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3 Questions with Bob Evans: Former State Senator Steve Urquhart talks LDS Church lobbying tactics

Posted at 10:41 PM, Aug 27, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-28 09:25:37-04

SALT LAKE CITY -- He served in the Utah legislature for 16 years and stepped down last year to become the global ambassador for the University of Utah.

But in his years on Utah’s Capitol Hill, State Senator Steve Urquhart found himself at odds with the way the church he belongs to deals with lawmakers.

Urquhart sat down for 3 Questions with Bob Evans:

  1. You recently posted two posts on Facebook, talking about the LDS Church and its tactics in lobbying the Utah legislature. And you complain that they don’t ‘come in the front door’ like all the other lobbyists: What exactly do you mean by that?
  2. When you say that the LDS Church is whispering in the ears of the leadership of the legislature, can you be specific? I mean, are they really pulling them aside and saying, ‘Hey, listen. This is what we really want to do.’ And have you seen that happen up there?
  3. Section Four of the Utah Constitution declares in part that: “there shall be no union of Church or State, nor shall any church dominate the State or interfere with its functions.” Is that section of the Utah Constitution being adequately observed, and, if not: who is at fault?

See the video below for the extended interview with Steve Urquhart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAgIOvHuqOQ