Relentless AP investigative reporter Brock Vergakis turned up a story of influence peddling that, well -- I don't quite know what to make of.

Several news agencies have reported on the rental nature of Utah's lawmakers.

But only Vergakis uncovered that Utah state lawmakers accepted hundreds of dollars in free tickets to Utah State Football games -- students have to pay $126 to get into games.

Why is the question. These are football games that no one else would pay to see. USU routinely stinks up the place.

Yet, Rep. Jack Draxler, for instance, pocketed tickets worth $235 to five extruciating home games (the value is a bit misleading because the tickets sell outside the stadium for a pittance).

Relentlessly digging through lobbyist reports, Vergakis reports astonishingly, "after Utah Jazz games, more lawmakers accepted tickets to see the Aggies than any other event."

Is the Lege controlled by a weird cult of self flagellation?

Draxler sees the tickets as a reward for his sacrifices as a public servant, so perhaps voters should view this revelation as an IQ test.

"I guess what I’m saying is there are plenty of sacrifices. You could call those football tickets — well, you could call them a perk," he said. "That’s my logic."