This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Despite condemnations of West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder's decision to write positive news stories about his city under a false identity, it's unclear what impact the deception will have on his future political aspirations.
The tactic raises "serious ethical questions," said Matthew Burbank, University of Utah professor of political science. "What could this say about his judgment? The very fact that he is writing under someone else's name means he was trying to fool people."
But, Burbank added, "I can see West Valley City residents saying, 'Why can't our mayor be an advocate for the city?'... Will future voters say, 'I will never vote for you because of that'? I think that's unlikely."
Winder, director of public affairs for the Summit Group, a public relations and lobbying firm, used the name "Richard Burwash" to submit 11 articles published in the Deseret News, KSL.com and Oquirrh Times, a newspaper serving West Valley City, Magna and Kearns, between Sept. 10, 2010, and May 27, 2011. He frequently quoted himself in the articles.
Winder said the Times' editor, Howard Stahle, knew he was the author; Stahle could not be reached for immediate comment.
Winder said he was frustrated that the Deseret News had drastically reduced its city government coverage after layoffs last year, but not its crime coverage, and he wanted to "try to restore balance."
While Winder has not formally announced his candidacy for Salt Lake County mayor, he has said he's considering running.
Tim Chambless, a University of Utah political science professor and former journalist, said Winder's subterfuge was unethical and raises the question of whether he would betray the public trust as a county mayor.
"I can fully appreciate and respect his desire to portray West Valley City in a positive light," said Chambless, a staff member at the Hinckley Institute of Politics. But, he added, public officials "have to be open and transparent in their dealings with the public."
Winder defends his use of a pen name and said his articles were accurate. He said he stopped posing as Burwash this spring and voluntarily informed the Deseret News on Monday because "I do believe in transparency and openness."
He acknowledged his admission will have some effect on the public's perception of him. "I think it shows that I am human and I had a lapse in judgment," he said.
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Ethics in public •Winder's strategy violated the ethical principles of public relations professionals and was "clearly a conflict of interest," said Dennis Scott Jolley, a University Hospital spokesman and president-elect of the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
"He has stated that the information he gave was accurate and truthful," said Jolley, noting he was speaking for himself, not the chapter. "But the way in which he chose to [present] it undermines the public trust and is dishonest, in my opinion."
The mayor said he could not respond to the assertion that he violated public relations ethics because, as Summit's public affairs director, he advises clients on government-related issues.
"I'm not in the public relations department," Winder said. "I've never had a public relations class."
Winder twice submitted articles that concerned a Summit Group client — UTOPIA, an effort by 11 cities to develop high-speed Internet for their communities. As mayor of West Valley City, Winder has advocated continued city funding of the $500 million-plus effort.
On May 1, KSL.com published an article by "Burwash" about Chris Hogan, a former UTOPIA executive who claims he was fired for expressing concerns about possible conflicts of interest at the consortium. UTOPIA and Hogan have filed lawsuits against each other in state and federal court.
Winder's story said Hogan was being accused of extortion. Winder said his purpose "was bringing to light the court documents, from which the quotes were pulled."
But the use of those documents by "Burwash" drew the attention of Hogan's lawyers, who started looking for the writer.
In a federal court motion, Hogan's attorneys said they believed UTOPIA had provided court documents to the author before a judge had heard a motion to unseal them. Hogan's lawyer, Steve Christensen, told The Tribune that he tried to find "Burwash" earlier this year, including contacting KSL, but was unable to locate him.
Winder said Friday the documents were sent to the cities that are stakeholders in UTOPIA. He said the documents were not sealed when he got them.
As mayor, Winder was subpoenaed in the state case, but it was later dropped. He said Friday that he was unaware that Hogan's attorneys were looking for "Burwash" for the federal case.
Winder also said Friday: "I have never been the [UTOPIA] account manager [at Summit.] Also, nobody at UTOPIA or The Summit Group knew about 'Richard Burwash' until this week."
And the UTOPIA story he wrote for the Oquirrh Times, he said, "was simply a cut-and-paste from one of their press releases."
Summit Group did not return a call Friday.
Winder's three articles as "Burwash" in the Deseret News were about a new Buddhist temple in West Valley City; an update on TRAX construction; and the Taylorsville city budget. He said the budget story was actually written by his sister, Aimee Newton, who has since been hired as a spokeswoman for Taylorsville.
Tim Brown, a partner at the Richter 7 advertising agency in Salt Lake City, said Winder has embarrassed himself. But he stopped short of condemning Winder, whom he called a "great leader."
"There is great value in taking any situation and seeing it in greater context. So look at [Winder's] life and consider all of his contributions," Brown said.
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The truth's consequences •Ron Fox, a friend and co-author with Winder of the new book When the White House Comes to Zion, said he is not concerned about Winder's revelation and doesn't think it will hurt Winder politically.
"His intent was to get good content out about his community and city," Fox said.
