Count My Vote vs Fair Elections in Utah who is funding the Buy My Vote group

Major Count My Vote funding so far released. 

Alliance for Good Government
http://disclosures.utah.gov/Search/PublicSearch/FolderDetails/1411317

8/20/2013 Gail Miller   $100,000.00

12/17/2013 James Swartz $25,000.00

12/6/2013 Leslie and Alan Layton $25,000.00

11/22/2013 Ian M. Cumming $25,000.00

11/4/2013 Thomas and Kristin Stockham $25,000.00

10/18/2013 Prime Holdings Insurance Services, Inc. $25,000.00

9/3/2013 Mike Leavitt  $25,000.00

9/3/2013 Rich McKeown $25,000.00

8/26/2013 Garff Enterprises, Inc. $25,000.00

8/26/2013 H. Roger Boyer $25,000.00

8/26/2013 Maccall Management, LLC $25,000.00

8/26/2013 Merit Medical $25,000.00

8/23/2013 Dell Loy Hansen $25,000.00

8/23/2013 Donald and Susan P. Lewon $25,000.00

8/23/2013 John Price $25,000.00

8/22/2013 Kem C. and Carolyn Barnes Gardner $25,000.00

8/20/2013 H. Brent Beesley $25,000.00

8/7/2013 Mark Miller $25,000.00

7/18/2013 Dinesh Patel $25,000.00

7/18/2013 Gary Crocker $25,000.00

9/13/2013 Sandy Chamber of Commerce $24,000.00

12/28/2013 L E Simmons $20,000.00

10/9/2013 Khosrow B. Semnani $15,000.00

8/13/2013 Burton L. and Elaine L. Gordon $12,500.00

12/31/2013 John Miller $10,000.00

12/30/2013 David E. Simmons $10,000.00

12/26/2013 Dan England $10,000.00

12/11/2013 Anne Osborn $10,000.00

8/27/2013 JLS Holdings, LLC $10,000.00

8/12/2013 ThomasArts Holding, Inc. $10,000.00

7/11/2013 Bruce Bastian $10,000.00

7/10/2013 Omar Kader $10,000.00

5/7/2012 Khosrow B. Semnani $10,000.00

4/24/2012 William Nelson Shiebler $10,000.00

4/20/2012 Dell Loy Hansen $10,000.00

4/16/2012 Lunt Capital Management, Inc. $10,000.00

12/13/2013 Gail Miller $9,000.00

11/13/2013 Gail Miller $9,000.00

12/31/2013 Scott Keller $5,000.00

12/20/2013 R. Anthony Sweet $5,000.00

12/4/2013 Thomas Guinney $5,000.00

11/22/2013 Kristen M Fletcher $5,000.00

11/6/2013 Victor and Linda Lund $5,000.00

11/4/2013 E R Dumke, Jr. $5,000.00

10/16/2013 Ezekiel Dumke $5,000.00

9/30/2013 Edward McCartney $5,000.00

11/4/2013 Lonnie M. Bullard $3,000.00

12/31/2013 Clark and Jennifer Whitworth $2,500.00

12/31/2013 Don Stirling $2,500.00

12/30/2013 James Olson $2,500.00

The caucus & convention system in Utah is the best way to make sure a grassroots process can win over large amounts of money. It is the only way someone with $100,000 can go against someone with $2 million in election funds.

Our problem with voter turnout is it has not kept up with the population increase. The voter turnout keeps going up but not as fast as the population. Some of that is the younger voters, where Utah has a larger percentage of them and they aren't, as a group, as involved. Also those moving in and not understanding our system.

If you change the way our Utah primary's work, you could have two republicans in the general election ballot (or two democrats).
 
We have a system that that does NOT favor the incumbent, wealthy or famous. This is a good thing. Keep Fair Elections in Utah. Keep the neighborhood caucus election system.  

Update:
I am glad Gail Miller is keeping involved. Helping children with reading.

It is sad she bought into the Count My Vote / Buy My Vote arguments however. Didn't Chris Cannon have endorsements from Pres. Bush, Mitt Romney and both of the then current US Senators at the time? Jason Chaffetz still won.

re: Sen. Bennett in 2010. He was not in the top 2 coming out of convention. In fact the more moderate Tim Bridgewater was selected by 57% of the delegates in the last round. Mike Lee managed to get 43% and make it to a primary. Sen. Bennett endorsed Tim Bridgewater during the primary, but with voters ticked at TARP and ObamaCare, they went with Mike Lee.
 
