Utah Republicans are at odds over a new fundraising scheme that allows lobbyists to pay to meet state house members in what's being called a "speed date."

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Speed dating is a concept in which people pay to spend a five minutes apiece chatting one at a time with a series of people.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports the Utah House Republican Caucus has organized a similar event on Jan. 5, but featuring Republican state representatives and lobbyists.

Rep. Kory Holdaway called the event "absurd" and said "payment for access" isn't the right way to go about raising cash.

The lobbyist payments would go to the party's state caucus.

Kat Dayton, the organizer of the event called it "a common-man fundraiser for the common-man office."

House Majority Whip Rep. Steve Urquhart likes the idea and called it "just an excuse to get together and have a good time."

Tony Musci of Common Cause, a politician watchdog group, called the event "unseemly" but not surprising.

He said the set up may be different but called lobbyists paying for access a "standard party fundraiser."