So, in one of those periodic mistakes that happen and that are regrettable, Craig Frank ran for House District 57 while not actually living in the district, making him ineligible to serve. Such things happen periodically and there are a host of easy solutions.
What, exactly do you think Speaker Becky Lockhart, an ally of Frank’s proposed?
You guessed it! Let’s just call a special session and redraw the district boundaries! Easy as pie. Why should Becky Lockhart and her friends have to obey the rules? Why, such a thing is simply unreasonable. Rules are for the little people.
Lockhart, an ally of Frank’s, said she has discussed with Gov. Gary Herbert the possibility of a special session to quickly redraw the district boundaries before delegates pick the replacement, meaning Frank could ultimately be chosen as his own replacement.
This woman is clearly so arrogant and corrupt she should be working a pyramid scheme somewhere not running a state legislature.
129.123.26.15#1 by Kirsten Frank on January 11, 2011 - 10:24 am
I think that if this situation had happened to ANY member of the Legislative Body, she would have been willing to do the same. I know that several of the leaders from the minority party in the state are just as up-in-arms about this as Speaker Lockhart is, and are doing what they can to help out the situation. This isn’t about parties or ‘Kremlins’- it’s about making right a clerical error that has left not just one Legislator out of his district, but 2,500 voters out of a place to belong. There is actually plenty of legal precedent dictating that it’s okay to redraw the boundaries when there is a clear problem like this. This isn’t breaking rules, it’s correcting a mistake that isn’t allowing 78% of the voice in District 57 to be heard. I know Speaker Lockhart to be a leader of integrity, good will, and heart. I can see how it is easy to point fingers in circumstances such as these, but I believe there’s a bipartisan solution to all of this that everyone can feel good about.
206.81.134.49#2 by Glenden Brown on January 11, 2011 - 10:58 am
It seems to me that Rep. Frank did exactly what an ethical person does – he discovered an error, brought it people’s attention and has accepted the consequences even though it occurred through no fault of his own. His actions are correct. I cannot imagine his disappointment – running for office is hard work and it’s exhausting to then discover an error means your are ineligible? It must be devastating.
Arguing the voters aren’t getting their wishes respected misses the point – the candidate who was on the ballot is ineligible for the seat and shouldn’t have been on the ballot in the first place. Should we redraw district boundaries of we discover a candidate won a race in St George but really lives in Nevada? Or New York? The voters voted for him right?
When Lockhart suggested redrawing the boundaries now, she’s trying to change the rules after the fact to get the outcome she wants – that’s not how leaders of integrity and good will behave. Why have a residency requirement if we’re just going to ignore when it’s the Speaker’s friends? Why require residency at all? Why not just let people run in whatever district they want? You don’t get to change the rules just because it’s convenient.
69.169.173.97#3 by Melanie McCoard on January 14, 2011 - 5:53 am
I know Becky well; she is neither arrogant or corrupt, she’s just a Republican. This is actually an example of her soft heart. Her suggestion was only an attempt to fix a stupid mistake. Have you seen the boundary map? This is a trifle. District lines are drawn and redrawn for much smaller reasons. This man will lose his seat over a technicality. He does represent the people in that district, and misses living there by a small distance. I would start looking for the political movers behind his ouster.
206.169.55.242#4 by Nephi's Ghost on January 14, 2011 - 9:31 am
Gerrymandering on the fly.
Lockhart is no different than the rest of the teabaging, wingnut, repuglican dominated male-Mormon Utah legislature. She’s off to a great start.