October 24, 2014
Amendment C: Appointment of Legal Council for Executive Officers
http://ballotpedia.org/Utah_Appointment_of_Legal_Counsel_for_Executive_Officers,_Amendment_C_%282014%29
The final amendment that is being put up for election is an amendment that would allow executive officers specifically the leuitenant governor, state auditor, and state treasurer to appoint their own legal council. How it currently stands is that the attorney general handles legal affairs and advises these officers as well as the governor. This amendment passed through the House of Reps and Senate unaminous besides one vote in the senate.
Arugments for this amendment are that with the events that have happened in recent years has proven the fact that the attorney general is not enough legal council that is needed for all the executive officers. This would allow to have these executive officers to choose their own legal council instead on relying on the attorney general who they didn't choose.
The opposistion to this amendment make some points about how that it is a good enough system to have the attorney general be the legal advisor for all of these of these officers. The attorney general ensures that what ever is being done is all in line with the law and that there won't be contradicting opinions.
I actually have to side with the one Senator on this. I think that the attorney general is placed with his athourity in such a way that there is a check and balance between high powers in our state government. The amendment is an reaction to the whole John Swallow affair. If this amendment passed and the lieutenant governor, state auditor, and state treasurer could appoint their own legal council don't you think they would surround themselves with 'yes men' to contradict their opponents. The attorney general provides stability and there isn't an issue with how things are.