Chairman Dabakis Responds To Reports Of Leaving Utah
Contact:
Matt Lyon
Executive Director, Utah Democratic Party
801.597.8888 | mlyon@utdem.org
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 17, 2011
Chairman Dabakis Responds To Reports Of Leaving Utah
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“I’m staying.” said Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis this morning.
“I am flattered and honored to have my name mentioned together with the Human Rights Campaign, however, the last six months of being the Chair of the Utah Democratic Party have been the most interesting, challenging and rewarding time of my life. The association with so many Democrats across our beautiful state has been a singular honor, and I will not leave my job half done. I would rather work for free in Utah then pile up cash in D.C.
And frankly, even though we disagree regularly (often with ferocity), it has been rewarding to work with Republican leaders in the state like Governor Herbert, State Senate President Waddoups and Republican Chairman Wright. Utah Republicans and Democrats have the ability to separate out the brutal, thuggish partisanship that so permeates paralysis in Washington DC and concentrate on policy issues without making the politics personal or too disagreeable. This is what the people of Utah demand and deserve.
I look forward to serving the people of Utah for the next 1 1/2 years and am confident that I will enjoy spending time in Washington County much more then in Washington DC.”
Utah State Democratic Party | 801.328.1212 | www.utahdemocrats.org
read moreGOP Senator Seeks To Criminalize Officers For Enforcing The Law
Contact:
Matt Lyon
801.597.8888 | mlyon@utdem.org
Eric Ethington
801.427.3397 | eric@utdem.org
For Immediate Release: Wednesday, January 11, 2012
GOP Senator Seeks To Criminalize Officers For Enforcing The Law
Freshman State Senator Casey Anderson (Republican, Cedar City) is already running afoul of the Constitution as he proposes a new law making it a crime for Utah law enforcement to enforce the law.
Anderson’s bill, SB34, makes it a crime for local officers to enforce federal regulations on food grown and sold in Utah. Officers who follow those federal laws will find themselves charged with a Class ‘A’ Misdemeanor – which carries a $2500 fine and up to one year imprisonment.
“This is just bizarre, and another example of Republican Legislators who are out of touch with Utah common sense values” says Jim Dabakis, Chairman of the Utah State Democratic Party. “Perhaps Mr. Anderson should think out his ideas first, before trying to codify them into law.”
The State Legislature’s attorneys commented on Senator Anderson’s proposal, saying that any court would likely find the law unconstitutional.
Many of the Republican Tea Party-leaning Legislators are already pushing for local law enforcement to begin enforcing federal crimes like illegal-immigration. But ironically, Senator Anderson’s proposed bill seems to take the exact opposite pitch.
“As a citizen of Utah, I really wish the Republicans on the Hill would make up their minds whether or not they want federal laws in Utah.” continued Dabakis. “Trying to criminalize officers for enforcing the law doesn’t seem to fit any rational argument I can think of. What’s next? Putting police in jail for stopping a kidnapping? That’s a federal law too.”
Utah State Democratic Party | 801.328.1212 | www.utahdemocrats.org
read moreDABC Review Committee Holding Public Meeting On Liquor Policies
Contact:
Matt Lyon
801.597.8888 | mlyon@utdem.org
For Immediate Release: Monday, January 9, 2012
DABC Review Committee Holding Public Meeting On Liquor Policies
Salt Lake City – The DABC Review Committee, made up of independent business owners and tasked by Senate Minority Leader Ross Romero and House Minority Leader David Litvack to create a recommendations report for the Utah Legislature will be holding a public panel-discussion tomorrow from 2pm-4pm.
The event, to be held at the Salt Lake City Library in the 4th floor conference room, is the 2nd in a series of events designed to garner public input on the policies of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage
Control (DABC) and liquor laws in Utah.
“This is a unique opportunity,” says Peter Cooke, co-chair of the DABC Review Committee, “for the people of Utah to have a voice over the recommendations that will be presented to the Legislature. Alcohol is a multimillion dollar business in Utah, and it funds programs that impact all Utahns, including those, like me, who don’t drink”
The full DABC Review Committee will be on hand to collect comments and feedback from members of the public and business owners who are effected by DABC policies. The final recommendations-report will be delivered to Legislative Leadership at the beginning of the 2012 Legislative Session.
Where: The Salt Lake City Library, 400 South and 200 East, 4th floor Conference Room.
When: Tuesday, January 10, 2012 from 2pm to 4pm
Special Introductions will be made by Senator Ross Romero and Representative David Litvack. All Utah Legislators have been invited to attend and listen to the public comments.
Committee Members:
- Co-chair, Peter S. Cooke, CEO of PSC Enterprises and Major General, US Army, retired
- Co-chair, Jeff Hatch, former Salt Lake County Auditor and former President/General Manager of KUTV Channel 2
- Co-chair, Stephen Schubach, CEO of Standard Optical
- Scott Evans, Owner, Pago Restaurant
- David Cole and Peter Erickson, Co-Founders, Epic Brewing Company
- Dave Sabey, Founder, Moab Brewery
- Brett Birt, Vice President, Golden Beverage
- Tamara Gibo, owner of Takashi Sushi
- Kris Bodeen, co-owner of Tsunami Restaurant
- Dave DeSeelhorst, CEO, Solitude Mountain Resort
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