FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Today, a group of Republican leaders from across the state sent a letter to Governor Spencer Cox, Senate President Stuart Adams and House Speaker Mike Schultz regarding the Utah Supreme Court’s recent ballot initiative decision.
Concerned that the Court’s decision will render irreparable harm to Utah, the letter urged Governor Cox, President Adams and Speaker Schultz to take immediate action. The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Governor Cox, President Adams, and Speaker Schultz,
We, leaders from various groups across Utah, representing a wide array of backgrounds, regions, and political beliefs, unite to express our profound alarm regarding the recent Utah Supreme Court decision on initiatives. This ruling represents an existential threat to the values, culture, and way of life that define our state.
The Utah Supreme Court decision deviates starkly from the principles that have guided our state so effectively. By allowing initiatives to become immutable “super laws,” the Court has opened the door to potentially devastating consequences. Utah now faces the risk of becoming like California, where large sums of outside money influence laws that do not reflect the values of our citizens and undermine our cultural integrity.
While past legislative overreach has understandably led to some distrust among the people, the voice of the people in governance remains crucial and cannot be overstated. Although the intent of initiatives is to amplify that voice, this ruling creates a rigid and unmanageable system that disrupts our republican form of government. We believe grassroots-led initiatives can have value when they garner strong support and can be refined as necessary through the legislative process. We also believe the right of the people to provide a check on the legislature, through a referendum process—a people’s veto of legislative actions—remains essential.
Our founders wisely designed a representative republic to prevent the chaos of direct democracy. This ruling disrupts that balance, leaving Utah vulnerable to the whims of special interests and fleeting majorities. If we do not act to mitigate the consequences of this decision, Utah’s strong community and quality of life will be severely jeopardized, impacting our future and generations to come.
Given these exigent circumstances, we believe it is imperative that the legislature be immediately called into special session to propose a constitutional amendment. This amendment should safeguard our laws from being unduly influenced by outside groups while simultaneously respecting the role of properly balanced grassroots-led initiatives and strengthening the people’s right to veto laws through a referendum process.
We, the undersigned, urge you to protect the integrity and future of Utah and we call upon our fellow Utahns to join us in calling for the same.
Signed,
- Robert Axson, Utah Republican Party Chairman
- Kim Coleman, Utah Republican Party Vice Chair, Utah Republican Party National Committeewoman
- Brad Bonham, Utah Republican Party National Committeeman
- Stafford Palmieri Sievert, Utah Republican Party Secretary
- McKay Newell, Utah Republican Party Treasurer
- Utah Citizens for the Constitution
- Path Forward Utah
- Pro-Life Utah
- Utah Legislative Watch
- Worldwide Organization for Women
- Derek Brown, Republican Nominee for Attorney General and former Utah Republican Party Chair
- Nicholeen Peck, Republican Nominee for HD 28
- Joann Brinton, Republican Nominee for State School Board, Washington County Eagle Forum President, WCRW member
- Celeste Meyers, Kane County Commissioner
- Kress Staheli, Mayor of Washington City
- Bill Hoster, Mayor of Leeds
- Nanette Billings, Mayor of Hurricane, WCRW member
- Tami Tran, Mayor of Kaysville, UTGOP State Central Committee Member
- Trent Staggs, Mayor of Riverton, former candidate for US Senate
- Andy Pierucci, Riverton City Councilman
- Tawnee McCay, Riverton City Councilwoman
- Kurt Ivie, Washington City Councilman
- Michelle Tanner, St. George City Councilwoman
- Bret Henderson, Washington City Councilman
- Kim Casperson, Washington City Councilwoman
- Sheldon Stewart, Salt Lake County Councilman
- Janene Burton, WCRW Secretary and Santa Clara City Council Member
- Chris Null, Salt Lake County Republican Party Chair
- Yemi Arunsi, Davis County Republican Party Chair
- Lesa Sandberg, Washington County Republican Party Chair and Utah Federation of Republican Women Treasurer
- Barry Sawyer, Washington County Party Vice Chair
- Chad Saunders, UTGOP State Central Committee Member and CD2 Executive Committee Member
- Wendy Hart, UTGOP State Central Committee Member and Chair of the Audit Committee
- Haylee Caplin, Washington County Republican Women President and UTGOP State Central Committee Member
- Alexis Ence, Washington County Republican Women Vice President and UTGOP State Central Committee Member
- Aaron Bullen, UTGOP State Central Committee Member and Chair of the Constitution and Bylaws (C&B) Committee
- Mac Sims, UTGOP State Central Committee Member and former Utah County GOP Vice Chair
- Gunnar Thorderson, UTGOP State Central Committee Member
- Gloria Vindas, UTGOP State Central Committee Member
- Corinne Johnson, President of Utah Parents United and UTGOP State Central Committee Member
- Jordan Hess, Former Utah GOP Vice Chair, Current Southern Utah Elephant Club Chair
- Gayle Ruzicka, Utah Eagle Forum
- Merrilee Boyack, Abortion-Free Utah Coalition Chair and Strengthen Utah Families President
- Dalane England, United Women’s Forum Vice President
- Larry Meyers, Platform Republicans PAC Treasurer
- Kristen Chevrier, Your Health Freedom Utah
- Tenna Hartman, United Women’s Forum President
- Janice Legler, Former UTGOP State Central Committee C&B Chair, Platform Republican PAC Officer & Board Member
- Carolynn Phippen, Board Member, Utah Citizens for the Constitution and former candidate for US Senate
- Jen Brown, Board Member, Utah Citizens for the Constitution
- Marion Kohte, WCRW Member
- Linda Anderschat, WCRW Member
- Emily Butler, WCRW Member
- Jennifer Nelson, WCRW Member
- Raelie Trent, WCRW Member
- Lori Colyar, WCRW Member
- Laurie Abshier, WCRW Member
- Adena McCahgren, WCRW Member
- Sharon Simmons, WCRW Member
- Mitzie Rogers, WCRW Member
- Darlene Cooley, WCRW Member
- Cathy Percefull, WCRW Member
Signatories last updated on August 17, 2024.
You can view a PDF of the letter here.
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