Payday lenders are generous to Shurtleff - Deseret News- Money Before Payday
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff seeks a third four-year term this year, and he’s looked to some old friends for much of his campaign fundraising — like payday loan operators who charge an average of 500 percent interest annually. Shurtleff, 50, is a conservative GOP attorney general who at times angered core Republicans over his more liberal stands, like including gays in hate crimes laws and opposing Amendment 3, which banned same-sex marriages in Utah. Shurtleff raised $38,400 from payday loan owners this year, about $1 of every $4 given to him, according to new financial disclosure forms required before Shurtleff faces renomination at Saturday’s Republican State Convention in Orem. In January of this year Shurtleff spoke in favor of payday loaners before a debate at the University of Utah, arguing that banning payday loans here (as has been done in a few states) would take away an option that allows people with poor credit “to avoid bankruptcy, repossessions and welfare. He spent $146 for a “clothing expense”; $45 to pay for a locksmith to open his car when he accidentally locked in his keys; and tens of thousands of dollars in donations to other politicians, including $5,000 to state Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, R-Provo; $2,300 to the presidential campaign of John McCain (and also used money to travel to campaign for McCain); and $5,000 to Walker’s treasurer campaign. Learn more
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