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Campaign rivals cry foul after state agency invites Mitt Romney to speak at its tech summit

Opponents of Senate candidate Mitt Romney are upset that a state agency — Utah Science Technology and Research (USTAR) — invited the former GOP presidential nominee to be the keynote speaker at its upcoming heavily advertised public technology summit.

And at that same luncheon where Romney speaks, USTAR and Gov. Gary Herbert are also giving LDS Church President Russell M. Nelson the state’s top civilian scientific award for lifetime achievement in medicine for his years as a heart doctor — perhaps guaranteeing a big turnout at the summit that costs $79 per person.

“USTAR is a state agency and this is blatantly unfair,” said Jenny Wilson, Democratic nominee in the Senate race.