{{Short description|American politician (born 1955)}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Kevin Stacy Garn | honorific_suffix = | image = Kevin-garn.jpg | image_size = 220 | caption = Garn in 2013 | alt = Photo of former Utah Representative Kevin Garn | order = Member of the<br>Utah House of Representatives<br>from the 16th District | term_start = January 1, 2007 | term_end = March 13, 2010 | predecessor = J. Stuart Adams | succeeded = Stephen G. Handy | term_start2 = January 1, 1991 | term_end2 = June 19, 2002 | predecessor2 = Franklin W. Knowlton | successor2 = J. Stuart Adams | order3 = 58th House Majority Leader | term_start3 = January 26, 2009 | term_end3 = March 13, 2010 | preceded3 = David Clark | succeeded3 = | order4 = House Assistant Majority Whip | term_start4 = 1995 | term_end4 = 1996 | preceded4 = | succeeded4 = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|1|14|mf=y}} | birth_place = Ogden, Utah, United States | alma_mater = Weber State University | party = Republican | profession = Businessman }}
'''Kevin Stacy Garn''' (born January 14, 1955) is an American politician as well as a business man. He was the former Republican majority leader of the Utah House of Representatives. Until his resignation on March 13, 2010, following personal disclosures, he represented District 16 of Utah, which covers Davis County, Utah.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.le.state.ut.us/house/DistrictInfo/NewMaps/Davis/District16.htm |title=District 16 map |publisher=Utah House of Representatives |accessdate=March 12, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215004641/http://le.state.ut.us/house/DistrictInfo/newMaps/Davis/District16.htm |archivedate=February 15, 2009 }}</ref>
==Early life, education and business career== Kevin Garn was born in Ogden, Utah and graduated from Layton High School.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-03-14 |title=Utah Legislature: House Majority Leader Kevin Garn resigns amid scandal |url=https://www.deseret.com/2010/3/14/20102021/utah-legislature-house-majority-leader-kevin-garn-resigns-amid-scandal/ |access-date=2025-07-29 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> Garn attended Weber State University. He dropped out to focus on his business, KSG Distributing, a music and movie distribution company that he started while still in high school.<ref name="Pusey">{{cite news|last=Pusey|first=Roger|title=UTAHN REVELS IN SWEET SOUNDS OF SUCCESS|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/162940/UTAHN-REVELS-IN-SWEET-SOUNDS-OF-SUCCESS.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140329003440/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/162940/UTAHN-REVELS-IN-SWEET-SOUNDS-OF-SUCCESS.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 29, 2014|accessdate=14 May 2014|newspaper=Deseret News|date=19 May 1991}}</ref>
Garn founded Pegasus Music and Video, a music and retail store, in 1985 after purchasing an existing store in Bountiful. Pegasus expanded from one location to thirteen stores throughout Utah and in Montana, and Idaho.<ref name="Pusey"/> Garn sold Pegasus to Wherehouse Entertainment in 1993.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wherehouse Entertainment Inc|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-03-fi-63603-story.html|access-date=14 May 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=3 Dec 1993}}</ref>
In 2004 Kevin Garn, partnered with Layton and Davis County, developed the Davis Conference Center, a 43,000-square-foot multi-use conference center connected to a Hilton Gardens.<ref>{{cite news|last=Weist|first=Larry|title=Davis has high hopes for center|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/595091411/Davis-has-high-hopes-for-center.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317023954/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/595091411/Davis-has-high-hopes-for-center.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 17, 2014|accessdate=14 May 2014|newspaper=Deseret News|date=15 Sep 2004}}</ref>
Since 2000, Garn has served as the chairman of the board for The First National Bank of Layton.<ref>{{cite news|title=First National Bank names chairman|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/744387/First-National-Bank-names-chairman.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407085630/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/744387/First-National-Bank-names-chairman.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 7, 2014|accessdate=14 May 2014|newspaper=Deseret News|date=18 Feb 2000}}</ref>
Kevin Garn along with Michael Christensen started Garn Development, a real estate development company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home|url=https://garndev.com/|website=Garn Development|access-date=2025-11-28|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Political career== Garn first became involved in politics in 1989 when Franklin Knowlton, a family friend and politician, retired from the Utah House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-03-12 |title=House Majority Leader Kevin Garn admits to incident with girl in past |url=https://www.deseret.com/2010/3/12/20101855/house-majority-leader-kevin-garn-admits-to-incident-with-girl-in-past/ |access-date=2025-07-29 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> Knowlton asked Garn to run for his soon-to-be vacant 16th District's seat.<ref>{{cite news|title=GOP HOUSE INCUMBENTS FACE CHALLENGES IN DAVIS|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/120699/GOP-HOUSE-INCUMBENTS-FACE-CHALLENGES-IN-DAVIS.html?pg=all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140515135124/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/120699/GOP-HOUSE-INCUMBENTS-FACE-CHALLENGES-IN-DAVIS.html?pg=all|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 15, 2014|accessdate=14 May 2014|newspaper=Deseret News|date=5 Sep 1990}}</ref> Garn won the seat.
Garn served in the Utah House of Representatives from January 1, 1991, to June 19, 2002, serving as Assistant Majority Whip in 1995 and 1996.
