FILE - In this April 25, 2014, file photo, Utah's Attorney General Sean Reyes waves during a rally at the Western Republican Leadership Conference in Sandy, Utah. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes announced Friday, Dec. 8, 2023 he will not seek reelection in 2024 amid scrutiny for his decadelong friendship with the embattled founder of an anti-child-trafficking group and as bipartisan state lawmakers have cast doubt on his administrative practices..(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Attorney General Privately Encouraged Friend Tim Ballard

(Cedar City, UT) — Operation Underground Railroad founder Tim Ballard was encouraged by Attorney General Sean Reyes to sue a political rival. According to new court filings, Reyes sent Ballard a tweet from freshman democratic state senator Nate Blouin that allegedly called “OUR” a criminal organization. The tweet was about the movie “Sound of Freedom” and referred “OUR” as a criminal organization with a link to an article about it being under investigation. In the messages after Reyes called the senator a “punk” and falsely said he tried to impeach him. Blouin has been very critical of both Reyes and Ballard online since before he was in office. The new filing stems from a wrongful imprisonment lawsuit from someone “busted”‘ by OUR.