Former Salt Lake County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Hatch, who also served on the County Council, agreed the flap likely won't hurt Winder among Republicans because it's "down the list" from bigger issues the West Valley City mayor faces within his own party.
Hatch noted Winder subsidized a West Valley City hotel. "He's perceived by Republicans as a moderate, and that's a dirty word," Hatch said.
However, the ethical lapse could potentially hurt him if he were running against a strong Democrat, Hatch said.
Republican County Councilman Richard Snelgrove, who is considering a run for the county mayor's seat, said Friday afternoon that it would be inappropriate for him to comment since Winder has indicated he may also seek the post. Julie Dole, chairwoman of the Salt Lake County Republican Party, said she would not comment because Winder is not currently a candidate for county office.
But Mary Bishop, chairwoman of the Salt Lake County Democratic Party, excoriated Winder in a prepared statement. In July, Winder apologized for appearing in an advertisement — using his title as mayor — for the nuclear-waste company EnergySolutions Inc., a client of his public relations firm and one of his campaign contributors. As a member of the West Valley City Council, Winder apologized for using the city's email system to encourage city employees to tell their friends about his earlier book.
"The confession by West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder that he dupedthe Deseret News and KSL is just one more incident in a string of ethically questionable judgments by this would-be candidate for county mayor," she said. "He has abused not only the trust of West Valley citizens but every person who reads the Deseret News."
Tribune reporter Paul Beebe and editor Dan Harrie contributed to this report.
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The rise and fall of Winder's 'Richard Burwash'
West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder's articles, written as the fictional journalist "Richard Burwash," were submitted to the Deseret News and KSL.com through Deseret Connect, a venue for freelance writers to contribute to those outlets, the Mormon Times and LDS Church News.
Winder said he decided to use the "Burwash" pen name with Deseret Connect — without informing editors of his identity — after he heard Clark Gilbert, president and CEO of Deseret News, speak about the effort.
Winder said he decided to drop the identity in the spring after Mark Willes, CEO and president of Deseret Management Corp., told him that Deseret Connect preferred that its writers not use pen names.
"That's when 'Richard Burwash' disappeared and I created a Deseret Connect account for 'Mike Winder,' " the mayor said. He told Deseret Connect officials that "Burwash" had moved to London, he said.
Gilbert did not respond immediately to a phone call and email on Friday. He told the News on Thursday that the paper was "highly concerned that someone would purposely misrepresent himself."
Winder wrote under his own name until Deseret Connect decided to stop accepting contributions from elected officials, except for occasional op-ed pieces.
The Oquirrh Times published seven articles from "Burwash," including three about Proposition 3, a parks ballot issue that failed. The others were about the UTOPIA expansion in West Valley City; area schools receiving grants; new stores and restaurants at Valley Fair Mall; and the announcement by Tom Huynh that he was running for a seat on the West Valley City Council. The Huynh article ran without a byline, but Winder acknowledged that he wrote it.
A photo of the St. George town square attributed to "R. Burwash" was published in The Salt Lake Tribune on Oct. 27, 2010. The picture was one of several provided to the paper by Winder, who said it should be credited to "Burwash." The Tribune was unaware of "Burwash's" identity and has removed the credit from the photo in its archives.
Pamela Manson The rise and fall of Winder's 'Burwash'
West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder's articles, written as the fictional journalist "Richard Burwash," were submitted to the Deseret News and KSL.com through Deseret Connect, a venue for freelance writers to contribute to those outlets, the Mormon Times and LDS Church News.
Winder said he decided to use the "Burwash" pen name with Deseret Connect — without informing editors of his identity — after he heard Clark Gilbert, president and CEO of Deseret News, speak about the effort.
Winder said he decided to drop the identity in the spring after Mark Willes, CEO and president of Deseret Management Corp., told him that Deseret Connect preferred that its writers not use pen names.
"That's when 'Richard Burwash' disappeared and I created a Deseret Connect account for 'Mike Winder,' " the mayor said. He told Deseret Connect officials that "Burwash" had moved to London, he said.
Gilbert did not respond immediately to a phone call and email on Friday. He told the News on Thursday that the paper was "highly concerned that someone would purposely misrepresent himself."
Winder wrote under his own name until Deseret Connect decided to stop accepting contributions from elected officials, except for occasional op-ed pieces.
The Oquirrh Times published seven articles from "Burwash," including three about Proposition 3, a parks ballot issue that failed. The others were about the UTOPIA expansion in West Valley City; area schools receiving grants; new stores and restaurants at Valley Fair Mall; and the announcement by Tom Huynh that he was running for a seat on the West Valley City Council. The Huynh article ran without a byline, but Winder acknowledged that he wrote it.
A photo of the St. George town square attributed to "R. Burwash" was published in The Salt Lake Tribune on Oct. 27, 2010. The picture was one of several provided to the paper by Winder, who said it should be credited to "Burwash." The Tribune was unaware of "Burwash's" identity and has removed the credit from the photo in its archives.
Pamela Manson