SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Gary Herbert came to the defense of Lt. Gov. Greg Bell on Tuesday, saying he has full confidence in Bell and in Palmer DePaulis, head of the Department of Child and Family Services.
Bell is the subject of a Davis County investigation into allegations that he abused his power in a child-abuse case involving a neighbor. DePaulis has accused the lieutenant governor of interfering in a child-abuse investigation and undermining the agency.
“When people complain to the executive branch about processes, we are going to look into it. We have oversight responsibility. We take it seriously. The buck does stop with us,” Herbert said in a short news conference.
Herbert said complaints about DCFS have come up before, and he stressed that issues concerning parental rights are difficult and emotional. He said he has seen instances where government has acted too aggressively.
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