03/12/10

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) _ A late-night confession by Utah's House
majority leader about sitting nude in a hot tub with a minor 25
years ago has shocked this highly conservative state's political
establishment.

Rep. Kevin Garn acknowledged the hot-tub incident on the last
day of the legislative session Thursday, saying he had paid the now
40-year-old woman $150,000 to keep quiet about the episode when he
ran for Congress in 2002.

In recent days, Cheryl Maher began telling her story about being
naked with Garn when she was 15 to local news media. Garn is more
than 14 years older than Maher.

Garn said that violated a confidentiality agreement he had with
the woman and that he's tired of living in fear.

Scandals of this nature are rare in Utah politics.


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