In 2002, Garn ran for the seat of Utah's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives,<ref name="Vote Smart">{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=2905|title=Representative Kevin S. Garn (UT)|publisher=Project Vote Smart|accessdate=March 12, 2010}}</ref> but lost the Republican primary to Rob Bishop.
In the 2007 election he again won in the State 2009-2010 legislative session and served in the House Business and Labor Committee, Ethics Committee and the House Joint Subcommittee for Public Education Appropriations.<ref>{{cite web|title=Utah House of Representatives Standing Committeees 2009-2010 |url=http://le.utah.gov/house/2009-2010standingcommittees.htm |publisher=Utah House of Representatives |accessdate=December 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125193447/http://le.utah.gov/house/2009-2010standingcommittees.htm |archivedate=November 25, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=House Joint Appropriation Subcommittees 2009-2010 |url=http://le.utah.gov/house/2009-2010appropriationscommittees.htm |publisher=Utah House of Representatives |accessdate=December 4, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125193236/http://le.utah.gov/house/2009-2010appropriationscommittees.htm |archivedate=November 25, 2010 }}</ref>
==Resignation== At the close of the 2010 legislative session, Garn admitted to a nude encounter with an underage female, Cheryl Maher, in a hot tub in 1985 when he was 28.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700016074/Cheryl-Maher-says-Kevin-Garn-lied-about-hot-tub-contact.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100314113810/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700016074/Cheryl-Maher-says-Kevin-Garn-lied-about-hot-tub-contact.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 14, 2010 |title=Cheryl Maher says Kevin Garn lied about hot tub contact |publisher=Deseret News |date=2010-03-13 |accessdate=2011-04-25}}</ref> Garn paid Maher $150,000 for signing a confidentiality agreement in 2002 when she threatened to expose the incident during his failed U.S. congressional campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/700016009/House-Majority-Leader-Kevin-Garn-admits-to-incident-with-girl-in-past.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208114244/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/print/700016009/House-Majority-Leader-Kevin-Garn-admits-to-incident-with-girl-in-past.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 8, 2012|title=House Majority Leader Kevin Garn admits to incident with girl in past|last=Raymond|first=Arthur|date=March 12, 2010|work=Deseret News|accessdate=March 12, 2010}}</ref> Maher, who was an employee of Garn's company at the time, told the press that Garn lied about the lack of physical contact, but did not elaborate. Garn, who was married at the time, denied the activities went beyond sitting nude in the hot tub, but called the incident "clearly inappropriate".<ref>{{cite news|title=Kevin Garn: I Nude Hot-Tubbed with Minor|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kevin-garn-i-nude-hot-tubbed-with-minor/|access-date=December 4, 2010|newspaper=CBSNews.com|date=March 12, 2010|agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
Maher wrote to LDS Church president Thomas S. Monson asking for the church to seek action against Garn, who served as a bishop and Sunday school teacher at an LDS Church.<ref name="Weist">{{cite news|last=Weist|first=Dan|title=Cheryl Maher's 2008 letter to LDS President Thomas S. Monson|url=http://www.standard.net/topics/rep-kevin-garn/2010/03/15/cheryl-mahers-2008-letter-lds-president-thomas-s-monson-garns-accus|accessdate=December 4, 2010|newspaper=Standard-Examiner|date=March 15, 2010|archive-date=May 31, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100531092737/http://www.standard.net/topics/rep-kevin-garn/2010/03/15/cheryl-mahers-2008-letter-lds-president-thomas-s-monson-garns-accus|url-status=dead}}</ref> The LDS Church responded to her letter by saying, "The 2008 letter sent by Ms. Maher to Church headquarters was referred to local ecclesiastical leaders to be addressed. Church disciplinary matters are handled at a local level and not at Church headquarters".<ref name="Weist"/>
Garn resigned from the House on March 13, 2010,<ref>{{cite web|title=Utah House Majority Leader Kevin Garn resigns|url=http://www.ksl.com/?sid=9999253&nid=148|publisher=KSL-TV|accessdate=December 4, 2010|date=March 13, 2010}}</ref> and the Davis County Republican Party picked businessman Stephen G. Handy to replace Garn on April 11; Handy worked with Garn in the Layton City Council.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tua'one |first=Maile |title=Stephen Handy to replace State Rep. Kevin Garn |url=http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-handy-to-replace-kevin-garn,0,2056057.story |publisher=KSTU |accessdate=December 4, 2010 |date=April 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614052607/http://www.fox13now.com/news/kstu-handy-to-replace-kevin-garn%2C0%2C2056057.story |archivedate=June 14, 2010 }}</ref> Handy was sworn in four days later.
Maher was killed in a murder-suicide in New Hampshire in July 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/52169685-90/2010-garn-hampshire-hot.html.csp |title=Woman tied to Utah hot tub scandal killed in N.H. |publisher=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=2011-07-11 |accessdate=2011-07-12}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|2}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garn, Kevin}} Category:1955 births Category:American businesspeople Category:Latter Day Saints from Utah Category:Living people Category:Republican Party members of the Utah House of Representatives Category:People from Layton, Utah Category:Weber State University alumni Category:Candidates in the 2002 United States elections Category:21st-century members of the Utah Legislature