Charge filed in treasurer's race probe

A criminal charge was filed Friday in the ongoing probe into bribery allegations in last year's state treasurer's race.

Mark Walker was charged in Salt Lake City's Justice Court with a class B misdemeanor count of inducements not to become a candidate. The one-time Republican candidate for treasurer was accused by his primary opponent, Richard Ellis, of offering to let him keep his job as deputy state treasurer with a substantial raise — if he'd drop out of the race.

Ellis defeated Walker in the GOP primary, and was elected state treasurer last November.

Walker's attorney, Jim Bradshaw, told the Deseret News that his client will likely strike a plea deal during his Jan. 23 arraignment. He is expected to enter into a plea in abeyance, where he pleads to the charge but it is dismissed after a period of time.

Salt Lake City prosecutor Sim Gill declined comment on whether he would charge anyone else in connection with the case.

"Based on the materials that have been presented to me, I have identified the charges that were warranted," Gill said Friday, motioning to a series of binders stacked on his desk that appeared to be the investigation files. "I don't have anything right now that moves me into that direction."

Ellis said he believes "this will be the end of it." His attorney had assured him he was not a target of any investigation.

"It's been an unfortunate circumstance for all involved," Ellis said shortly after the criminal charge was announced. "It's been hard on Mark and his family, and it's been hard on me and my family. It's just nice to have it resolved and moving ahead."

Walker did not return a call for comment. Walker's campaign manager, Steve Hunter, said he doesn't believe Walker intentionally did anything wrong.

"However as far as this goes, or whatever happens, I think he's a good guy," Hunter said. "I think it was an honest mistake, if it was made."

But Bradshaw adamantly disputed prosecutors' claims of what happened.

"It's total garbage," he said Friday. "It's pure fiction."

Speaking on behalf of his client, Bradshaw disputed many of the statements in the charging documents.

"Many of those discussions were initiated by Richard Ellis," he said Friday. "There wasn't anything Mark Walker did that Richard Ellis didn't also do. They're equal co-participants in this thing."

According to a probable cause statement filed with the charges, Carl Empey, an associate of Walker's and an employee at Zions Bank, contacted Ellis on March 10, 2008, asking if he would be willing to meet with Walker. Walker was present at the time of the call, wrote Gary Peterson, an investigator in the Davis County Attorney's Office.

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