Utah Senate President Stuart Adams issues cease-and-desist letters over alleged defamation
Utah Senate President Stuart Adams sent cease-and-desist letters to four parties, demanding retractions of statements he says defame his role in a data-center project and a legislative amendment.
Stuart Adams, who serves as Utah Senate President, has dispatched three cease-and-desist letters to four individuals, seeking corrections of remarks he labels defamatory. The letters target state auditor Tina Cannon, Elevate Strategies founding partner Gabrielle Finlayson, and the hosts of the “God and Country Podcast,” Uriah Kennedy and Ingrid Bettridge. Adams alleges they falsely linked him to the Box Elder County data-center project, suggested he helped relocate the auditor’s office, and claimed he changed SB213 to benefit a family member.
He gave a two-week window for the statements to be withdrawn and a week to confirm compliance, threatening a lawsuit otherwise. Cannon, who discussed the issues on the podcast, dismissed the demand and said she would not be intimidated. Finlayson defended her Instagram commentary, invoking free-speech rights. The dispute follows Adams’s high-profile role in the Stratos Project and his recent primary defeat.
Why it matters
The case highlights tensions between political figures and media over alleged false statements and potential legal battles.
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