Parade Float Flap Draws Promise of Probe

None by KCPW

(KCPW News) A four-hundred dollar parade float has landed Utah Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble in hot water. According to a state audit, Bramble requested the state-funded Mountainland Applied Technology College build a float for the Utah Republican Party. The money was later reimbursed, but using public money for political purposes is against state law. Governor Jon Huntsman says he supports a probe into the transaction:

"What can I say? I'm not sure building floats for partisan purposes is something that public institutions ought to be in the practice of doing," says Huntsman. "We'll take a look at what the recommendaitons are. I know that our leaders of higher ed are looking very close at this to see if there were on the part of administrators any ethical lapses."

The audit recommends the Mountainland Applied Technology College board establish better controls to catch unethical spending practices and make it clear to all employees that unethical behavior is not tolerated. State Representative Becky Lockhart, a close Bramble ally, was also involved in requesting the school's services to build the Republican Party parade float. MATC President Clay Christensen has been placed on paid leave for his involvement in the matter.

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