UUP candidates pledge to propose law to prevent future self-appointments

Seven United Utah Party candidates for the state legislature  -  Michele Weeks (HD 54), Stephen Walston (HD 41), Mark Russell (HD 49), Eric Chase (HD 61), Hillary Stirling (HD 57), Alex Castagno (SD 9), and Lee Houghton (SD 15) – have prepared a joint statement calling on Greg Hughes to resign from the board of Utah’s planned Inland Port. Hughes appointed himself the board as one of his final official acts as Utah’s Speaker of the House. 

The statement reads as follows:

As candidates of the United Utah Party, we are committed to common-sense reform to restore the public’s faith in the integrity our state government. That faith was severely undermined by Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes’s self-appointment to the board of Utah’s Inland Port. 

Beyond that self-appointment issue, Speaker Hughes now is declining to submit a conflict of interest form required by law because he claims that the law on conflict of interest regarding board members is ambiguous.  He also admits that, as a real estate developer, he may have a conflict of interest.

Image from San Antonio Express

There is a vacancy in the Salt County Council due to the sad passing of Sam Granato.  The vacancy in Council District 4 will be filled by a special election on November 6.  The United Utah Party, like other political parties, will be able to designate a candidate to stand for the general election.  The party is calling for individuals who are interested in being the candidate to indicate their interest in competing for the office by Thursday, June 28 at 5 pm.   They can write an email to assistant@unitedutah.org.  
Candidates must be registered voters in that district and be affiliated with the United Utah Party.

The party will hold a meeting of all party members on Monday, July 2, to formally nominate an individual as the nominee of the United Utah Party for this race.   (The time and place is yet to be determined.)  All registered party members are invited to participate in the voting at that meeting.  If there is more than one individual running, a vote will be held to determine the nominee.

The United Utah Party was in its first parade of the season last Saturday.  Orem Summerfest's grand parade included 100 entries, but I think ours was the best.  Special thanks to Hillary and Del Stirling who created the design, bought the materials, and built most of the float.  Thanks also to Diane and Larry Knight for donating the trailer for the season.  And thanks as well to those who came one or two Saturdays to help construct the float and/or walked the parade route or became an actor on the float.

School is out.  Summer is here.  It is time for mowing lawns, backyard picnics, and summer vacations. 

From 1929 to 2000, Mexico had a one-party system.  It is true that political parties other than the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) could form and compete.  And it is likely one of those parties won the 1988 presidential election, but was denied the victory due to election fraud by the PRI.  But competition was stifled by the overriding influence of the governing party over not only the machinery of elections, but also all the various sectors in Mexican society.

As I talk with various "movers and shakers" about the United Utah Party, I tell them about how we started, what we stand for, and what we plan to do in 2018.  But I find these people are particularly interested in our candidates.  It is a pleasure to be able to introduce our candidates to them.