Paul Rolly: Matheson helped House GOP pull a fast one

I wrote in Wednesday's column about the resolution the House passed just before the government shutdown deadline that took away the ability of any House member to call for a vote of the Senate resolution to open up the government.

The resolution was cited Tuesday by Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, while he was acting speaker, to deny Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen's motion to call for such a vote.

That prompted Van Hollen to declare that democracy has been suspended by the House.

Well, guess who joined Chaffetz and Utah Republicans Rob Bishop and Chris Stewart in passing a motion making it impossible to get a vote in the House to open the government without the express blessing of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor?

Yep, Utah's lone Democratic congressman, Jim Matheson. He was one of just seven Democrats joining with Republicans to approve that resolution.

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Can't be bothered • Keith Griffall, owner of Western Leisure Tours in Midvale, testified Tuesday before a Senate entrepreneurship panel about the now-ended shutdown was devastating to businesses. Not one Republican showed up to hear the stories from Griffall and other small-business owners affected by the closure.

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We are automatons • If you are one of the many people who have received emails from Sen. Mike Lee asking you to send him money so he can save America from President Barack Obama, you are addressed as "Dear Fellow American."

But if you email Lee expressing your concerns about his role in the shutdown, indicate you disagree with him and do not offer to give him money, you are reduced to a number.

Julene E. Fisher, of West Valley City, sent an email to Lee recently expressing her feelings about his efforts in Washington. She included her name and contact information.

She was pleasantly surprised when Lee's office replied just two days later. The email began "Dear 120 … "

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Always enunciate • State Rep. Ken Ivory, R-West Jordan, felt the need to apologize to his Republican colleagues in the Utah Legislature last week, worrying an email he had sent to them might be offensive.

The email was part of a continuing discussion from a meeting legislators had last week on the state's response to the government shutdown of national parks in Utah.

In response to a question from Rep. Marc Roberts, R-Santaquin, about the possibility of the state keeping gate and admission fees during the shutdown, Ivory's secretary, taking dictation, did not understand a particular word and sent an ill-advised email to lawmakers.

"What I meant to say was: 'We take the altruistic high road … ,' " Ivory said in his apology.

The original email said: "We take the all truest dick high road … "

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Spreading the word • I wrote last week about former state legislator and congressional candidate Carl Wimmer leaving the LDS Church and studying to become an evangelical Christian minister.

I've since learned of a possible reason for Wimmer bolting from Mormonism: His LDS home teacher in the Rosecrest First Ward in Herriman was Tribune columnist Robert Kirby.

prolly@sltrib.com —