You like or don't like Sen. Mike Lee? Well 57% of the delegates didn't pick him to be the nominee. It was during the primary he was selected to be the GOP nominee.
 
Limiting? There were over 120,000 voters that participated in the 2012 Neighborhood Caucus election and meeting. The democratic caucus also had record turnout. People want a say on who shows up on the ballot.
 
The open primary is working so well in 2013 where 15% was considered good? You can't blame that on the caucus system. The one time Utah got rid of the caucus system our turnout went to 10% for a primary that included the US Senate. It was even that low in Salt Lake County. See August of 1946.

For more information see:
http://fairelectionsutah.com/

Drug use help for Needy Families Recipients

Utah has spent more than $30,000 to screen welfare applicants for drug use since a new law went into effect a year ago, but only 12 people have tested positive, state figures show.

The data from August 2012 through July 2013 indicates the state spent almost $6,000 to give 4,730 applicants a written test. After 466 showed a likelihood of drug use, they were given drug tests at a total cost of more than $25,000, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services, which administers welfare benefits and the tests.

24 percent of applicants who were required to take a drug test didn't and did not continue in the application process.

Who takes the written test?
http://le.utah.gov/~2012/bills/hbillenr/HB0155.pdf

H.B. 155 Drug Screening for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Recipients

This bill modifies the Employment Support Act by requiring an applicant who otherwise qualifies for cash assistance under Utah's Family Employment Program to complete a written drug screening questionnaire and meet other requirements in order to receive cash assistance under the program.

If we helped 12 people get off drugs and not end up in our prison system and helped them get off assistance, that would be worth the $30,000. It sounds more like we had over 100 who would have been getting cash that had a drug problem that decided they didn't want the help. How much did that save taxpayers?

Sim Gill v Chad Bennion

I don't know Sim Gill, but I spent a few years working with his dad. His father is a good man. I know many of the leaders of the Sikh temple in Utah.

I think Chad Bennion is badly referring to what Sim himself has said, but not doing a great job of doing it, or the press is not connecting the dots.

http://voicesofutah.wordpress.com/2012/03/08/from-india-to-district-attorney-sim-gill-fights-for-salt-lake-county/

(from that account)
Gill, 52, spoke in a faint Indian accent of a formative moment from his youth, to a classroom of 13 students recently at the University of Utah. At the age of “eight or nine” in his native India, Gill said, he witnessed the brutal beating of a man accused of stealing jewelry from a neighbor’s home, and in the end, the beating of an innocent man.

“That left a very strong impression on me,” Gill said, “that when you have that authority, when you have that power, when you have that capacity to alter and impact people’s lives, you have to really use that with a great level of deference and responsibility.”


I believe Utah has seen a large problem from Ogden to other places in the state of an abuse of power by a few members of the police, based on the 4th amendment and state law. I have no problem with Sim Gill calling them on it. 

Update:

Lisa Riley Roche, Deseret News/KSL
re:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584932/State-GOP-supporting-county-party-chairmans-comments-about-district-attorney.html


I felt like you were clear on Chad. Thanks.

What isn't as clear on the quote you have from me is that I didn't think that Chad was being racist, but others have believed that.

If you have time, perhaps you could add a couple of clarifying words.

"by others"

Fred Cox, a member of the state party's central committee, said Bennion's comments have been interpreted [by others] as "trying to use Sim's ethic background as one of the reasons he is a 'cop hater.'"

While Cox, a former West Valley City lawmaker, said there needs to be a discussion about whether Gill is trying to protect against a police state by leaning "too far in the other direction," Bennion's comments may be hurting the party.

"He's coming across as being angry," Cox said. "Instead of remaining on the attack, in my mind what he should have done is make sure people understood what his intent was."

Cox and other Salt Lake County Republicans said party members may discuss Bennion at next month's county central committee meeting, but it's not clear there's support for taking action against him.

Thanks again,

Fred C. Cox

Update2:
The reporter did a good job of clarifying that Chad Bennion was quoting Sim Gill re: an experience sim had as a 8 or 9 year old. I am less impressed with some of the quotes by others. Especially mine. I was very clear that I felt Bennion was not trying to pull in ethnic race but some were interpreting it or reporting that way. We do need to focus on if Sim Gill is pushing the pendulum too far. It is also obvious that we do need some balance. Sim Gill should provide some balance. We don't need a police state.

