James Evans, the new county GOP boss, said the Republican-led County Council made a mistake this week when it voted to reverse a ban on contractors from kicking in campaign cash. The law had been on the books fewer than nine months.
"It has the potential to harm us all," Evans said about the decision he likened to a "dog-and-pony show."
And the outspoken Evans reiterated his threat to help organize a referendum - "I'm not backing away from anything," he said - despite the fact such a petition drive would require more than 36,000 signatures, according to County Clerk Sherrie Swensen.
Meantime, the council Republicans are not backing down.
"I hate to say anything that would be crossways with James Evans," Councilman David Wilde said Wednesday. "But I don't know what the particular concern is. We passed some pretty significant restrictions - probably the most restrictive in the state."
Terms of the reform package call for a decrease from $5,000 to $2,000 the amount individuals can contribute to candidates three times per election cycle - a total of $6,000. In-kind donations from political parties also will be capped at $10,000.
Council members - Republicans and Democrats alike - argued that defining who contractors are is untenable; so they opted for the lower overall limits.
The balance of the GOP council says a referendum seems inappropriate. They also doubt there would be enough groundswell to get the item on a ballot.
Still, most were careful not to take swipes at their new party boss, despite the fact he called them on the carpet in a public meeting.
"We just viewed the world a little differently," said Council Chairman Michael Jensen. "We're still friends. We're still Republicans together."
Councilman Marv Hendrickson said he was not bothered by Evans' criticism, but disagrees with making laws by referendums.
"I certainly welcome his input," added Councilman Mark Crockett about Evans. "I hope we can get his constructive input in the future."
Crockett's last-ditch effort to keep the contractor ban intact fell well shy in a 7-2 vote.
Meantime, the loudest critic of the new rules acknowledged he accepted cash from contractors during a stint in the Legislature.
Evans, a former state senator, concedes he has accepted money from state contractors, but insists influence was miniscule since state lawmakers meet for only for 45 days.
"They [contractors] don't have that proximity," he said, adding Salt Lake County "is the one with the corruption problem."
Former council chairman Steve Harmsen urged the council this week to reconsider removing the contractor ban, saying it would put the government at the vanguard of campaign-finance reform.
After the vote, Evans downplayed the fact four of his fellow five Republicans agreed to allow contractor contributions. "We're certainly independent-minded people," he joked.
Even so, he was prepared to scold his colleagues more during their meeting Tuesday, but notes his public-comment period was limited to three minutes.
Meanwhile, Megan Risbon, Evans' Democratic counterpart, says she regards her role as a support system, no matter what her candidates decide.
"If it's something I disagree with, I'm going to keep my mouth shut and have a discussion over lunch. That's not party building," she said of Evans' public attack. "That's hurting."
djensen@sltrib.com
