Two Former Republican State Attorneys General Arrested In Utah
Two former Utah state attorneys general were arrested at their homes on Tuesday. Both Republicans face numerous charges, including receiving and soliciting bribes. The men were charged with a combined 23 counts that could total 30 years each in prison. Bail was set at $250,000 each, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.
Both men have been the subject of multiple investigations, including a $4 million probe by a special state House committee.
Image: Salt Lake County Sheriff/AP
According to NPR, the report found that Swallow “compromised the principles and integrity of the office to benefit himself and his political supporters” and that Shurtleff “sold out” Utah residents.
NPR reports:
Mark Shurtleff served as attorney general for a dozen years before completing his third term at the beginning of 2013. John Swallow was elected to succeed him but resigned in November, less than a year into the job. On Tuesday, Swallow was charged with 11 felonies and two misdemeanors, including accepting bribes, tampering with evidence, misuse of public funds and obstructing justice. Shurtleff faces 10 counts on similar charges.
They could each face 30 years in prison.
GOP Gov Gary Herbert said, “This is a sad day for Utah. The entire situation, regardless of how the legal process plays out, is a black eye for our state.”
“We have filed what we think are appropriate and minimal charges,” Salt Lake District Attorney Sim Gill said at a news conference on Tuesday,
“We could have filed more, but we chose at this time to just file what we did,” Gill said.
Gill, a Democrat, denied any partisan motivation.
The relationship between Swallow and Shurtleff and various businessmen is at question.. They allegedly used a private jet, luxury houseboat and Ferrari belonging to a man named Jeremy Johnson on multiple occasions. Johnson has been indicted on 86 federal charges of fraud.
According to the Deseret News, investigators have also examined their relationship with another wealthy businessman, Marc Sessions Jenson. Jenson is serving a 10-year sentence on securities fraud and has accused Shurtleff and Swallow of extortion.
On a 2009 recording that surfaced last year, Shurtleff is heard saying he believed he could get $2 million from Jenson to silence an investor.
Watch courtesy of The Salt Lake Tribune as the two men leave jail.
H/T: A friend of LL’s, TiredOfTea, with thanks.
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By: Anomaly100
32 responses to Two Former Republican State Attorneys General Arrested In Utah
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burqa July 15th, 2014 at 16:38
If Swallow is going to be a guest of the state making little ones out of big ones for a long time, he may wish to change his name before he faces probes of a decidedly different sort in the hoosegow….
Anomaly 100 July 15th, 2014 at 16:44
He’d better do it quickly.
M D Reese July 15th, 2014 at 18:25
I find it difficult to wish rape (and possibly death as a result) on people, no matter how bad they may be. Imagine your grandpa in jail awaiting trial for kiting a check. Should he just expect to get raped while he’s there?
Tommy6860 July 15th, 2014 at 17:10
Yep, he’ll also have to get accustomed to a different type of ” 7-11 big gulp” drink most know about.
burqa July 15th, 2014 at 16:38
If Swallow is going to be a guest of the state making little ones out of big ones for a long time, he may wish to change his name before he faces probes of a decidedly different sort in the hoosegow….
Anomaly 100 July 15th, 2014 at 16:44
He’d better do it quickly.
M D Reese July 15th, 2014 at 18:25
I find it difficult to wish rape (and possibly death as a result) on people, no matter how bad they may be. Imagine your grandpa in jail awaiting trial for kiting a check. Should he just expect to get raped while he’s there?
Tommy6860 July 15th, 2014 at 17:10
Yep, he’ll also have to get accustomed to a different type of ” 7-11 big gulp” drink most know about.
markdouglas July 15th, 2014 at 16:39
It would be REALLY hard to stay honest in politics, all that money flying around, and the slippery slope of wanting to help your buddies, and yourself. It probably doesn’t seem like anything criminal at the time. or even wrong.
I bet I’d fall for it too — luckily, the only thing I could have stolen my entire career was a few buckets of coal — who needs that? I was never tempted to take anything worth anything.
Hirightnow July 15th, 2014 at 20:28
Thank God for that…I don’t know how many newscasters could keep a straight face reporting on…(wait for it…) COALGATE!
markdouglas July 15th, 2014 at 16:39
It would be REALLY hard to stay honest in politics, all that money flying around, and the slippery slope of wanting to help your buddies, and yourself. It probably doesn’t seem like anything criminal at the time. or even wrong.