Update 3:
I don't believe Sim's experience when his was 8 or 9 is a liability for his current office, nor do I believe he is a cop hater. I do wonder if all the over 100 West Valley City cases should have been tossed the way they were or if more could have been saved. If you have someone breaking into neighborhoods and they are caught, and then let them off the hook, it is a pretty big deal.

Update 4:
As a member of the Utah House of Representatives for the years 2011 and 2012, I voted to remove DUI check points as a 4th amendment violation, voted to fix the problem with police arresting the legal carry of guns under disturbing the peace, and helped stop AG Mark Shurtleff's "clean up bill" 3 times in the House Judicial Standing Committee (it was voted on twice and the 3rd idea didn't get enough support to be put on the agenda) that would have allowed police arresting someone without a warrant with only probable cause for class B and C misdemeanors. (what I felt was further amending our 4th amendment US Constitutional rights) 

I have tried to listen to and be fair to both sides.

Swallow in 200 words

I worked on a project for a year with John Swallow, Chief Deputy AG. I ignored the mud slinging during the primary. I knew both side's political consultants well enough to assume that they were behind it. I should have listened as I was blindsided Jan. 12th this year.

John's biggest critics since becoming AG on several issues are from Republicans. I was looking online for his conflict disclosure forms on Jan. 12th of this year. Not only his March 15th one, (I didn't find out about the March 9th until later) but also the one he had just signed Jan. 10th. I was more concerned with them and the lack of information re: P Solutions than the comments I heard on the tape from Johnson.

When two witnesses (one to get the money and one to pay it) and a tape accused Shurtleff of a $2M deal that involved Jenson, my focus moved to that. Jenson claimed Swallow knew about the $2M deal (Swallow says no). The $1M asset Swallow was to get looks bad.

Investigate. If he knew about the $2M, based on what Swallow hasn't done this year, (Shurtleff in Jail) Impeach. Malfeasance in Office.

Fair Elections in Utah vs Count My Vote

The caucus & convention system in Utah is the best way to make sure a grassroots process can win over large amounts of money. It is the only way someone with $100,000 can go against someone with $2 million in election funds.

We have a system that that does NOT favor the incumbent, wealthy or famous. This is a good thing.

Our problem with voter turnout is it has not kept up with the population increase. The voter turnout keeps going up but not as fast as the population. Some of that is the younger voters, where Utah has a larger percentage of them and they aren't, as a group, as involved. Also those moving in and not understanding our system.

We already have a "bypass" system, filing as an unaffiliated candidate. You go straight to the general. Someone doesn't think they can win if vetted by average citizens asking one on one questions, can run and spend the money. Why should they be a party nominee if they are going to bypass the party?

If you change the way our Utah primary's work, you could have two republicans in the general election ballot (or two democrats).


Bypassing the caucus/convention system will not create more participation. There are 4,000 state delegates and many more county delegates that spend countless hours vetting candidates to be on the ballot. They are selected by those that attend the neighborhood election caucus meeting. The current one-on-one candidate vetting by delegates cannot be done well any other way.

When people realize this Count My Vote initiative will give them less of a chance to participate but give media and power brokers more power, they will not sign any initiative. This is a power grab and it isn't by the neighbors you elect as delegates.

If you are going to run as a Democratic candidate, you have to comply with their rules. If you are going to run as a Republican, you have to comply with their rules. If you don't like those rules, you can run as unaffiliated, independent or as a third-party candidate. Count My Vote is attempting to change all party rules by changing state laws by initiative, thus bypassing the political parties and the Legislature.


Who gets to pick the people that show up on the ballot? It is the voters through the caucus system. The candidates get to decide if they are going to run and each of us vote to have them vetted. We put the best ones we have that volunteered to run on the ballot. One of the reasons we get involved in the caucus system is to have a say as to who is on the ballot.

If we didn't have the system we have, it would be the power brokers that would get to decide. They are the ones trying to get rid of the caucus.

Keep Fair Elections in Utah, keep the caucus and convention system

For more information, see:
http://www.fairelectionsutah.com/

Random thoughts on the last 3 letters to the House from Swallow attorney

Is John Swallow's attorneys flipping off the House a good idea?

 I think you would have a difficult time finding very many in the #utleg that would believe that the court gets to determine the definition of "high crimes, misdemeanors, or malfeasance in office;" for the Utah State Legislature in cases of impeachment. That is the garbage the letters from Swallows attorneys have tried to make and that is the reaction, in my opinion of some in the Utah Leg.

