Cut the Sleaze, Please.

CliffNotes version:
This is a story with two villians, and no real heros. Yes, a story of politics. The first villain is Mark Shurtleff (left) our Attorney General for UT. He's now running for senate. Mark had the opportunity to nail Rick Koerber, villain #2, who ran a $100 million ponzi scheme. However, after a state congressman arranged a meeting for himself and Koerber, he decided there just wasn't enough evidence to indict Koerber. Interesting, because after Shurtleff tried to kill the unfiled charges, a few state officials sent it off to the federal level, where it was determined Shurtleff was an idiot. Or at least dead wrong. The headline to their press release reads: "Indictment Charges Koerber with Mail, Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion in Connection with Real Estate Investment Scheme," followed by, "Investment Scheme Took in About $100 Million in Investor Funds; More than $50 Million Used to Make Ponzi Payments While Other Investor Money Was Diverted to Other Uses." The U.S. Attorney stepped over Shurtleff's head, and charges were filed. Results are yet pending.

Rick Koerber will probably get what he has coming to him, but considering all the retirement savings, pensions, home deeds, mortgages, whose home mortgages and deeds turned over to him, which will never be fully recovered, it hardly seems enough. Few of those hurt by him have the money left to attempt a lawsuit, although there are some in progress. One particularly heartbreaking lawsuit includes $170,000 invested by an elderly couple in the form of their life savings, pension, home's equity, and credit-card advances.

But what about Shurtleff, who happily dropped the case and let the man walk free -- never holding Koerber responsible for his actions, never doing right by the people who were hurt? What about him? The thing is, he has an eagle scout and served a mission. Apparently that's all it takes to convince the public of your goodness. (Never mind a scandal or four...)

Mark Shurtleff is running for Senator. I won't profess to know much -- okay. I won't profess to know anything about Bob Bennett or the other candidates, not yet. That said,
I wrote Shurtleff a pretty strongly worded letter this morning. I freely confess it had a bit too much heat to it. Aaaaand, I could be wrong. So, so, so wrong. Actually, I have a history of being wrong. Maybe there's more to this story than I could find -- maybe there's information being suppressed, or even just lost in the mounds of "evidence." I don't know, but I can't let that stop me from telling him that, based on what I know, he won't be getting that promotion to Congress under my watch, and I won't stay quiet about what I know.

Now, for all those who want the gritty, unedited story with all the minor characters and semi-dramatic plot twists (or just those who want more sources), I present:



The Whole Shebang Version:
It's tough to stay current in local politics. One look around town right now leaves you wondering who each city council candidate really is, let alone who's best for city treasurer. Even on a state level, it can be pretty tricky. Honestly, I'm lucky I could recognize Mark Shurtleff's name at all. (He's the attorney general for Utah, a position I surmise has a fair amount of power. Anyone with additional information should consider themselves quite impressive. I hear he's also running against Bob Bennett for a seat in D.C. next year.)

So, here's what I came across today: Rick Koerber is a guy with a huge following. Huge. He had a local AM radio show that helped his followings increase. He created clubs, held conferences, offered private mentoring, and made a right luxurious living at it, all while teaching "the principles of prosperity." He regularly bragged about his $300k car, and how he made money on it. And that was just the beginning -- the same could easily be done with homes, he assured his listeners. Sure, he was as smooth as glass, but you could trust him. After all, he was a mormon, a dad, and a seminary teacher. If that didn't work, well, did you know Hartman Rector Jr., emeritus of the Presidency of the Seventy, invested with him? Perhaps you can smell a rat. Others clearly didn't.

Today Mr. Koerber (left) has more than $100 million in investment money he can no longer pay out for. Evidence indicates he was running a ponzi scheme, although until the case is decided nothing can be official. Homes (including Rector's) which were put in Koerber's name are now in others' hands, as Koerber is all but bankrupt. The charges the U.S. Attorney filed against him were noted in the "Cliff Notes" version above. As mentioned above, one particularly heartbreaking lawsuit includes $170,000 invested by an elderly couple in the form of their life savings, pension, home's equity, and credit-card advances.


Not surprisingly, Koerber is well-connected in politics. Among his most beneficial friends in this latest crisis is Rep. Carl Wimmer (right) of Herriman. It has been claimed by at least one of Wimmer's governmental co-workers that he had made investments with Koerber; Wimmer has denied this and, frankly, I find it irrelevant. The charges filed against Koerber originated in the Department of Commerce (headed by Francine Giani), and were then sent on to Attorney General Shurtleff. Wimmer arranged a meeting between Koerber and the Attorney General Shurtleff, who afterward slinked away from filing the charges because he claimed insufficient evidence had been provided.

Shurtleff's decision proved lacking, as Giani went over his head to the U.S. attorney, who was more than satisfied and formally charged Koerber in May of this year. Wimmer's humiliation is deepend in the Tribune's report that he approached Governor Huntsman, encouraging him to fire Francine Giani (head of the Department of Commerce, in case you're struggling with keeping the names straight... I sure did) claiming the Dept. of Commerce's charges were nothing but a witch hunt. What the?!?

The only politician coming out clean in this deal is Huntsman, who declined to fire his top-notch cowgirl, despite Koerber's attempts to fight fire with fire in the form of a lawsuit against the Dept. Commerce.

These affairs aren't breaking news. I'm getting to the show a little late -- and that's part of my point: these things matter. It isn't only happens in Washington that changes our lives, it's what happens locally. But I believe we are poorly, poorly informed about our local leaders. Staying informed matters -- and acting on that information matters. (Yes, even if you find out a bit late!) We might not get all the information. It can be hard to get to the bottom of a story, especially when information is so easily distorted and often withheld. But for as much as we all gripe about our country, getting involved is the only way to make things happen.

Shurtleff is not the kind of guy I can trust in D.C. Heck, I can't trust him in the capital! He has a responsibility to the people of Utah, and he betrayed that trust. I'm not one to feel so strongly very often, but I certainly cannot have researched this incident so thoroughly only to play my typical hand: "Oh, I'm sure there's something I don't know, something that would clear up this whole silly misunderstanding." Well, maybe there is. But until it comes out of whatever closet it's hiding in, I'm not about to let him off the hook.