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Jean Welch Hill, Mark Shurtleff's Democratic challenger in the race for state attorney general, raised concerns Monday over what she views to be an obvious conflict of interest.
"By hosting a fundraiser for a candidate that could soon be under investigation by the Attorney General's Office, Mark Shurtleff has plunged his office into an obvious conflict of interest," Hill said in a news release. "His actions flunk common sense and legal ethics 101."
Shurtleff has made no secret about his endorsement of Rep. Mark Walker, R-Sandy, in his run for state treasurer. He donated $5,000 to Walker's campaign and nominated him at the state Republican convention in May.
On May 29, Walker's Republican challenger - Chief Deputy Treasurer Richard Ellis - filed a complaint with Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert alleging that Walker offered him a job and a hefty pay increase if he would drop out of the race.
On Friday, Herbert, the state's chief elections officer, said he was postponing any determination until after the June 24 primary.
That same day, Shurtleff and other powerful Republicans, including House Speaker Greg Curtis, hosted a noon fundraiser for Walker.
While Shurtleff did not attend the fundraiser - he underwent surgery that day to repair a leg injury - his campaign consultant, Jason Powers, confirmed Shurtleff's role as co-host. He said the event had been planned before Ellis launched his complaint.
"We were expecting these sorts of political tactics from Jean, but not quite so early in the season," Powers said. "This is really just a cheap campaign ploy."
Attorneys who work under Shurtleff function separately from their high-profile boss, said Paul Murphy, spokesman for Shurtleff.
"We have means to create firewalls so they can act independently on any investigation or prosecution," Murphy said. "They are merit employees who have the ability to do their jobs without political influence."
Hill, a former editorial writer and columnist for The Salt Lake Tribune, asserts that consistently lax enforcement of election laws destroys the public's trust.
"This is a pretty serious allegation. The fact that it will sit in the Lt. Governor's office is untenable," Hill said in an interview. "Both Herbert and Shurtleff dropped the ball, Shurtleff because he's too connected to the candidate."