‘It Was a Tawdry Way to Close the Gap’: UT Mayor Tells Beck Why He Wouldn’t Join GOP Smear Campaign Against Chris Stewart
- Posted on April 23, 2012 at 7:30pm by
Tiffany Gabbay
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Those who watch GBTV might recall that last week Glenn Beck interviewed Republican congressional candidate Chris Stewart. The best-selling author is also a world-record-setting Air Force pilot and the owner of a small business and is someone Beck hails a good and decent man. But it seems just after Stewart secured the nomination, beating out Utah’s ex-House Speaker David Clark, a smear campaign against him by fellow GOP candidates was set into motion.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that Eureka Mayor Milt Hanks alleged that prior to delegates casting ballots, four GOP candidates had conspired to expose some kind of negative information about Stewart. The contenders reportedly denied the claim and said it was all engineered by Stewart’s campaign. The Tribune continues:
“Chris Stewart is a bald-faced liar whether you like it or not,” candidate Chuck Williams later alleged at the podium, prompting party officials to temporarily cut his microphone. Williams then withdrew and backed Clark.
Up next, Howard Wallack said that Hanks was a Stewart surrogate and throwing out allegations to gin up support for his friend.
“I know of only one campaign that made negative attacks on any candidates,” Wallack said. “We have to take a long look at a candidate who never buys a booth, never makes a sign and all of sudden comes out with a vile attack.”
The plan backfired, however, when Mayor Hanks, who was also running, refused to join his GOP contenders in their assault.
Appearing on the Glenn Beck program Monday evening was Mayor Hanks, who discussed the event and all its oddities in greater detail. Hanks told Beck that he believes the candidates conspired against Stewart because they were not making any ground and that Stewart had been the frontrunner for months. “It was a tawdry way to close the gap,” he said.
According to Hanks, a delegate, citing an email that had circulated in 2010, called Stewart’s military service record into question. Stewart denied the allegations and Hanks “took him at his word.”
“To paraphrase Thomas Jefferson,” Hanks added, “All we need for dirty politics to succeed is to do nothing.’” He said the GOP candidates’ actions and attempts to get him involved in the smear campaign “violated my integrity,“ and ”my family history.“ ”It lit my fuse.”
When Beck asked at what point Utah politics degenerated to such a degree, the mayor said all of politics has been compromised since it became about “me” and “not the people.” He warned that politicians need to listen more than they speak.
It has been a chaotic road for Utah indeed. Watch the interview in its entirety below:
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yankeeatheart
Posted on April 24, 2012 at 6:42amMayor Hanks you will be blessed…Thank you sir…..
Report Post »pops289
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 10:44pmThanks, Glenn, for showing us that Milt Hanks is credible. I can’t believe there are folks who are still alleging that the smear letter was a “self-smear” by Chris Stewart, and that Chris orchestrated the whole thing to get a sympathy vote.
Chris grew up in the tiny town of Weston, Idaho, on a dairy farm. (For those who wonder where that is, it’s right there next to Dayton and Preston.) In my experience, that type of upbringing does not produce crooked politicians or “clever” people. It produces straight shooters who can work harder than anybody else you know.
Report Post »TomSawyer
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 9:33pmThis tactic of bearing false witness sounds like something the Democrats would do. Are these “Republicans” that did this sure they are in the right party?
Report Post »veruca salt
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 10:33pmMaybe the two guys who accused then candidate Nikki Haley of having affairs with them were fake Republicans, too.
Report Post »iblvingd
Posted on April 24, 2012 at 4:05pmIts obvious, it shows why America is in a tail spin. People have lost sight of our purpose of life and its has become all about “me”. Everyone wants fame and fortune they could care less about the state of this country let alone their neighbors. Sadly enough its “ALL” people, you can’t say its democrats or republicans. Its anyone who has become extremely self centered or have an agenda of some type.
Report Post »McLintock
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 9:22pmThis fella needs some likes. http://m.facebook.com/pages/Milt-Hanks/278659895542967?id=278659895542967&_rdr#!/profile.php?v=info&id=278659895542967&__user=100000811035412
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:50pmThey failed to do what Romney did so well… politics of personal destruction. So now you need to UNITE behind Chris and beat the Democrat. So Romney says…
Report Post »dwh320
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:48pmRegardless of any dirty tricks played on either side the simple truth is Chris is the Republican nominee. Put it all behind you and line up for the fight to defeat the Democrat. At lest that is all I hear from the Romney supports so it must also apply here. You all can either “Eat You Own” or you can unite, fight, and send a Republican to Washington.
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:44pmWe need to take away ALL of the perks politicians have given themselves and not allow them to ever lobby after leaving office. If we did that, politics might come back full circle and actually be about the people once more.
Report Post »kapu
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:42pmi was able to see this interview during the show today and it truly makes very, very, VERY sad and dismayed–for lack of a better word, that those candidates attempted to lower themselves to this level–especially out there. i am STILL highly disgusted with the lot of them, and it clearly shows EXACTLY what their inner charactor/value system is.
i am, however, honestly applauding Mayor Hanks for taking the stance he has, and he was spot on in all of his comments and reasoning–spoken or not. he has demonstrated what HIS true inner self and values are–how he approaches everything that i can just imagine he does in life-personal or professional. i admire this and salute him. those are the very things that will serve him well in whatever venture he has in life, AND this is a man that is truly ‘a man.’ he should be able to walk erect and have zero trouble looking at himself in the mirror, as the saying goes. he has dealt honestly with his fellow man as is shown here.
i salute him.
as for the others–SHAME, SHAME, SHAME on the lot of you for your dishonest, underhanded, and highly despicable stunts. i am GLAD that they backfired for the world to see. i hope that you are really proud of your ‘15 minutes of fame’–or shall i say your 15 minutes of shame instead………..
also–high kudos to Chris!!!!!!
Report Post »MS-GlenNBC
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:41pmDid he join in on the Smear Campaign against Newt Gingrich?
Report Post »blaaaaackwoman
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:26pmI love Tom Hanks and have seen many of his movies. I’d trust his word over those other guys any day.
Report Post »Windsong
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:05pmGod Bless Mayor Hanks! I would vote for a fair, honest man any day over the four who decided to smear the campaign of Mr. Stewart.
I truly hope none of these men attempt to remain in politics in any way because we now know all we need to know about them. They have no problem with lying, cheating or ruining another’s reputation. Exactly what we don’t need more of in politics. Your lack of allegience to the Republican party is also noted. What a disgusting group of men!
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 8:03pmWhile we’re on the subject…we have to get rid of Hatch and Lugar!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »grimmy
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 7:45pmWith the likes of Hanks,and not Tom either, there be hope for us yet……
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 7:45pmhe is right
politicians are supposed to be “SERVANTS” , but the only people they “serve” are themselves and their pocketbooks
judge them by their lack of integrity and by their own actions and words …………….and voting will become easier and more fulfilling
ps, that means by those standards i listed, most politicians on both sides should be voted out, and dems would never win another election
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on April 23, 2012 at 7:45pmSounds like Mayor Hanks is an honorable man and didn’t roll around in the mud with the pigs,good for you sir.
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