Gov. Cox's civility campaign has a new face: a GOP firebrand who calls environmentalists "terrorists"
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Photo Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Photo: Office of Governor Spencer J. Cox
In his "Disagree Better" campaign to promote civil debate, Gov. Spencer Cox praised and promoted a county official who recently was lambasted for comparing environmentalists to Al-Qaeda and calling them the "scum of the planet."
Why it matters: Cox has enjoyed widespread national praise for his role in the campaign, launched through the National Governors Association, which he chairs.
- He has appeared on national news outlets to discuss civility and cooperation alongside Democratic governors like Colorado's Jared Polis and Maryland's Wes Moore.
Yes, but: In Utah, the campaign has been criticized by conservatives as too soft on liberals — and on the left as one-sided, fake centrism while right wing extremism goes mainstream in the GOP.
Driving the news: Cox on Tuesday posted a video of Garfield County Commissioner Leland Pollock, who speaks about the need for "open dialogue" and to "still be friends" with people who disagree.
- "We want to highlight Utah voices who understand why healthy conflict is important," Cox posted on X.
The intrigue: Critics late last year accused Pollock of using extremist language during an October meeting about proposals to reduce cattle grazing, motorized access and target shooting at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
- According to The Insider of Garfield and Wayne counties, he described environmental groups as terrorists and called the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance "scum."
The other side: "This guy … doubled down on that statement afterwards. But sure, #DisagreeBetter," SUWA spokesperson Grant Stevens posted Tuesday from his personal account on X.
- Others have said Pollock's terrorism rhetoric could be heard as a call to arms, given the history of violence over grazing rights and other land management issues in the West.
The latest: Pollock again told Axios on Wednesday that trying to work with environmental groups is "like negotiating with terrorists" because some activists take vigilante action like closing cattle fences.
- "And then if that doesn't work, they sue us," Pollock said.
- Asked which environmental groups he was interested in having a consensus-building relationship with, Pollock said: "They don't exist."
Flashback: In 2019, Pollock was criticized for comparing the public lands managers to the gestapo as federal employees faced an upswing of threats and assaults.
It's unclear what drew Cox to Pollock as a face of #DisagreeBetter. Cox's office did not respond to Axios' request for comment.
- Pollock said he was in favor of consensus building, just not with environmentalists.
What they're saying: "You'd be surprised. If you get 20 Democrats and 20 Republican county commissioners around the table, you actually find consensus on things," Pollock said in the video posted Tuesday.
By the numbers: As of Wednesday, Cox had posted six #DisagreeBetter videos this week, five of them featuring Utah elected officials.
- All but one ran for office as a Republican; Kress Staheli is the mayor of Washington City, a non-partisan office.