Utah Political Corruption Investigation Update

The Swallow-sleaze now oozes out in the direction of the former Utah Attorney General

It's been a couple of weeks since our last "John Swallow Government Corruption Update,"  so here are the latest developments since we last spoke out on that topic, which for present and soon to be obvious reasons, we've broadened and expanded that topic headline "just a mite." So here goes.  Hang in there, O Gentle Ones, as we've saved the very "best" for last, of course. 

1) John Swallow (Alleged) Corruption:

Back on May 12, we listed three basic categories of then-pending investigations of our wonderful Utah Attorney General, i.e., 1) Ongoing Federal Criminal Bribery Investigation, 2) Utah State Bar Complaint, 3) Utah Elections Office Campaign Disclosure Violation. As of this morning we can now add a fourth: 4) County Attorney State-law bribery investigations.  Read up, on the latest John Swallow developments, folks:

On May 15, Utah Political Capitol reported that "The FBI, the Utah Bar Association, and the Lieutenant Governor’s special counsel aren’t the only ones investigating Attorney General John Swallow. According to information obtained by Utah Political Capitol, a parallel investigation is being run out of the Salt Lake County District Attorney and Davis County Attorney’s offices":

• BREAKING: Attorney General John Swallow Being Investigated by Salt Lake and Davis Counties

And in this May 16 news item, the Deseret News revealed more detail about the possible state law grounds for these 'expanded" pending county prosecutors' probes:

• 2 county attorneys investigating Swallow, Utah Attorney General's office

"Neither [Sim] Gill nor [Troy] Rawlings would disclose the targets of the investigation or what specific laws they're looking at. However, it likely would involve Utah's Public Officers' and Employees' Ethics Act, which prohibits accepting gifts and compensation that would improperly influence the impartial discharge of one's duties," the D-News' Dennis Romboy reported.

Here's the full statutory text (Utah Code Title 67 Chapter 16), for those readers who'd like to take a closer look:

• Utah Public Officers' and Employees' Ethics Act

Bullcrap Redux

Meanwhile, back in the Utah A.G.'s office, we hear from Mr. Swallow the familiar refrain of hopelessly besieged elected officials (GOP officials, mind you) who are up to their eyeballs in potentially devastating "official" investigations:

• Attorney General John Swallow says he's no criminal

That "old saw" certainly has a "familiar ring" to it, doesn't it?

And there's more; oh yes, so much more:

Here's a fine Fox13 News video update, for those of you who'd like to just kick back in your easy-chairs, and just watch and listen up:


2) Pending Mark Shurtleff Investigation. And that ain't all folks.  Back on May 12, we said this: "It thus appears that even former Attorney General Mark Shurtleff might quite possibly be drawn into Swallow's mess, which might explain why Shurtleff is now scrambling to distance himself from Mr. Swallow." And lo and behold, "prophetic" as we plainly were, check out the latest news about former GOP State Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, who seems to be inexorably (and possibly for "good reason") drawn into the John Swallow investigation net, whilst now, the ever-creepy Mark Shurtleff gets "publicly hammered" (once again):

• Secret recording: Mark Shurtleff offers $2 million to silence critic - Utah businessman says 2009 meeting with ex-A.G.was “like an episode in ‘Bizarro World.’”

Thus, the Swallow sleaze now oozes out in the direction of the former Utah Attorney General.

Sadly, people, your blogmeister is old enough to remember the halcyon days when some Republican elected officials were actually world-wide respected heros.

Unfortunately however, those "heady" days are now long-gone, we guess.

Comments anyone? Especially my GOP friends?