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Gov. Gary Herbert said Monday he regrets his zeal at a fundraising meeting last month where the governor told a group of well-connected lobbyists and supporters that he was temporarily relinquishing day-to-day operations of the state to focus on the primary election, and he was "Available Jones" to meet with generous donors.
"I think as far as the optics of what happened, I'm disappointed in myself and how we handled that," Herbert told reporters Monday. "That being said, when you're an average guy like me with average means, you have to go out and ask people for money."
Herbert was addressing his remarks captured on an audio recording in which he said he would go anywhere, any time to hold 20-minute meetings and discuss issues with donors who want to give sizable checks to his re-election campaign.
"Available Jones" is a character from the comic strip Li'l Abner who would do any job and was always available, as he says in the comic strip, "for a price, natcherly."
Asked Monday if he regretted the comments, Herbert replied: "Probably the tone and tenor of what happened there. Of course we didn't know we were being recorded. We thought we had all friends there, so that probably caught us a little off guard.
"So the 'Available Jones,' which just means I'm available, which is true from the standpoint of, you have to go out and talk to people. The money doesn't just come to you," he said.
The governor also said that while he is on the "high giddy-up" to raise funds, "the state's going to be run" by Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox and Herbert chief of staff Justin Harding.
Herbert's gubernatorial opponents — Republican Jonathan Johnson and Democrat Michael Weinholtz — ripped the governor for his comments Monday, after the three spoke at the annual Utah Taxpayers Association conference.
"I think it's sickening," said Johnson, who said he was so offended by the recording that he was shaking after listening to it. "That's what we get when we have career politicians looking to stay in office. That's not the Utah way. That feels like the Chicago way."
Johnson compared it to the domestic abuse allegations against former NFL running back Ray Rice, who was suspended after the allegations were made, but banned once video was released of him punching his wife.
"To me, this tape is the same thing. It's offensive to listen to," Johnson said.
Weinholtz said the episode makes clear that Utah needs campaign finance reform and ethics reform, and he would urge the Legislature to pass tougher laws if he is elected governor.
"To say, 'My time is available for a check,' is not the ethical way to go about it," Weinholtz said.
Utah's campaign laws set no limit on the amount of donations, and permit direct contributions from corporations, unions and political action committees, as well as individuals.
Herbert fired back against his rivals, saying that he needs to raise money because he doesn't have the millions of dollars that Weinholtz, who founded a medical-staffing company, and Johnson, who is chairman of Overstock.com, have at their disposal. And Johnson, the governor said, has also taken huge amounts of money from Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne.
"Not only can [Johnson] self-fund, he's got a sugar daddy, a rich guy, Pat Byrne at Overstock, who is funding over half his campaign. And I know people don't like lobbyists, but my opponent is a lobbyist. He's a registered lobbyist," Herbert said. "And he has money from Pat Byrne who is a libertarian, he's being funded by his Liberty PAC, which is a libertarian [political action committee]. That's how he's chosen to do it."
Byrne, a controversial figure in the business world who was recently hit with a $1.1 million libel judgment in Canada for his role in publishing a blog disparaging another businessman, has given $200,000 to the Promote Liberty PAC, which has funded much of Johnson's campaign. Johnson, the former president and current board chairman of Overstock, has spent a total of $412,559 on his race. Johnson has been a registered lobbyist for Overstock since 2013.
In February, Weinholtz made a $1 million loan to his campaign to fund his bid for office.
Johnson said Byrne thinks he would be a good governor but "I am not beholden to Patrick Byrne." The money he has given, Johnson said, means there would be heightened scrutiny of their relationship.
Herbert acknowledged to holding a series of 20-minute meetings with representatives of companies shortly before the state Republican convention and receiving checks at those meetings.
In the recording, Herbert's campaign finance director LIv Moffat said the governor met with seven clients of lobbyist Doug Foxley in Foxley's office "collecting checks and talking specifically about their issues."
Campaign finance disclosures identify at least five of Foxley's clients who gave donations to the governor's campaign on the same day: Big West Oil gave $4,500; Peak Minerals, $5,000; Gold Cross Ambulance, $5,000; Maverik convenience stores, $7,500; and the Utah Association of Financial Services, $5,000.
"I did receive checks at those meetings. They came to deliver it," the governor said Monday. "They gave us some checks for our campaign, I got to know people I didn't know very well before and their businesses and what they're doing in Utah, and even outside of Utah, to help grow the economy of Utah. There was not any 'ask' about, 'Will you support this piece of legislation or that piece of legislation?' There was no discussion of policy at all, other than getting to know people."
Herbert's campaign manager Marty Carpenter said the governor has not had a similar series of meetings since the event with Foxley.
gehrke@sltrib.com
Twitter: @RobertGehrke