Earlier this week a democratic state representative launched an impeachment probe of Utah’s Attorney General. Both Summit and Wasatch County's Representatives say they will not be supporting the legislation.
Rep. Andrew Stoddard - a democrat - opened a resolution to impeach Utah’s Attorney General Sean Reyes - due to Reyes’s ties to a GOP organization that issued robocalls urging people to storm the U.S. Capitol building Jan. 6.
In a press release Stoddard said Reyes had “violated his duty to the state” as an attorney and public officer by putting the “aims of special interest groups above the voters who elected him.”
The bill would open an investigation into any criminal misconduct.
Summit County Republican Rep. Kera Birkeland said based on what she knows about the bill, she will not vote in favor.
"I have not read the resolution," Birkeland said. "I've no problem with, you know, [Stoddard] sharing his opinion. Is obviously something he's passionate about. And we just need to stick to the issue and vote and move on."
Republican Rep. Mike Kohler serves Wasatch County as well as residents within the Park City Municipal boundaries. He also said he doesn’t support the impeachment but would like to know more about Reyes’s activities.
"I'm not really looking for something," Kohler said. "If it's going to come out, let's learn about it. I think a lot of what happened in the capital is - probably my opinion is - it's been partisanly discussed and I think the more open discussion we can have, the better. Certainly we don't want to have that happen again. The causes need to be understood. And that said, again, at this point, I don't see Mr. Reyes having committed something that would cause me to vote for impeachment."
Stoddard said he opened the bill because he had limited other options to investigate Reyes’s alleged offences. One other way to investigate Reyes is through GRAMA requests.
Birkeland said she would have no issue with Stoddard taking this alternative.
"I have no problem if anyone wants to - and anyone can - GRAMA request any records from any elected official…. I have no problem with that," Birkeland said. "An investigation and impeachment or anything that involves the legislature... I see no need for that at this time."
Reyes also joined 16 other state attorneys general in signing a Texas petition, in December. The petition was to invalidate the 2020 election results in four different states. The appeal was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.
