Utah Officials Find Probable Cause Outgoing Attorney General Broke Law

In this May 14, 2013 file photo, Utah Attorney General John Swallow speaks with reporters after appearing on KSL Newsradio Salt Lake City.
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A special investigation of outgoing Utah Attorney General John Swallow (R) has found probable cause that he committed multiple violations of state law. 

Swallow announced his resignation from office on Thursday, citing the multiple investigations targeting him while at the same time insisting that he was innocent of any wrongdoing.

In a report released Friday, a special counsel to Utah’s lieutenant governor said that despite the justifications given by Swallow for his actions, “the evidence developed through this investigation… is sufficient to establish probable cause that Swallow violated the finance disclosure and conflict of interest provisions” of Utah law. 

The special counsel’s report found that Swallow probably violated the law in not disclosing income and ties to several companies in his 2012 candidate financial disclosure and conflict of interest filings.

“Swallow’s explanations for his non-disclosure, when considered in light of internal inconsistencies and conflicting evidence, raise numerous questions of credibility that should be assessed by a finder of fact when applying the applicable law,” the report said. “Whether these and other facts constitute a violation of any of the relevant Utah statutes… further will depend on how liberally or narrowly the Court construes the relevant statutes. If the Court construes the statutes liberally to carry out the intent of the Election Code… and looks to the practical realities of Swallow’s conduct, it reasonably should find him to be in violation of law.”

Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox (R) will now review the report and determine what if any further action will be taken. 

Report on the Investigation of Attorney General John Swallow

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