House investigative committee releases final report on ex-attorney general John Swallow

A House special investigative committee presented its final report on March 12, 2014, detailing allegations of misconduct by former Utah Attorney General John Swallow and recommending further study and possible legislative changes.

Representative Dunnigan, chair of the committee, told the House the panel conducted 165 witness interviews, subpoenaed and reviewed tens of thousands of pages of documents and compiled a report of more than 200 pages with 3,700 pages of exhibits attached. He said the report contains four sections outlining (1) a pattern of behavior to benefit Mr. Swallow, his friends and political supporters; (2) efforts to fabricate or eliminate evidence and impede investigations; (3) additional issues the committee examined; and (4) recommendations for possible changes in law.

"The final report provides to the House a comprehensive record of the results of the House Special Investigative Committee's investigation," Dunnigan said, describing the scope of the inquiry and the supporting exhibits assembled by staff.

Dunnigan told legislators that, when Mr. Swallow announced his resignation, the committee largely shifted from active investigation to preparing its final report. He said subpoenas that were pending would have sought additional material from persons connected to the payday lending industry and to campaign-related entities and that the committee had developed leads it shared with other ongoing investigations.

Representative Dean moved that Dunnigan's remarks be spread upon the pages of the House Journal; the motion passed. House leadership announced that the report and most exhibits would be made available electronically on the Legislature's website so readers can access specific exhibits cited in the text.

House officials additionally reported the committee's work cost nearly $4,000,000 in taxpayer funds. The committee said it strove to be fair, to follow the evidence and to provide a record that other investigators could use.

The report asserts findings about Mr. Swallow's relationships with named individuals and industries and describes alleged efforts to hide or launder campaign contributions and to assist and then conceal assistance to private parties involved in foreclosure disputes. The committee stated its findings and recommended the Legislature consider studies of possible statutory changes; it did not impose enforcement actions itself.

The House thanked the committee and its staff for the investigation and indicated the report will be posted online along with public correspondence and other materials the committee compiled. Other investigative bodies were noted in the presentation as continuing their own work on related matters.