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  • Concerns Over Swallow's Dealings Should Have Been Shared With Voters, State Leaders Say - Deseret News

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    Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis, a state senator, said Republicans knew about the allegations against Swallow prior to nominating him, and Shurtleff should have disclosed the information he had before the election. "As Democrats, we yelled, we screamed, we pleaded, we did everything and it apparently wasn't the right moment," he said. Republicans' lack of "moral fiber" to stand up and explain what they knew to voters "shows the serious problems of having a oneparty state where somebody makes a decision and everybody falls in line," Dabakis said.

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    Concerns Over Swallow's Dealings Should Have Been Shared With Voters, State Leaders Say _ Deseret News

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    Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis, a state senator, said Republicans knew about the allegations against Swallow prior to nominating him, and Shurtleff should have disclosed the information he had before the election. "As Democrats, we yelled, we screamed, we pleaded, we did everything and it apparently wasn't the right moment," he said. Republicans' lack of "moral fiber" to stand up and explain what they knew to voters "shows the serious problems of having a oneparty state where somebody makes a decision and everybody falls in line," Dabakis said.

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    Concerns Over Swallow's Dealings Should Have Been Shared With Voters, State Leaders Say - Deseret News

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    UtahDemocrats
    Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis, a state senator, said Republicans knew about the allegations against Swallow prior to nominating him, and Shurtleff should have disclosed the information he had before the election. "As Democrats, we yelled, we screamed, we pleaded, we did everything and it apparently wasn't the right moment," he said. Republicans' lack of "moral fiber" to stand up and explain what they knew to voters "shows the serious problems of having a oneparty state where somebody makes a decision and everybody falls in line," Dabakis said.

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    3/13/13

    Concerns over Swallow's dealings should have been shared with voters, state leaders say | Deseret News

    ConcernsoverSwallow'sdealingsshouldhavebeenshared withvoters,stateleaderssay
    ByLisaRileyRocheandDennisRomboy,DeseretNews Published:Tuesday,Feb.1220137:00p.m.MST

    SALTLAKECITYGov.GaryHerbertandlegislativeleaderssaid Tuesdayvotersshouldhaveheardmoreabouttheallegationsagainst UtahAttorneyGeneralJohnSwallowbeforehiselectionin November. TheircommentscameadayafterformerAttorneyGeneralMark Shurtleffrevealedhewenttofederalauthoritiesshortlybeforethe Nov.6electionwithinformationthatSwallow,hishandpicked successor,mightbeinvolvedinanallegedbriberyscandal. Herbertsaidit'suptoShurtlefftoexplainwhyhechosenottoshare hisconcernswithvoters.TheallegationsagainstSwallowdidnot surfaceuntilafterhewassworninasattorneygenerallastmonthand arethesubjectofanongoingfederalinvestigation

    UtahAttorneyGeneralJohnSwallow (ScottGWinterton,DeseretNews)

    "Iexpecttheinformationwasincomplete,"Herbertsaidofwhat votersknewabouttheallegationsthatSwallowhelpedbrokeradealtobribeSenateMajorityLeader HarryReid."Couldithavebeendonebetterinhindsight?Probably,yes." Still,thegovernorwasn'tsureitwouldhavemadeadifferenceintheoutcomeoftheelectioninwhich Swallow,afellowRepublican,easilydefeatedhisDemocraticopponent,WeberCountyAttorneyDee Smith. "Mycrystalballisasfoggyasanybody's,"Herbertsaid."IthinkJohnSwallowandhisqualifications andhisexperienceasalegislator,workingasthedeputyintheattorneygeneral'soffice,waswell qualified." HouseSpeakerBeckyLockhart,RProvo,though,saidknowingtheallegationsagainstSwallow beforetheelectionmighthavechangedatleastonevoteherown. "Ifyou'reaskingifIwishIhadknown,theanswerisyes.Votersneedinformation.Themore informationyoucangivethem,thebetterequippedtheyaretomakedecisions,"Lockhartsaid. ThespeakersaidhadShurtleffraisedconcernsaboutSwallowpubliclybeforetheelection,shemight havevotedagainsttheGOPcandidate. "It'spossible.Ihavetotakeitallin,"Lockhartsaid,callingforShurtlefftobeheldaccountableforhis decision. Tuesday,ShurtleffsaidalthoughhefeltcompelledtocontacttheU.S.Attorney'sOffice,hedidn't considerpullinghissupportofSwallowforattorneygeneralbecausetheallegationswerecoming fromamanwhohadbeenindicted.

