Rep. John Curtis responded to an attack in the final moments of an otherwise mostly civil debate as Riverton Mayor Trent Staggs accused him of benefiting from stock trades. The last-minute shot marked the beginning of the final two-week sprint before the June 25 Republican primary election to replace Sen. Mitt Romney.
Staggs levied the accusation against Curtis, who represents Utah’s 3rd Congressional District, in the last seconds of his concluding statement, which came at the very end of a debate hosted by the Utah Debate Commission Monday evening.
“This is the problem with Congress,” Staggs said in his closing remarks.
Curtis then paused the debate moderator — former ABC4 News chief political correspondent Glen Mills — who was wrapping up the event, to respond to Staggs’ personal attack. Curtis said Staggs had waited until he would not have time to respond to insert his accusation of what Curtis called “insider trading.”
“You’ve accused me of a felony here tonight. You better have very good evidence. And I’d like to challenge you to produce that evidence,” Curtis said looking directly at Staggs. “If that’s how you’re going to work in the Senate, the people of Utah will be very disappointed.”
Read more about the Utah Senate debate and the latest on the race.
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