Most Utahns want an independent investigation into Russian meddling 2016 election

Most Utahns favor a special commission or investigator to look into Russia’s involvement in our 2016 presidential elections, a new UtahPolicy.com poll finds.

Dan Jones & Associates ran a special “flash” poll for UtahPolicy last week.

And Jones finds that 59 percent of Utahns want an investigation into Russia’s meddling in our presidential elections.

Twelve percent said they prefer that Congress itself handle the investigation – even though, on the House side, it has been a hit and miss beginning in that area.

Twenty-three percent favor neither a congressional nor an independent investigation – with the likelihood those folks don’t believe there should be such an investigation in the first place.

And 5 percent didn’t know.

Many Utah Republicans are not great fans of GOP President Donald Trump. He won Utah last fall, but only with a 45 percent plurality – a bad showing historically for a GOP candidate in very Red Utah.

Jones finds across the demographic board, most Utahns want an independent Russia investigation – either through a special commission or a special counsel.

A day after the poll was completed, the Justice Department announced that former FBI director Robert Mueller will be its special counsel/investigator in the matter.

Mueller will have “independent” status – meaning Justice Department officials won’t try to influence his work.

However, Trump could still fire Mueller, as he did former FBI Director James Comey. Trump told NBC News that he fired Comey in part over the FBI’s – in his opinion – botched investigation into Russia’s interference in the presidential election.

Trump later labeled Comey’s actions a “witch hunt.”

The new Jones’ poll makes it clear that most Utahns don’t trust Congress – controlled by the Republican Party in both the House and Senate – to conduct a thorough and fair investigation into the Russia issue.

Some of the poll numbers:

Utah Republicans favor an independent counsel by a plurality – 41 percent said there should be such an independent investigation, 16 percent said Congress should do it, 35 percent said neither Congress nor an independent counsel, and 9 percent didn’t know.





Democrats are more certain – 87 percent said an independent commission or counsel, 8 percent said let Congress do it, 4 percent said neither should conduct such a probe, and 2 percent didn’t know.





Political independents – 68 percent say get an independent counsel, 10 percent want Congress to act, 20 percent said neither to probe, and 2 percent didn’t know.

While the percentages vary among different groups, the only outlier are those who self-identified to Jones as “very conservative” politically.

In that group – 39 percent said “neither” in their answer, indicating that they don’t want any kind of investigation into Russia’s actions.

Thirty-four percent said an independent counsel should conduct the investigation, 20 percent wanted Congress to do it, and 6 percent didn’t know.

Among those who said they are “somewhat conservative” – 44 percent want an independent investigation, 32 percent said “neither,” 17 percent want Congress to handle it, and 7 percent don’t know.

Moderates, somewhat liberals, and very liberals, by wide margins all want an independent investigation, 71 percent, 85 percent, and 84 percent, respectively.

Utah’s 4th District Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, may want to pay attention to this number:

63 percent of her constituents want an independent investigation into Russia’s actions – that is nearly two-thirds.

While still a GOP-leaning district, Love’s 4th District is more moderate than the other three in Utah.

4th District residents don’t like Trump much, and certainly don’t trust Congress to investigate this matter – only 10 percent supporting that option, Jones finds.

Jones polled 603 adults from May 15-16. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.99 percent.