    www.deseretnews.com/article/print/865573010/Concerns-over-Swallows-dealings-should-have-been-shared-with-voters-state-leaders-say.html

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    3/13/13

    Concerns over Swallow's dealings should have been shared with voters, state leaders say | Deseret News

    "Itdidn'tsoundlikeaproblem,soofcourseI'mgoingtokeepsupportinghim.AsItoldJeremy Johnson,'Whywouldhepulloutbasedonyourallegations?Hedeniesthem.Hewillfightthese allegations.Hewillwantitclearedup.'That'stheJohnSwallowIknow,"Shurtleffsaid. ShurtleffsaidJohnson,whohasbeenchargedinfederalcourt,calledhiminOctoberurginghimto convinceSwallowthenShurtleff'schiefdeputytodropoutoftheattorneygeneral'sracebecause hehadinformationaboutsomeimproprietiesSwallowwasinvolvedin. JohnsonletShurtlefflistentoportionsofasecretlyrecordedmeetingbetweenJohnsonandSwallow thatoccurredataKrispyKremedoughnutshopinOreminApril.Duringtheconversation,thetwo discussedafinancialarrangementthroughwhichReidwouldbepaidofftoderailapossibleFederal TradeCommissioncomplaintagainstJohnson'sInternetmarketingcompany. ShurtleffsaidhethentalkedtoSwallowaboutJohnson'sclaim. "Hetoldmeeverything,"Shurtleffsaid. UtahDemocraticPartyChairmanJimDabakis,astatesenator,saidRepublicansknewaboutthe allegationsagainstSwallowpriortonominatinghim,andShurtleffshouldhavedisclosedthe informationhehadbeforetheelection. "AsDemocrats,weyelled,wescreamed,wepleaded,wedideverythinganditapparentlywasn'tthe rightmoment,"hesaid. Republicans'lackof"moralfiber"tostandupandexplainwhattheyknewtovoters"showsthe seriousproblemsofhavingaonepartystatewheresomebodymakesadecisionandeverybodyfalls inline,"Dabakissaid. ForRepublicanstonowcallforethicsreformisdisingenuous,hesaid.Boththegovernorand legislativeleadershaveexpressedsupportforcreatinganethicspaneltoinvestigateallegations againstthestate'selectedexecutiveofficials. "Theyhadtheopportunitytoputthisinformationbeforethevotersandtheychosenotto,andthat's somethingthey'regoingtohavetolivewith,"Dabakissaid. Hadthathappened,hesaid,there'snodoubtthe"nonpolitical,careerprosecutor,brightDeeSmith wouldbetheattorneygeneralandwewouldn'tbehavingtheseawkward,embarrassingdiscussions." SenatePresidentWayneNeiderhausersaidhe'snotsurewhattheappropriateprotocolwouldhave beenforShurtleff. "Wouldithaveaffectedtheelection?Possibly,"theSandyRepublicansaid. UniversityofUtahpoliticalscienceprofessorMatthewBurbanksaidShurtlefffacedadifficult judgmentcall. "Ontheonehand,itwouldseemtoberelevantinanelectionanditwouldbeinformationvoters wouldwanttoknowabout,"Burbanksaid."Ontheotherhand,itwasonlyasuspicionatthetime." Intheend,Burbanksaid,Shurtleffhadlittlechoice. "There'sthepossibilityofaworstcasescenariowhereyousaysomethingpubliclyandthere'san investigationanditturnsoutthere'snothingwrong,butSwallowlosestheelection,"Burbanksaid. "Youruinsomebody'spoliticalcareerwhentherewasn'tevidencetosupportit."
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    3/13/13

    Concerns over Swallow's dealings should have been shared with voters, state leaders say | Deseret News

    Email:romboy@desnews.com,lisa@desnews.com Twitter:dennisromboy,dnewspolitics

    Copyright 2013, Deseret News Publishing Company

    www.deseretnews.com/article/print/865573010/Concerns-over-Swallows-dealings-should-have-been-shared-with-voters-state-leaders-say.html

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