U.S. Senator Mike Lee accused of unlawful lobbying

This story is troubling, to think that a potential candidate to represent Utah in the senate who is an attorney and constitutional expert neglects to register as a lobbyist and lawmakers on both sides of the bill agree that Mike Lee was lobbying, we should call for an investigation of his actions and hold him accountable. Citizens of Utah are skeptical of government and special interests and this is example justifies our concern. This is the article from Fox 13 News.

U.S. Senator Mike Lee accused of unlawful lobbying

Max RothFOX 13 News
5:21 PM MDT, June 3, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY - Two days in 2009 could be causing U.S. Senate Candidate Mike lee trouble. That year, corporations were fighting each other over legislation proposing rules overseeing who has rights to keyword search terms online. Two state senators, Steve Urquhart of Washington County and Dan Liljenquist of Davis County, tell Fox 13 Lee was working at the state capitol for at least two days talking to senators on behalf of a client, 1-800-CONTACTS. Lee's campaign countered with a strongly worded statement saying he cleared his activity with the Lt. Governor's office. Lee's statement also leveled accusations against Tim Bridgewater.

Lobbying is legal and both senators tell Fox 13 Mike Lee acted appropriately, but paid lobbyists have to register, according to state law. Fox 13 confirmed with the state elections office Lee never did register.

Text of Lee's campaign statement:

"This is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to hide Mr. Bridgewater's own record of lobbying Washington, D.C. for foreign companies, and pushing their overseas interests upon our government. It is a last minute attempt, two weeks before an election, by Tim Bridgewater's henchman, Steve Urquhart, to smear Mike Lee over an action he fully cleared with the Lt. Governor's office a year ago. The timing is suspect and disgusting and voters will see through this.

"Mr. Lee had checked with the Lt. Governor's office and talked with Attorney Michael Cragun before engaging in any activity on the hill and was informed that his role of answering questions as to the constitutionality of any proposed legislation did not trigger or meet any filing or reporting requirements," says Boyd C. Matheson, Communication Director.

From Bridgewater's campaign statement:

Press Secrtary, Tiffany Gunnerson says: "These allegations have been out there for a while. We've known about this, the lGS office has known about this and the only reason this is surfacing now is because Mike Lee has launched into the politics of hypocrisy"