Seldom do I post a diary that is based on a single news story. This is one that deserves our attention.
The article is from The Salt Lake Tribune, headlined Are Utah taxpayers footing bill for land-transfer lawyers’ lavish travel?
All across the West, various factions have demanded that the federal government relinquish control of its land, and transfer it to state or local control. We’ve seen it manifested in standoffs in Nevada and Oregon, with the Bundy family and their minions facing down federal agents. Meanwhile, people with far more actual power than the Bundy family are working towards similar goals.
The GOP-dominated legislature in Utah is a case in point. There is a committee known as the Commission for the Stewardship of Public Lands. In this day and age, stewardship apparently means something different from the traditional meaning.
Lawmakers last year appropriated $2 million for the legal analysis and related work promoting land transfer.
Additionally, the legislature has authorized $4.5 million to bring a case to the Supreme Court, which will cost an estimated $14 million. The taxpayers of Utah get to foot those bills. Can you guess what happened?
Lawyers and other consultants promoting Utah's bid to take control of public lands have billed the state for luxury travel as well as for work that appears outside the scope of their contracts, according to a review of invoices posted on the Utah Legislature's website. One lawyer spent $3,100 at Salt Lake City's finest hotels and regularly flew first class, courtesy of Utah taxpayers.
The cast of characters retained by the legislature include:
• A New Orleans law firm
• An attorney from San Diego
• Utah-based think tanks and lobbyists
• A public relations firm in San Francisco
Guess what. Those folks are going to travel. Do you think they’re going to sit in the cheap seats of an airplane, stay at Motel 6, and dine at Burger King? Nope, not as long as there’s a gravy train to ride.
"The taxpayers of Utah have likely footed the bill for things like luxurious accommodations at a private club, first-class airline tickets, and expensive meals that went well beyond what is 'reasonable and necessary,'" wrote CfA (Campaign for Accountability) Executive Director Anne Weismann.
Is this a brand new innovation from the GOP, spending taxpayer money to enrich lawyers and advocacy groups? Of course not. Think of all the quixotic misadventures of the past 35 years or so, many of which were clearly unconstitutional from the start. They include campaigns against women’s rights, LBGT rights, and voting rights. And there is the entire cottage industry of foisting religious beliefs into public places: Anti-evolution laws, prayer in schools, posting of the Ten Commandments, and so on. When those actions are challenged in court, the taxpayers are often left holding the bag. Do any of the responsible parties ever apologize, or offer to reimburse the public? I think you already know that answer.