SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — An assistant attorney general for Utah has apologized for sending a hateful email to a Salt Lake City City Council member after being wakened during a Saturday nap.
While campaigning door-to-door Saturday, Darin Mano apparently ticked off Steven Wuthrich, an assistant for the Utah Attorney General’s Office.
“It was surprising and shocking,” said Mano.
After being yelled at after looking for a registered voter at Wuthrich’s home, Mano said Wuthrich sent an expletive-filled email complaining about being woken from a “lovely siesta” despite a no solicitation sign.
The email reads, “I will do everything in my power to see you will never get elected to any office higher than [a] dog catcher. I hate you. I hate your family… Kindly die and go to hell mother [expletive]”.
“The line that bothered me the most was not the ‘kindly die and go to somewhere.’ It was ‘I hate your family.’ That was the most hurtful. The last thing I want to do is put my family in danger or make my family a target in any way,” said Mano.
After being appointed to replace now-Mayor Erin Mendenhall's council seat in 2020, Mano is campaigning to be the first Asian American elected to the Salt Lake City Council. Mano is also a member of the LGBTQ+ community and a father of four.
“It was hard not to wonder why that email was so particularly aggressive,” said Mano.
In a statement to FOX 13, Wuthrich writes:
“Last Saturday I was awakened from a nap and reacted with undue anger based solely on the interruption to my tranquility. Since then I have regretted the ferocity and language of that email. My words were uncivil and unprofessional. From me personally I apologize to Salt Lake City Councilman Darin Mano and his family. I never wished harm to Mr. Mano, his family or anyone associated with him. No parent, spouse or child should be subjected to such emotional outbursts. I am deeply sorry.
"That email was my sole responsibility and had nothing to do with my employer. The consequences for my conduct are mine alone. I wish Mr. Mano well in his official capacity and campaign.
"I am taking steps to examine my reaction and find ways to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.”
In response, Mano gave this statement:
“I appreciate the apology from Mr. Wurthrich, particularly the assurance that my family is safe. I will leave it up to Mr Wuthrich's employer and the bar association to decide on any disciplinary actions. That is not my place. Each of us can and must improve ourselves with an eye toward kindness and equity in order to build a safe and inclusive community for all. I'm hopeful this has been a learning experience for us all that we need to slow down, think before we react, and treat each other with kindness and respect. I am still Mr. Wuthrich's representative and the invitation to hear his views about Salt Lake City and District 5 remains open.”
A statement from the Utah Attorney General’s office said the office this type of situation very seriously and they are determining what should happen next.
