Mr. Speaker,
Please accept this letter as my immediate resignation as a Representative in the Utah House of Representatives. Because I cannot in good conscience continue to put my family through the attacks and turmoil that have been associated with my recent bid to become the State Treasurer, I have decided not to serve out the remaining five months of my elected term.
By resigning and not participating in the pending ethics proceedings I am not in any sense conceding unethical or illegal conduct. Rather I must resign because I find myself in the crossfire of a political battle that seems to have an intensity completely unrelated to me or anything that I have done. I choose to not participate further because the toll on my family and me is just too great.
I will fully participate with the Davis and Weber County Attorneys that have been appointed to investigate the events surrounding my election bid. I have a confidence in the objectivity of that process. I believe that when all of the facts are presented they will show that although I may have made some mistakes in judgment I have done nothing which would warrant ethical sanction or a criminal charge. I am also confident that a full investigation will expose that there are others with political motivations who were more involved than me in initiating and continuing the conversations that have been the subject of so much scrutiny.
I have appreciated the opportunity of serving in the Utah House of Representatives and am honored to have worked with many good people throughout the State and in my legislative district. It would be appreciated if you could forward any inquiries or requests for information relative to this matter to my counsel James C. Bradshaw.
I have no respect for a guy that resigns just as an ethics investigation is about to begin and then cowardly invokes the name of his innocent family as justification. If I was accused of bribing my opponent to drop out of the race with tax dollars, I would fight to the death to clear my name. I would want my family and my community to know that I was innocent and that I value my reputation and will do anything to protect it.
…but that’s assuming innocence.
-Tom
A comment on DesNews online reads: “Talk about falling on your sword for Curtis and the boys. Walker was the good soldier even to the very end.” Wonder what his next job will be and who will help him get it. That may explain this show of loyalty.