STATE OF UTAH — Michelle Quist is, according to her website, an experienced litigator and appellate lawyer, a single mom of 7, involved in law for over 25 years.
Quist is a candidate for Utah Attorney General, running as an independent in the upcoming election under the United Utah Party label.
She has vast experience in the Utah G.O.P. and has also been a long-time opinion writer for Salt Lake media outlets, including the Salt Lake Tribune.
Quist was a guest last week on KVNU’s For the People program.
With some of her predecessors having to leave office under a cloud or decide not to run for re-election, as is the case with current AG Sean Reyes, she was asked if there’s something about the office.
“We all know that power corrupts but it shouldn’t. There’s nothing innately different about this office that makes it so that a public servant can’t go in there and serve honestly and diligently and competently. And that’s really just what I’m trying to do,” Quist explained.
She thinks the partisan nature of the office doesn’t fit for the attorney general office, and it invites trouble and issues, such as people wanting to give money in exchange for favors and not to prosecute cases.
“As the top law enforcement officer of the government and of the state, that’s a tricky situation. So, I’m trying to reform the office to a non-partisan office.”
Quist says that’s why she’s running for Utah Attorney General as a member of a small Utah-based party that focuses on good government, and ethical government and transparency.
“I’m just trying to cut off both of the major national political parties and the purse strings that come along with those parties.”
Her website is Michelleforutah.com