It is like kicking a hornets nest. The Supreme Court gets to toss out laws that they determine are not constitutional, but they do not get to define what the legislature interprets the constitution to mean that they swear to uphold. No where in their oath of office do they swear to defend the law or defend case law. They write the law and they get to interpret the constitution for their oath of office and defined powers themselves.

John Fellows's job includes putting constitutional notes to let them know about possible case laws and whether or not it could effect the law in the future. John Fellows advices the #utleg. They get to make up their own mind.

"As required by legislative rule and practice, the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel provides the following legislative review note to assist the Legislature in making its own determination as to the constitutionality of the bill. The note is based on an analysis of relevant state and federal constitutional law as applied to the bill. The note is not written for the purpose of influencing whether the bill should become law, but is written to provide information relevant to legislators' consideration of this bill. The note is not a substitute for the judgment of the judiciary, which has authority to determine the constitutionality of a law in the context of a specific case."

If the legislature doesn't agree with the opinion of either the US or State Supreme Court as to how far the 4th amendment can be amended, the legislature can and has held it to a higher standard and the court has agreed the #utleg has that authority and the state AG (Shurtleff at the time) can toss a fit but it doesn't matter.

Again, the Utah Supreme Court doesn't get to determine the definition of "high crimes, misdemeanors, or malfeasance in office;" for the Utah State Legislature in cases of impeachment", in my opinion and I am not alone in that opinion. It would be a conflict of interest as the legislature has the duty to impeach the justices if there was reason to do so.

The last case of an impeachment process by the #utleg was a judge.

re: the balance of power between 3 branches of government and 2 levels of government. You forget that the Utah House has seated Reps when the courts wouldn't have and yet it did and the courts wouldn't interfere.

#utleg "do solemnly swear that I will support, obey and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of this State and that I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity."

There is nothing that says they would swear to support, obey and defend Case Law, or any existing laws.

You tell a member of the house they aren't following their oath of office and I can think a few that would just a soon punch you in the mouth. "Thems fighting words". Gov. Herbert has made that mistake a few times and saw his veto overridden.

Why Keep the Utah Neighborhood Caucus and Convention System

Why Keep the Utah Neighborhood Caucus and Convention System?

The caucus system in Utah is the best way to make sure a grassroots process can win over large amounts of money. It is the only way someone with $100,000 can go against someone with $2 million in election funds.

We have a system that that does NOT favor the incumbent, wealthy or famous. This is a good thing.

Our only problem with voter turnout is it has not kept up with the population increase. The voter turnout keeps going up but not as fast as the population. Some of that is the younger voters, where Utah has a larger percentage of them and they aren't, as a group, as involved. Some of that are those moving in and not understanding our system.

 If you are going to run as a Democratic candidate, you have to comply with their rules. If you are going to run as a Republican, you have to comply with their rules. If you want to run and not have those rules, you can run as an unaffiliated or independent, or run as a 3rd party candidate. “Count My Vote” is attempting to change all party rules by changing state laws by initiative, thus bypassing the political parties and the Legislature.

We already have a "bypass" system. It is called filing as an unaffiliated candidate. You go straight to the general election. So if Mr. Jowers, or Mr. Leavitt don't think they can win if vetted by average citizens asking one on one questions, they can run that way and spend the money. Why should they be a party nominee if they are going to bypass the party?

When people realize this "Count My Vote initiative will give them less of a chance to participate but give media and power brokers more power, they will not sign any initiative. This is a power grab by Lobbyists, and those that want to run for office but don't believe they can win if vetted by average citizens asking one on one questions.


I ask you to read these two of my Op-Ed articles:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/opinion/56205410-82/state-caucus-system-party.html.csp

and

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765631377/We-need-to-keep-fair-elections-in-Utah.html

We need to coordinate with college and university campuses in Utah so students know where their caucus meeting is, and where Utah residents can register to attend and participate.

We could make sure that neighborhood caucus meetings could be done in two hours, and the election results distributed not just to the county and state parties, but to those who missed the caucus, so they can learn who represents them and who to contact to make their views known. Any person who got a babysitter for two hours to attend a caucus meeting should be able to vote within that time frame.

The present system does not protect the incumbent, the wealthy or the famous.

Keep fair elections in Utah.