July 20, 2000
In the nation's capitol, Thursday's Olympic indictment was no surprise.
Utah Senator Orrin Hatch was directly involved in the bid process and thus worked with both Tom Welch and Dave Johnson.
He says he just wants them to be treated fairly.
SENATOR ORRIN HATCH/R-UTAH: "IT'S A SHAME THAT IT HAD TO COME TO THIS. BUT KEEP IN MIND THAT IN OUR COUNTRY THERE'S A PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENSE UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW. AND I THINK WE ALL OUGHT TO KEEP THAT IN MIND SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T MAKE THE WRONG DECISION, PREJUDGE THIS."
KSL's Washington Bureau chief asked Utah Senator Robert Bennett if he thinks Welch and Johnson are being used as scapegoats for the scandal.
SENATOR ROBERT BENNETT/R-UTAH: "AH, THIS IS THE GOVERNMENT, NOT A STATE OR LOCAL ENTITY THAT'S BRINGING THESE CHARGES. AND I DON'T THINK THEY HAD ANY POSITION TO SAY WE WANT TO PROTECT ANYONE IN UTAH OR PROTECT ANYONE ON THE COMMITTEE. I THINK THEY CAME IN WITH THE ATTITUDE, 'WE WANT TO FIND OUT EVERYBODY THAT WE THINK HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN WRONGDOING.' AND THEY'VE ULTIMATELY SETTLED ON JUST A FEW INDIVIDUALS."
Congressman Merrill Cook said it doesn't seem logical that such an intricate conspiracy could have been carried out by Welch and Johnson alone.
But he said he's confident that who knew what, when, will come out at trial.
