Local voters in Utah decided that a convicted criminal — who owes tens of thousands of dollars to a widow living on social security — was a better choice than a gay man to represent them in the Midvale, Utah, City Council, and elected him on Tuesday. Paul Hunt, the convicted criminal, won the election against Alan Anderson, an openly-gay man.
Hunt pleaded guilty to stealing $31,000 by charging items to his employer’s credit card. He agreed in court to make restitution, but, as local Fox News station KTSU reports, Hunt has spent more on his campaign, than on restitution. $100 in restitution, $1100 in campaign expenses.
Hunt, as the video shows, claims that he was having financial challenges, and so his employer allowed him to “supplement his income” by using the company crudity card for personal expenses, like clothes and pizza…
The money Hunt owes is supposed to go to Bea Tew, the widow of one of the company’s investors Ron Tew. Bea has moved in with her son in California and says she is now living on social security.
“I’m not getting $30,000 that I’m owed, I’m living on social security,” said Tew.
Hunt claims that he can’t pay that money because he’s been unemployed for several months. But a campaign finance report found that Hunt has spent $1,100 of his own money on an election campaign for Midvale City Council.
“I’m surprised he’s running for office when he has things like this that are not accounted for, he’s not taking responsibility for them,” said Bea Tew.
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Meanwhile, Hunt’s opponent Alan Anderson has had some struggles in the race because he’s an openly gay non-Mormon. He told Fox 13 that he’s disappointed to hear that some people won’t be voting at all because they don’t want to choose a gay man for public office.
Anderson says his sexuality shouldn’t come in to play. He isn’t saying much about Hunt’s conviction, either, but does believe voters have a right to know.
“I just feel sorry for him and his family and what they’re going through. That’s gotta be terrible for them. I’m trying to be positive on my campaign, tell people what I’m all about and I feel sorry for him,” said Anderson.
Anderson has worked in Midvale for 20 years. He says that if elected, he wants to revitalize areas around State Street.
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