Greg Bell Local/Federal Investigations: Here Comes the Damage Control - Updated

Sadly for poor old John Swallow however, he's not "feeling any GOP love" at all

In the wake of yesterday's disturbing Standard-Examiner story, revealing that Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell is under investigation by local and federal prosecutors for abusing his executive power concerning a Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS)  child-welfare investigation, here comes the predictable damage control, via the Salt Lake Tribune (of all places):

State senators on Friday were vouching for the honesty and character of Lt. Gov. Greg Bell, a former Senate colleague who now finds himself ensnared in a federal probe after intervening in a child-abuse investigation and pushing for an audit of the case.
"If I were to put it in transportation terms, I believe that Greg Bell is so straight, you could use him as a template to stripe the freeways with," said Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, who succeeded Bell. "I hope there’s no foundation to these allegations."
Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, said Bell was an "outstanding" senator and "was one of the top people as far as doing the right thing."
The senators’ vocal backing of Bell echoes supportive comments Thursday from Gov. Gary Herbert, who called Bell "as honest as the day is long."

Read up, folks:

• Ethics bill emerges in wake of probes of Utah Lt. Gov Bell, Swallow 

Sadly for poor old John Swallow however, he's not "feeling any GOP love" at all:

It also presents a stark contrast to the lack of support received by new Attorney General John Swallow, who is also the target of a federal investigation for his involvement with a Utah businessman, who was under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission, and for other campaign fundraising issues.
"We’ve stood shoulder to shoulder with Greg Bell," said Sen. Lyle Hillyard, R-Logan. "We don’t have that same relationship with John Swallow."

A cynic (like us) would suggest that Utah GOP insiders are circling the wagons around Lt. Governor Bell, and getting ready to throw Attorney General Swallow under the bus, que no?

And there's more. Lt. Gov. Greg Bell said Friday that he was "merely trying to get to the bottom of "conflicting claims" in a child-abuse case with a performance audit he ordered in 2011," (when he unleashed the intimidatory power of the State Auditor's office in an alleged attempt to derail the subject DCFS investigation):

• Utah Lt. Gov. Bell says he was just seeking truth about DCFS case

And why was the Utah Lieutenant Governor meddling in this single DCFS investigation?

Friday evening, state Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, criticized any comparison of Bell to Attorney General John Swallow — who also is under investigation by the FBI — because "what Greg is accused of doing is trying to help a friend and neighbor."

Suggested new theme song for "friends and neighbors" of Utah GOP elected officials:

• Friends and Neighbors Theme Song

And the beat goes on...

Update 2/23/13 12:00 p.m:  There's more on this story from the Standard-Examiner.

For the first time, Bell's purported "retaliation" against DCFS is explicitly mentioned:

• Bell defends his intervention in DCFS investigation

And the Standard provides more on the above-mentioned GOP legislative faction's "Greg Bell Love-fest":

• Legislators rush to Bell’s defense

Something's definitely rotten in the State of Denmark, wethinks.