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SALT LAKE CITY — The Attorney General has been silent for weeks due to an ongoing investigation, but he appeared on KSL NewsRadio Tuesday to address the avalanche of bad publicity geared towards him.
John Swallow said he would rather be addressing the ongoing projects in his office like school safety or a bill he's defending that takes away federal law enforcement power on certain Utah lands. However, Swallow had to defend himself against accusations that question his ethics that are now the subject of a criminal investigation.
"There's no question in my mind that the motivation behind these (accusations) is political," Swallow said. "They will be worked out in the course of due process. And I don't want to get in trouble by stating my position, but you have to consider the sources."
Swallow referred to "sources" like Jeremy Johnson, who said that Swallow offered to broker a deal to get him out of legal trouble. Mark Jenson, convicted of fraud, also told media that Swallow accepted several all-expenses paid weekend trips in southern California. Jenson said the situation implied a request for "special treatment."
Other ethics complaints are also being investigated by the Utah Bar association and lieutenant Governor. Despite all the complaints and ongoing investigations, Swallow said his office has been operating smoothly.
"I've called for the investigation," Swallow said. "In the meantime, I'm doing my job. Putting on my white shirt and tie every day, coming to work, I'm there making decisions, working with great other leaders in the office and doing the best job I can."
Swallow's situation has created impatience among some even at the Legislature who are reviving early conversations about impeachment. Speaker Becky Lockhart said Tuesday that "everything is on the table."
While no decision is expected in the immediate future, Republicans have already talked about the process. In the Senate, however, lawmakers say they will wait for the criminal investigation to be completed.
"Based on what we feel like the threshold is, we need to have those results," said Senate President Wayne Niederhauser. "Whether it's four months, six months or a year."
Currently, there is no word on how long the federal investigation will take.
Through it all, Swallow maintains his innocence.
"I'm not saying I'm a perfect person," Swallow said. "But I'll tell you, I'm sure not a criminal."
