Republican incumbent Sean Reyes has been Utah’s attorney general since 2013. Democrat Greg Skordas is challenging him for that position. To understand the differences and similarities between them, we asked them about the role of party politics in the attorney general’s office, criminal justice reform and more.
For this guide, Attorney General Sean Reyes and Greg Skordas responded to KUER’s candidate survey. The information below is based on the survey, KUER's past reporting and publicly available campaign information.
Party Politics
Skordas
Says the attorney general should not be involved at all in party politics.
“In fact, this office would operate much better if it was non-partisan. We've seen that by the current AG working to support the White House's agenda and ignoring the people of Utah.”
Reyes
Says the attorney general should be able to participate as much as any other citizen, so long as it doesn’t interfere with their duties.
“When I prosecute, I don’t care what the accused’s political party is; only what the law requires. I do my duty to enforce and defend laws passed by the people’s elected representatives even if I don’t agree with the laws.”
On Remaining A Party To The Lawsuit To Repeal The Affordable Care Act
Skordas
Says Utah should not be part of the lawsuit and that even if it has merit and the ACA is an inappropriate taxation, the current AG has offered no alternative.
Reyes
Says Utah should continue as part of the lawsuit because the ACA is an example of federal overreach and is unconstitutional. Supports adult child coverage and coverage of pre-existing conditions.
Criminal Justice Reform
Skordas
Points to his role in establishing the Drug Court concept in Utah. Supports training police on de-escalation and alternatives to deadly force.
Reyes
Says people should be held accountable for breaking the law while making sure those accused and convicted are treated fairly. Supported Utah’s Justice Reinvestment Initiative, which funds things like reentry services after prison and drug treatment.
Data Privacy And Law Enforcement
Skordas
Says Utah has “engaged in no-bid contracts with bogus companies to spy on its citizens” and that the AG has failed to investigate these companies.
Reyes
Says the state must stay a step ahead of criminals without violating privacy. Says his office has never contracted with an entity that gathers information without consent. Points to his creation of an outside committee to audit surveillance tech.
Fighting Fraud In Utah
Skordas
Says campaign finance laws must be changed so frauds and cons “can't simply write a fat check to the Utah AG,” which he says has been happening in the office for two decades.
Reyes
Says he has prioritized fighting affinity fraud and cyber scams. Created the first white-collar crime registry in the nation. Points to his work on consumer fraud education programs and increased restitution to victims.
