue influence out of lawmaking in Utah.
But what about the legislator and lobbyist being the same person?
That is perfectly legal in Utah.
But laws passed in recent years to tighten up the coziness between lobbyists and legislators could make life confusing for a legislative candidate this year who has been a longtime fixture on Capitol Hill representing nearly two dozen clients of diverse interests.
Nancy Sechrest, one of the most familiar lobbyists at the Legislature, has filed to run as a Republican in Utah County's House District 27. She would replace Rep. John Dougall, who is not seeking re-election.
She is one of six candidates to file for the seat — five Republicans and one Constitution Party candidate.
She could withdraw as a lobbyist before next year's legislative session begins. Her son Nate also is a registered lobbyist and, according to his filing, shares some of her 22 listed clients.
But she legally could keep her clients and serve in the House at the same time. Sen. Howard Stephenson, for example, has served for years while registered as a lobbyist for the Utah Taxpayers Association, for which he also serves as president. But Stephenson always turned the association's lobbying duties over to an assistant, and this year he has withdrawn his registration as a lobbyist.
No one in memory would have such a stable of clients as a lobbyist while serving in the Legislature as Sechrest.
But if she decides to remain a lobbyist, here are some questions, and possible challenges.
If she wanted to lobby herself on a particular issue, would she have to pass a note to one of the security guards on those little green note pads like other lobbyists have to do, then meet herself in the hall?
Would her text messages to herself be subject to GRAMA, the Government Records Access and Management Act?
Buying herself a meal could be problematic.
The law has been tightened to the point that any meal bought for a legislator by a lobbyist that costs more than $10 must be reported. She probably could still get by with a happy burger and cheese fries.
But if she wanted to take her grandchildren to a pizza place, for example, that would need to be detailed in her lobbyist financial report.
Lobbyists may spend more than $10 without reporting if they invite an entire legislative body, like a caucus or committee. So she could treat her husband to a quiet, romantic dinner, as long as she invited the whole House of Representatives to come along.
Jazz games are out. So are trips to The Leonardo, one of Sechrest's clients.
Life just isn't fair sometimes.
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Must be the water • House District 57 in Pleasant Grove has an interesting political history.
First, there was Rep. Craig Frank, forced to resign his seat in 2011 after it was discovered he didn't live in that district after he moved to a new house in Cedar Hills. Then, his replacement, Holly Richardson, served for one session before resigning to work on U.S. Senate candidate Dan Liljenquist's campaign.
So Frank, who moved back to his Pleasant Grove home to be in the district, ran in a special election and retook the seat. But because of redistricting, his Pleasant Grove home will no longer be in that district for the 2012 election. So he is running for the state Senate against his self-described mentor, Sen. John Valentine.
Now, we have candidate Brian Greene, who sent a fund-raising mailer to prospective supporters the first part of March, letting them know that he is almost half-way toward his goal of $15,000 in contributions for the campaign. The mailer said he already had raised $6,667.
The only problem is that he had not registered his campaign finance committee with the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office before he began raising funds, which is illegal.
When contacted by elections officer Mark Thomas, Greene noted he had registered with the office but forgot to take the next step by registering a finance committee. He immediately filed his contributions report, which, Thomas says, will be accepted.
No harm, no foul.