John Swallow Three-Ring Circus Update: Episode XXXIV - Legislature Meets to Consider Creating Impeachment Investigative Committee - Updated

Anticipation

The Deseret News sets the stage for this morning's special legislative session, wherein the Utah House will consider creating a special committee to investigate embattled Attorney General John Swallow, whilst political wonks all over the state of Utah sit on the edges of their seats:

• Utah House set to create panel to investigate Attorney General Swallow

Utah Policy reports that Weber County's own House Majority Leader Brad Dee has reportedly been offered the chairmanship of the committee tasked with investigating Swallow. House Democrats are for the most part "whooping it up" over the near equal participation in that committee, which will be made up of 4 Democrats and five 5 Republicans, although some complain that committee's structure is still stacked in GOP-partisan favor:

• House Republicans Want to 'Own' Swallow Investigation

The Deseret News reports that John Swallow’s lawyer is still arguing for the narrowest possible interpretation of House investigation authority, arguing that lawmakers cannot consider anything he did before he took office in their investigation because it will violate his constitutional rights:

• Attorney General John Swallow's attorney says lawmakers must stick to allegations related to conduct in office

The Tribune reports that some folks connected with the House Swallow probe are concerned that key witnesses, such as convicted fraudster  Marc Jenson, will take the advice of counsel and refuse to cooperate with the investigative committee at all:

• Will witnesses clam up before House panel investigating A.G. Swallow?

Wingnut uncovers secret plot

Paul Rolly reports that "tea-party goddess [and all-round right wing wacko] Cherilyn Eagar, former failed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate and Congress and most famous for her claims the high school International Baccalaureate Program is a vast U.N. conspiracy, has uncovered [a secret, one world government] plot to "get" Utah Attorney General John Swallow":

• Paul Rolly: Utah A.G. John Swallow a conservative martyr?

Stay tuned, WCF political wonks, while we anticipate updating the latest performance in the John Swallow Three-ring Circus as today's developments unfold.

Update 7/3/13 10:09 a.m.: Breaking news via the Salt Lake Tribune:

The Utah House took its unprecedented first steps Wednesday toward creating a special committee to explore allegations of misconduct against Attorney General John Swallow.
The House Rules Committee met for 90 minutes to discuss a resolution forming a nine-member investigative panel with the power to issue subpoenas and interview witnesses under oath in hopes of ultimately providing House members a factual report of the myriad allegations against Swallow...
The full House is expected to meet at 10 a.m. to pass the resolution, but support in the chamber is far from unanimous...
The Rules Committee voted 8-3 against recommending changing the committee size [from 9 to 8.]

Here's the full Trib writeup:

• Push to investigate John Swallow clears key hurdle in Legislature

Stay tuned...

Update 7/3/13 1:29 p.m: Breaking news via Utah Political Capitol:

• Utah House Votes 69-3 To Investigate Attorney General Swallow

Ace UPC columnist Eric Etherington reveals the names of the only three House members who cast dissenting votes:

HR9001 passed the full House with only token opposition, 69-3. The three Representatives voting against were Ken Ivory (Republican, West Jordan), Curt Oda (Republican Clearfield), and Jim Nielson (Republican, Bountiful).

Hopefully the good folks of Bountiful, Clearfield  and West Jordan will jot down this last bit of info down for easy reference, prior to "turning up" at their respective polling places, when the next Utah General Election rolls around in November of 2014.

Update 7/3/13 10:00 p.m.: More on this story from Fox13 News:


 Whew!