Sen. Steve Urquhart Responds "Mike Lee Lobbyist Issue"

In his blog www.steveu.com/blog Utah state Senator Steve Urquhart wrote a response to the news articles that broke yesterday concerning senate candidate Mike Lee's failure to register as a lobbyist when lobbying in 2009 for 1-800-Contacts. In Lee's campaign statement made to Fox 13 News, the Mike Lee campaign characterized Senator Steve Urquhart as "Tim Bridgewater's henchman"

"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." article

In response to the Lee campaign's attack, Sen. Steve Urquhart wrote the following >>


MIKE LEE LOBBYIST ISSUE

June 4, 2010
by Senator Steve Urquhart

Yesterday, someone filed a complaint about Mike Lee failing to register as a lobbyist. I don’t know who filed the complaint.

Because the lobbying involved a bill I championed, reporters asked me whether Lee had lobbied on the Hill. The answer is yes. Simple enough, right?

Because I answered the reporters’ questions, the Lee campaign called me a “henchman” for Tim Bridgewater (who, though I now support after Bennett’s defeat, I hadn’t really spoken with for 8 years prior to Lee’s immaculate lobbyist claims). Why the unhinged response by Lee? Does Lee think I should have “no commented” the questions? Does he think I should cover for him? Is he sending a message to the world that Mike Lee won’t tolerate scrutiny? Or does he simply have really thin skin? In any event, it’s weird behavior by Lee.

Did Lee lobby? Yes. Many senators and lobbyists could verify that. For example, this article notes that Lee’s friend, who is neutral in the race (but did host An Evening on the Constitution event for Lee), and who was working against us on the bill in question, also replied to media’s inquiries by stating that Lee lobbied. It’s simply not true that Lee didn’t lobby.

Many lobbyists, including Mike, add to the political process by succinctly sharing information and fielding technical questions. I don’t believe that anyone is saying he conducted himself in an inappropriate manner while lobbying. I personally asked Senators to meet with him about the bill, and while we sat there, he lobbied them. He did a fine job. It simply is a question whether he should have registered. If he believes he has a suitable answer, why not simply give it?

Lee is griping about the timing of the complaint. Is it political? Of course it is, but Lee seems to be the one who triggered the issue. He is the one who indignantly stated that Bridgewater is a lobbyist. The complaint appears designed to point out that Lee’s charges are hypocritical. It was a stupid political move on his part, and he got called on it.

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"