Outside temperatures were the coldest they’ve been in some time, but it was the climate in the Marriott Library that Gov. Gary Herbert tried to warm up Thursday.
Herbert addressed the Governor’s Commission on Strengthening Utah’s Democracy, a meeting held in the newly renovated library.
The commission, created by former Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and chaired by Hinckley Institute of Politics Director Kirk Jowers, aims to bolster voter turnout in Utah by addressing widespread concerns about elections, campaign finance and lobbying. The formulated recommendations from the committee’s 19 members will be passed along to the governor, who is then responsible for pushing the ideas through the Legislature come January.
Herbert has already publicly split with the commission on one hot-button issue.
The newly inaugurated governor recently said he opposes limits on campaign contributions at nearly the same time the commission voted in favor of such limits. Herbert was subsequently criticized for what some saw as an attempt to undermine the commission.
The governor apologized for the timing of his remarks, saying they had been made before the commission voted 10-7 to approve limits and were therefore not aimed specifically at the commission.
“This is my 19th year in politics, and I have never changed my position,” Herbert said, referring to his opposition to campaign contribution caps. “I believe this is a free-speech issue and that limits give more power to the incumbents.”
Herbert said he believes capping campaign contributions would constitute a breach of freedom of speech.
“What I do support is instantaneous disclosure,” he said. “That is something I have and will advocate going forward.”
Although the governor took pains to assure the commission of his commitment to its mission and his openness to the suggestions it produces, he said he inherited the commission, along with a struggling economy, from his predecessor.
When asked if he would support the commission’s recommendations, Herbert pledged to maintain an open mind but stopped short of guaranteeing that he would champion something he disagrees with.
“I don’t know what is going to bubble up,” Herbert said. “I don’t want to prejudice anything you send to me.”
However, the committee never brought up capping campaign contributions at the Thursday meeting apart from Herbert’s remarks. The debate centered instead around the idea of creating a new commission or panel with authority to react to campaign finance and lobbying complaints related to elections.
The commission plans to have a formal draft of its recommendations prepared by December.
