John Swallow Ethics Investigation Update

The latest on John Swallow, displayed by category, in the hope that you'll be able to keep our beleaguered Utah A.G.'s various staggering and pending "cans of worms" at least somewhat straight

Local Red Meat News is a mite slow on this bright Sunday afternoon, so we thought we might devote a little electronic ink to a developing Utah story (or series of stories) which haven't caught much of our Weber County Forum editorial attention recently.  So here's the latest on poor old Utah Attorney General John Swallow, whose legal problems have continued to fester and multiply on the pages of the Standard, the Trib and other trusted Northern Utah news sources, even while your ever-overworked WCF blogmeister has most recently focused upon the pressing crisis in our Ogden School System. Here's the latest on John Swallow, folks, with an array of the most recent news, displayed by category (more or less), in the hope that you'll be able to keep our beleaguered Utah A.G.'s staggering and pending various "cans of worms" at least somewhat straight:

1) Ongoing Federal Criminal Bribery Investigation. This category of John Swallow "legal problems" stems originally from an alleged 2010 congressional bribery scheme, in which connection federal authorities confirmed on 1/12/13 that Swallow is the "subject of an ongoing investigation by the Department of Justice and the FBI."
By way of update, although the Standard-Examiner had published a 5/6/13 Associated Press story seemingly reporting that the U.S. Attorney's Office had "dropped" its investigation in this matter, a couple of later-published SL Trib storie clarified this development, reporting that although the Utah-based U.S.Attorney's Office had been indeed "bumped" from the case, federal authorites were nevertheless moving forward with their investigation and possible prosecution, through the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice:

• U.S. attorney for Utah steps aside from Swallow investigation - Salt Lake Tribune, 5/6/13
• Pressure grows on AG Swallow as allegations fly

Yes, gentle WCF readers, this federal investigation remains "open;" and by "some" reliable indicators, it now seems to have been considerably "broadened" in scope.  And frankly speaking, or it seems to us,  no other Utah official has been in so much federal hot water as poor ole Attorney General Swallow's in, since the time President Buchanan dispatched U.S. troops to Utah in 1857, dunnit?

2) Utah State Bar Complaint. In this recently developing John Swallow can of worms, Utah A.G. Swallow is now compelled to defend his legal license:

• AG Swallow Facing New Complaints After Recorded Phone Calls Surface - Utah Political Capitol, 5/7/13
• Utah’s former consumer boss files ethics complaint against Swallow - Salt Lake Tribune, 5/7/13
• Utah State Bar complaint filed against Swallow - Standard-Examiner, 5/8/13
• Swallow Faces New Complaint Amid Controversy (w/Video) - KUTV2 News, 5/8/13

Sodden question: Since we already have a Utah State Auditor (John Dougall) serving in that lofty state office without any formal CPA certification at all, is it possible that John Swallow could likewise "soldier on," and continue "serving" as Utah Attorney General, in the event that the Utah State Bar ultimately "yanks" his law license?

3) Utah Elections Office Campaign Disclosure Violation Complaint. This investigation comes in response to an alleged election law complaint filed with the Utah Lieutenant Governor's Office in March by the progressive group Alliance for a Better Utah.

• Special counsel will investigate John Swallow’s financial arrangements - Salt Lake Tribune, 5/10/13
• Special counsel to investigate allegations against John Swallow (w/Video)  - Fox13 News, 5/10/13

 "The sad thing is that if an election were held today," remarks one gentle Trib reader, "enough Utahns would still vote for him to win the same office." Yep.  Sad AND (probably) painfully true.

Still grinnin' ???

4) Other Interesting "Stuff". We'll reel off these story "outliers," none of which neatly "fits into any of the other above topic categories, although you can bet your boots that some of this, at least, is bound to be of keen interest to state and federal prosecutors.

• Shurtleff, Swallow lived it up on my dime, says convicted fraudster - Salt Lake Tribune, 5/8/13
• Survey Results – 50% Think AG Swallow Will Resign Office - Utah Political Capitol, 5/9/13
• House speaker on Swallow: Impeachment is on the table - Salt Lake Tribune, 5/9/12
• Shady ties pop up in Shurtleff’s money trail - Salt Lake Tribune, 5/11/13
• Utah leaders waiting for feds in Swallow investigation; but will they share answers? - Deseret News, 5/11/13

That's it for now, folks.  Hope this "catches" you all up. Gotta wonder how Swallow "keeps it all straight" himself.