White House Monitoring Alleged Utah Scandal Involving Redistricting Case

GOP Lawmakers Raise Ethics Concerns About Relationship Between State Supreme Court Justice and Plaintiff's Attorney

Apr. 17, 2026 at 6:08pm

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A serene, cinematic painting of a Utah state capitol building in warm sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of political tension and uncertainty.The Utah state capitol stands as a backdrop to the ongoing political battle over congressional redistricting, raising questions about ethics and transparency.Salt Lake City Today

White House officials are closely watching an alleged scandal in Utah, where Republican lawmakers are investigating the relationship between a state Supreme Court justice and an attorney who represented plaintiffs in a high-profile gerrymandering case. The GOP-led legislature is concerned the relationship could have influenced a court ruling that redrew congressional boundaries in a way that made a Republican-leaning district more favorable for Democrats.

Why it matters

The battle over Utah's congressional map is part of a broader nationwide fight over redistricting, with both parties jockeying to gain an advantage ahead of the 2028 elections. The White House is involved as it tries to help Republicans maintain their slim majority in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The details

Lawmakers in the Utah legislature are asking questions about a relationship between state Supreme Court Justice Diana Hagen and David Reymann, the chief counsel for the League of Women Voters of Utah, who was one of the plaintiff's attorneys in the gerrymandering case. Hagen wrote the opinion in a unanimous 2024 ruling that found GOP lawmakers had overstepped by changing Proposition 4, which prohibits gerrymandering. The new congressional boundaries turned four Republican-leaning districts into three GOP-leaning districts and one Democratic-majority district in the Salt Lake City area.

  • In 2024, the Utah Supreme Court ruled that GOP lawmakers had illegally gerrymandered the state's congressional districts.
  • In September 2025, the case came back before the state's high court, which again ruled against the legislature and upheld the new map.
  • In January 2026, Justice Hagen detailed her relationship with Reymann in a declaration to the state's Judicial Conduct Commission.

The players

Diana Hagen

A justice on the Utah Supreme Court who wrote the opinion in a 2024 ruling that found GOP lawmakers had illegally gerrymandered the state's congressional districts.

David Reymann

The chief counsel for the League of Women Voters of Utah, who was one of the plaintiff's attorneys in the gerrymandering case.

Kirk Cullimore

The Utah Senate majority leader, who noted that Justice Hagen recused herself from considering matters connected to Reymann.

Burgess Owens

A Republican U.S. Representative from Utah who announced he won't seek reelection after unsuccessfully suing to overturn the new congressional map.

Spencer Cox

The Governor of Utah, who along with the state Senate President and House Speaker, said they will move forward with an independent investigation into the allegations.

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What they’re saying

“There's just a lot of unknowns at this point.”

— Kirk Cullimore, Utah Senate Majority Leader

“Recent media reports about a relationship between a member of the Utah Supreme Court and an attorney who has argued high-profile cases before the Court raise serious questions and concerns. An initial review by the Judicial Conduct Commission and the Court left important questions unresolved. Allegations of this nature, especially involving public officials, must be examined with transparency and accountability to establish the facts and to maintain public confidence.”

— Spencer Cox, J. Stuart Adams, Mike Schultz, Governor, State Senate President, House Speaker

What’s next

The Utah legislature has pledged to conduct an independent investigation into the allegations surrounding Justice Hagen and David Reymann's relationship.

The takeaway

This case highlights the high stakes and partisan battles over congressional redistricting, with the White House now getting involved as Republicans try to claw back a GOP-leaning district in Utah that was redrawn to be more favorable for Democrats. The allegations of an inappropriate relationship between a state Supreme Court justice and a plaintiff's attorney raise serious ethical concerns that could potentially impact the validity of the court's ruling.