Utah Senate staffers advised lawmakers to dismiss media coverage as "selling drama" amid mounting scrutiny of Senate President Stuart Adams and a change to the law that was cited in a plea deal for his step-granddaughter in a child sex case.
That guidance appears in a set of talking points Senate staff distributed to lawmakers after media reports connecting Adams to the change in the law. A portion of that document was obtained by Utah Political Watch.
Adams is facing harsh criticism and calls to resign after a 2024 change he initiated was cited as benefitting his step-granddaughter, who was charged with several first-degree felonies after engaging in sex with a 13-year-old in 2023. In Utah, 13-year-olds cannot consent to sex.
The change in the law carved out an exception that allows prosecutors, in certain cases without force or coercion, to treat 18-year-olds who have sex with a minor as juveniles if they are still in high school. The provision was part of a larger criminal justice bill approved by Utah lawmakers during the 2024 legislative session.
The change was not retroactive and would not have applied to Adams' stepgranddaughter. However, after the bill passed the legislature, prosecutors gave Adams' step-granddaughter a plea deal, and specifically pointed to the change as a reason why.
Instead of two counts of first-degree felony child rape and two counts of first-degree felony sodomy on a child, she pleaded guilty to second-degree felony aggravated assault and three misdemeanor counts of sexual battery.
The Senate talking points faults the media for whipping up the controversy by spreading false information about the case.
"These narratives are not just inaccurate. They're fabricated. And despite being informed of the facts, they'd rather sell drama than reality. Outrage drives traffic," the document states.
The talking points from Senate staffers characterize the change in the law as a "narrow, case-by-case option" and a "scalpel" for prosecutors instead of a "hammer."
"Reserve the hammer for predators. Use a scalpel for the nuanced cases. The 2024 policy option is the scalpel," the document says.
"The new law treats an 18-year-old high school student the same as a 17-year-old in cases without force or coercion, while still allowing prosecutors to pursue harsher charges when the circumstances warrant it.
To deflect some of the outrage over the plea deal given to Adams' step-granddaughter, the document insists, "the young teenage woman charged did not go unpunished," adding that she was "publicly arrested" and "spent 8 days in jail" and was forced to wear an ankle monitor for more than 500 days.
Two pages of talking points provided by Utah Senate staff to lawmakers offering guidance on how to respond to questions about a 2024 change to the law that seemingly benefitted Senate President Stuart Adams' step-granddaughter who was facing charges for felony child rape.
Adams' step-granddaughter was facing years in jail because she was initially charged with four first-degree felonies. The plea deal she agreed to imposed no additional jail time, and she was not required to register as a sex offender.
Adams has defended the process that led to the change, saying that he did not improperly lobby fellow lawmakers for the change.
Last week, House Speaker Mike Schultz said the legislature will take steps to review the policy change enacted in the 2024 legislation.
It’s not clear if the talking points were distributed to every member of the Utah Senate. Staffers did not respond to questions from Utah Political Watch.
