This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
I know it's a serious matter, but I laughed out loud when I picked my paper up from the driveway and saw the scowling face of southern Utah's bantam rooster Rep. Mike Noel, alongside his predictable call for an investigation into the "conspiracy" that he sees plotting to bollox up his plans to privatize and exploit the public lands owned by each and every U.S. citizen ("Hidden motives in tribes' support?" April 28).
While we're investigating possible conspiracies, I wonder if he'd be amenable to having our taxpayer-funded Constitutional Defense Council expand their investigation into "ferreting out" the ties between our Utah Legislature and the developers and contractors who will benefit so handsomely from the upcoming prison move. Or into clarifying the relationships between our legislators and the coal interests who are involved in that puzzling loan of Utah taxpayer money to help build port facilities in California. Or into defining the connections between the legislature and Utah's charter school interests. Or into making clear the associations between our legislators' efforts and the American Legislative Exchange Council. Or into making transparent Rep. Ken Ivory's hocus-pocus with his American Lands Council. Or, well, I guess that's enough for now.
How about it, Rep. Noel? While you're spending my money to shine some light, let's spread it around. As much as the Bear Ears "conspiracy" that you see under every red rock, these are "constitutional issues" too.
Marc Jackson
Salt Lake City