I bet I’d fall for it too — luckily, the only thing I could have stolen my entire career was a few buckets of coal — who needs that? I was never tempted to take anything worth anything.
Hirightnow July 15th, 2014 at 20:28
Thank God for that…I don’t know how many newscasters could keep a straight face reporting on…(wait for it…) COALGATE!
Obewon July 15th, 2014 at 16:42
Another RWNJ red state falls victim to GOP corruption proving why nearly 100 Repub politicians are convicted for each one Dem politician similarly convicted. These Romney clones each “face 30 years in prison!” Romney in 2016~ needs to replace these two staffers.
Obewon July 15th, 2014 at 16:42
Another RWNJ red state falls victim to GOP corruption proving why nearly 100 Repub politicians are convicted for each one Dem politician similarly convicted. These Romney clones each “face 30 years in prison!” Romney in 2016~ needs to replace these two staffers.
Budda July 15th, 2014 at 18:03
Just curious; are they Mormons?
M D Reese July 15th, 2014 at 18:17
I wonder too. “Lying for the Lord” is OK so I hear…
svaninwegen July 16th, 2014 at 08:46
Lying for the Lord is what Hobby Lobby has done, because the forms of birth control that they refuse to cover are not “abortifacients!”
M D Reese July 16th, 2014 at 22:37
That and the fact that Hobby Lobby actually invests in the companies that make the very birth control pills that they find so offensive…
John_St_John July 15th, 2014 at 19:18
Card carrying, temple recommended members of the predominant theocracy in Utahzikstan Budda.
Budda July 15th, 2014 at 18:03
Just curious; are they Mormons?
M D Reese July 15th, 2014 at 18:17
I wonder too. “Lying for the Lord” is OK so I hear…
svaninwegen July 16th, 2014 at 08:46
Lying for the Lord is what Hobby Lobby has done, because the forms of birth control that they refuse to cover are not “abortifacients!”
M D Reese July 16th, 2014 at 22:37
That and the fact that Hobby Lobby actually invests in the companies that make the very birth control pills that they find so offensive…
John_St_John July 15th, 2014 at 19:18
Card carrying, temple recommended members of the predominant theocracy in Utahzikstan Budda.
The Lochnar July 15th, 2014 at 18:29
Why can’t images and many times videos not have the proper aspect ratio set so peoples image represent how they actually appear. I noticed many people have their home video screens set to fill the screen when not all content has the same aspect ratio. I understand that lay people don’t get this and in fact insist that squishy faces is the proper view because its high def – pppfffttt – but websites that do news should know better.
The Lochnar July 15th, 2014 at 18:29
Why can’t images and many times videos not have the proper aspect ratio set so peoples image represent how they actually appear. I noticed many people have their home video screens set to fill the screen when not all content has the same aspect ratio. I understand that lay people don’t get this and in fact insist that squishy faces is the proper view because its high def – pppfffttt – but websites that do news should know better.
majii July 15th, 2014 at 20:34
In spite of the evidence the feds and UT officials have on these two tools, they’re claiming that it’s someone else’s fault that they’ve been indicted. So much for being members of a political party which talks constantly about taking responsibility for one’s words and actions.
majii July 15th, 2014 at 20:34
In spite of the evidence the feds and UT officials have on these two tools, they’re claiming that it’s someone else’s fault that they’ve been indicted. So much for being members of a political party which talks constantly about taking responsibility for one’s words and actions.
DD July 16th, 2014 at 01:04
So let me get this straight. They could have thrown the ‘book’ at them but decided to be lenient and not file all the charges for the crimes they have committed. And they think this was a good idea? If it was a Dem they would be squealing like pigs that all charges were not being filed. I call BS on this. Freakin Repubs are such hypocrites!!! If they did the crime they need to do the time. I don’t care who did it!!
DD July 16th, 2014 at 01:04
So let me get this straight. They could have thrown the ‘book’ at them but decided to be lenient and not file all the charges for the crimes they have committed. And they think this was a good idea? If it was a Dem they would be squealing like pigs that all charges were not being filed. I call BS on this. Freakin Repubs are such hypocrites!!! If they did the crime they need to do the time. I don’t care who did it!!
Rixar13 McGinnis July 16th, 2014 at 15:55
Put his A$$ back in the Can (Jail).
Rixar13 McGinnis July 16th, 2014 at 15:55
Put his A$$ back in the Can (Jail).