Former Utah AG Sean Reyes stonewalled legislative probe

Former Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes conducted state business from a private barbershop and deliberately withheld information from state auditors, according to a blistering report released Friday afternoon that paints a picture of an absent leader who prioritized private interests over public duties.

The legislative audit released Friday afternoon details a pattern of secrecy that extended beyond Reyes' unusual choice of workplace. Auditors struggled to piece together basic information about his daily activities and official meetings throughout his tenure.

“The information we received showed that the AG appeared to spend a significant amount of time at this private location during business hours in the workweek. It also appears that AGO-related business was being conducted at the barber shop,” the report said.

A Performance Audit of the Position of the Attorney General by Bryan Schott on Scribd

Highlighting how little Reyes appeared to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the office, most of the division directors in the office said they had little contact with Reyes during his tenure. In fact, Reyes did not start attending a monthly meeting for division directors until Legislative leaders launched the audit in November 2023.

The report also says Reyes created a potential conflict of interest by maintaining significant involvement with outside nonprofit organizations, especially since his office is tasked with enforcing regulations for those organizations.

Auditors concluded Reyes appeared to leverage his position as Attorney General to help promote and fundraise for some nonprofits, like Operation Underground Railroad (OUR).

OUR came under fire in 2023 after founder Tim Ballard was accused of sexual misconduct and misleading donors. That controversy also enveloped Reyes because of his longtime association and friendship with Ballard, raising questions about his judgment in maintaining close ties with the organization while serving as the state's top law enforcement official.

Auditors said they did not find evidence that Reyes used state resources to assist OUR, but that he held back information about his meetings with the group and his participation in events on behalf of OUR.

Reyes’ office also received $950,000 in donations from OUR for the Internet Crimes Against Children unit. The AG office distributed those donations to local law enforcement, but made the misleading claim that the money was from a federal grant instead of donations from OUR.

Reyes also took the unusual step of creating a personal nonprofit — Liberate All Value All (LAVA). The audit says Reyes leveraged his elected office to solicit donations for this organization, which he would then distribute to other nonprofits, possibly creating a conflict of interest. Reyes operated LAVA from 2016 until the group was dissolved last year.

Auditors suggested that lawmakers should take steps to require more transparency and stronger ethical requirements for the AG, and to restrict their involvement with outside organizations. The report also suggests that legislators consider a more defined role for the Attorney General to put better guardrails on the office.

Reyes did not run for re-election in 2024. His newly elected successor, Derek Brown, said he has already implemented new policies requiring detailed documentation of the AG's daily schedule and strict limits on involvement with outside organizations.