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| Affiliation | Democratic |
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2020-01-01 |
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| Name | Greg Skordas |
| Address | 9 Exchange Place Boston Building, Suite 1104
Salt Lake City, Utah 84111, United States |
| Email | info@skordasforag.com |
| Website | [Link] |
| Born |
Unknown
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| Contributor | User 215 |
| Last Modifed | State Legislatures Big Fan
Aug 23, 2021 11:19pm |
| Tags |
Caucasian - Married -
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| Info | Hi, there. I’m Greg Skordas, Democratic Candidate for Attorney General for the State of Utah. I've lived in Utah all of my life. I studied and received degrees in both Engineering and Law at the University of Utah. I raised three highly successful children here too. Nic, Annie and Bina— an Air Force medical doctor, an educator, and an environmental scientist. I also have five grandchildren. In addition to being a lawyer, I've worked for the past 35 years with the National Ski Patrol at resorts in Summit and Weber Counties and ski 25-30 days a year. I’m an avid cyclist and have ridden road and mountain bikes in virtually every part of the state. I also have two motorcycles and have had the privilege to ride with my wife, Rebecca, throughout the state and through all of our national parks. My wife and I currently live in Eden, just east of Ogden in Weber County, and we have a small home in Torrey, adjacent to Fish Lake National Forest near Capitol Reef National Monument in Wayne County.
My professional history.
I've practiced law for 38 years, since 1982. I began my career at the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association, representing indigent defendants in criminal matters. I gained a great appreciation for the value of competent legal representation and our Constitution's protections for victims and the accused.
I worked for eight years at the Salt Lake County Attorney's office, rising to the position of First Assistant Salt Lake County Attorney. In 1992, I was Utah's first gang prosecutor and was recognized and awarded by the Salt Lake Area Gang project. I was involved in proposing legislation to combat the gang issue and put Utah on the national forefront of innovative gang interdiction. We worked with the Legislature to eventually create the Serious Youth Offender Act which allows prosecutors to bring serious, consequential charges against gang offenders. I spent several years as head of the "Special Victims Unit” prosecuting sex crimes and crimes against children. We again worked with the Legislature to promote victims’ rights. I was awarded by the County Attorney's office in 1993 for my work there.
In 1995, I left the County Attorney's office and started my own law practice at a small law firm, which ultimately became known as Skordas, Caston and Hyde. That same year, I was part of a group of three Utah lawyers who studied and brought the Drug Court concept to Utah. Thanks to those efforts, Utah started its first Drug Court in Salt County. Utah Courts have graduated thousands of Drug Court participants since then, and Drug Courts are now operating in virtually every District Court in the State.
A longstanding commitment to community.
With my wife, Rebecca, I operate a Utah non-profit called "Friends of Drug Court," an addiction recovery program that we organized 20 years ago as a way to provide support to Drug Court attendees and aftercare to Drug Court graduates. I've assisted other counties in setting up similar non-profits.
I've worked extensively during my legal career with Utah's law enforcement community. I've taught hundreds of hours at Utah's police academy, (P.O.S.T) throughout the State. I've represented over 150 officers from all over the State who became involved with the use of deadly force. I work as a representative of the Fraternal Order of Police and the Utah Highway Patrol Association which requires me to be available 24/7 for officers who need help, comfort, and assistance after the use of deadly force.
I have done a considerable amount of pro bono work for individuals and agencies. (I was named pro bono attorney of the year by the Utah State Bar in 2017.) I helped people who were being evicted and helped people with mental health issues apply for SSDI. I helped people with substance abuse problems. I have helped many women who were survivors of sexual assault. I’ve filed civil lawsuits on their behalf. I represented students at our universities in Title IX actions brought by survivors of sexual assault on campus. My law firm helps graduates of our Drug Courts expunge their records so that they can start their lives over. I have provided legal services to the Rape Recovery Center for years (and have helped sponsor their annual fundraiser for over a decade). All this work has been offered free of charge.
Because there’s so much power in community. In common values and understanding. In being a voice and a force for good within the realm of everything the law touches.
I cannot sit back any longer and watch while our country is being divided by a White House that bullies and intimidates our leaders who would dare to defy it.
And I’ve sat back long enough and watched three consecutive Utah Attorney General Administrations that openly engage in a “pay to play” policy.
Why I’m running.
The eight years I spent at the Salt Lake District Attorney’s Office and the three years at the Salt Lake Legal Defenders Association were the highlights of my legal career. I’ve always enjoyed public service and I have always known that I would eventually return to public service full time some day. Over the past four years, I have watched our country become more divisive than I can ever remember. I’ve sat back and been complacent for too long.
Our country and our state have always operated better when there is a fair and reasonable balance of power. We’ve seen several ballot initiatives in the past few years which demonstrate that I am not alone in this belief. The people of this state deserve an attorney who will support the laws enacted by the voters. In one ballot initiative, over 53 percent of Utah voters passed a measure to expand Medicaid to assist low-income citizens with much needed health coverage. Similarly, an identical 53 percent of Utah voters passed a citizen-initiated medical cannabis measure. In recent years, Utah voters also passed a ballot initiative to curb the practice of gerrymandering and allow independent redistricting commissions.
In all three instances, we have an Attorney General and a Legislature who openly defy the public’s desires. The legislature continues to attempt to override or replace the will of the people by passing watered down legislation and then misleading the public into thinking it is merely passing legislation to implement the law the people have voted to enact. The Attorney General then sits back and does nothing at all, out of fear of the legislature’s backlash. The Attorney General’s indifference results in expensive and time-consuming lawsuits by individuals who are forced to go through to court to seek judicial enforcement of the public’s desires, when the Attorney General is elected to do that exact job. These lawsuits are a waste of time and tax dollars. Every decent lawyer already knows the inevitable outcome; that the expressed will of the people cannot and will not be ignored by the Attorney General and the legislature. Utahns need an Attorney General who won’t stand by when the Federal Government steps in and withdraws hundreds of thousands of acres of precious public lands from protection.
Utahns need an Attorney General who will stand up to the Federal Government in attempts to open up oil and gas drilling in our National Parks and Monuments.
I cannot sit back any longer and watch while our country is being divided by a White House that bullies and intimidates our leaders who would dare to defy it.
I’ve sat back long enough and watched three consecutive Attorney General Administrations that openly engage in a “pay to play” policy that allows generous political contributions to cloud legal oversight and independent investigation.
That’s why I’m determined to serve as Utah’s next Attorney General. To defend your rights and support your values.
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