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Voices: In its public lands lawsuit, Utah is putting ideological disputes over the well-being of citizens
By Karen Crompton | For The Salt Lake Tribune | Jan. 13, 2025, 6:05 a.m.Opinion: By Karen Crompton, for the Utah Citizens' Counsel.
On December 18, 2024, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance filed a lawsuit in Utah’s Third District Court against Gov. Spencer Cox and Attorney General Reyes, alleging constitutional violations in their efforts to seize control of federal lands. This action highlights the ongoing legal battle between Utah and the federal government over the management of public lands, a dispute with far-reaching implications for the state and the nation.
The state’s latest lawsuit, filed directly with the U.S. Supreme Court on August 20, 2024, challenges the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) oversight of 18.5 million acres within Utah. While proponents argue this case represents a fight for state sovereignty, the legal, historical and economic foundations of Utah’s claims are fundamentally flawed.
Opinion: Utah’s judicial independence is at risk
Published: Dec 26, 2024, 11:45 a.m. MST | Deseret NewsBy Karen Crompton & Karen Hale Karen Crompton and Karen Hale are board members of the Utah Citizens' Counsel, an independent, non-partisan group of senior community advocates dedicated to improving public policy.
Utah’s judiciary has long stood as a model of independence and fairness, free from political machinations that would undermine its integrity. However, recent legislative actions signal a troubling shift in the balance of power, threatening the impartiality of the courts and the rights of Utah’s citizens.
These developments are part of a broader, nationwide trend where state legislatures seek to consolidate power, often at the expense of judicial independence. In 2023 alone, legislators in 29 states introduced over 120 bills targeting the autonomy of their judicial branches, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Utah is no exception…
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