Weblog - Notes from Mike Noel

NOTE: This article, printed by the Salt Lake Tribune on 1/26/06, inaccurately portrayed the spending of campaign donations by several Utah lawmakers. See related blog posts for the full apology from Common Cause, the source of the Tribune's data.

Financial disclosures show donations have been used for personal matters; Lawmakers take issue with the conclusions
By Rebecca Walsh
The Salt Lake Tribune

Utah lawmakers have spent their campaign donations on business suits, baby-sitting and golf fees.
It's not illegal. But government watchdogs say it should be.
An analysis of legislators' financial disclosures between 2002 and 2004, found that virtually every lawmaker spent some of their campaign funds on "questionable" expenses. Common Cause and Utah Students for Clean Elections found one-third of legislators spent at least half their donated funds on things like noncampaign travel, meals, gifts, political contributions to other candidates and payments to family members. One lawmaker spent $200 on umbrellas.
"There should be some common-sense rules in place that say you cannot use campaign funds for personal expenses," said Tony Musci, Common Cause of Utah director.
Democratic State Sen. Karen Hale is sponsoring legislation, SB73, which would restrict lawmakers from spending their campaign funds on expenses that are not "reasonably related" to their official duties. And when they retire, legislators could not just pocket the money. The bill is languishing in the Senate Rules Committee.
Hale said she is frustrated many lawmakers simply report "miscellaneous" expenses. "Let's raise the bar. Why are we afraid of being honest and able to account for the funds that we have?" Hale asked.
Utah Students Director Luke Peterson combed lawmakers' disclosure forms and compiled the information. Common Cause and Utah Students classified expenses as questionable if any other state or federal law would block candidates from spending their money that way. Peterson says Utah's lax disclosure laws leave room for the public to question, even if the expense is legitimate. In the case of the umbrellas, for example, the unnamed lawmaker might have bought them for campaign workers. But Utah disclosure laws did not require that explanation.
Some of the lawmakers highlighted in the report take issue with it.
Kanab Republican Rep. Mike Noel said the report's methodology is "skewed." He is listed as spending nearly all his campaign funds in a questionable way. The report shows he spent more than $7,000 on travel. Noel notes his district includes part of eight counties and his car has 218,000 miles on it. He also points out he spent $11,000 of his own money to run for office four years ago. He has been slowly paying himself back.
"I think [the analysis] is way off," Noel said.
Salt Lake City Democratic Rep. Jackie Biskupski is listed as spending 91 percent of her $33,000 in campaign funds two years ago on questionable expenses. Biskupski spent half of that in donations to other candidates - her opponent ended up dropping out - and the Don't Amend Alliance. Another $12,000 in expenses were listed under "other." Biskupski said she has all the receipts - for printing and mailing and other campaign-related expenses.
"My disclosure pretty much tells you everything," she said.

Top ten legislators with "questionable" expenses:

* Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, 98 percent
* Rep. Bud Bowman, R-Cedar City, 96 percent
* Rep. Jackie Biskupski, D-Salt Lake City, 91 percent
* Rep. Gregg Buxton, R-Roy, 89 percent
* Rep. David Clark, R-Santa Clara, 87 percent
* Rep. Brad King, D-Price, 75 percent
* Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo, 74 percent
* Sen. Peter Knudson, R-Brigham City, 73 percent
* Rep. Rebecca Lockhart, R-Provo, 72 percent
* Rep. James Gowans, D-Tooele, 70 percent