Accountability & Transparency

The fundamental purpose of our work is to maintain open and transparent government by keeping the electorate informed. Though some find it hard to believe, our state is home to a diverse population of backgrounds and perspectives. Utah citizens put a great deal of trust in local government to ensure that everyone is represented equally.

When elected government officials abuse that trust, whether by acting in accordance with their personal beliefs instead of the law, accepting “gifts” in exchange for political favors, indulging the influence of outside groups or by making important decisions in closed caucus meetings, ABU is there to speak out.

Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

Report on the Investigation of Attorney General John Swallow

On March 8, 2013, Alliance for a Better UTAH filed an election law violation complaint against Attorney General John Swallow. The special investigator for the Lt. Governor’s office released the report of their findings on November 22, 2013. The report can be found HERE  

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Accountability/TransparencyNews

Statement regarding Lt. Governor’s report on AG’s election law violations

Salt Lake City — Good government group Alliance for a Better UTAH has issued the following statement after receiving the official report from the Lt. Governor’s office regarding an election law violation petition filed earlier this year: “The Lt. Governor’s Office released to us this morning the special investigator’s report …

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Accountability/TransparencyElections and Voting Rights

Election law violation probe should result in removal of AG John Swallow

Salt Lake City – Numerous reports are emerging that a special investigator with the Utah Lt. Governor’s office, assigned to investigate an election law violation complaint filed in March by the good government group Alliance for a Better UTAH, has chosen to recommend that State Attorney General John Swallow be …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah in the News

John Swallow too immature for AG’s office

The Better UTAH Beat airs Tuesday afternoons on KVNU’s For the People. Podcasts of previous episodes are available here. —– In the ongoing scandal surrounding our state attorney general, John Swallow, the Salt Lake Tribune political cartoonist, Pat Bagley, has perhaps depicted it best. In a cartoon printed in the November 5th …

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Accountability/TransparencyNews

Utah’s Gov. Herbert should call on state AG to step down

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, November 8, 2013 Salt Lake City — As thousands of emails, documents and calendar appointments have gone missing in the midst of a legislative investigation into the Utah Attorney General’s ethical misconduct, Governor Gary Herbert stands by and says little more than there is “cause for …

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Accountability/TransparencyNews

Request for litigation hold on AG’s office received, ignored

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 31, 2013 – – – – – Salt Lake City — In light of new evidence reported in the Salt Lake Tribune this morning suggesting the Attorney General’s Office has not retained documents crucial to an ongoing house investigation into Attorney General John Swallow’s conduct, …

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Accountability/TransparencyNews

Utah State Bar neglects its duties; declines to investigate Swallow

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, October 13, 2013 Salt Lake City — The Alliance for a Better UTAH learned through the media Sunday that the Utah Bar Association has decided to forgo their responsibility to investigate ethical misconduct on the part of State Attorney General John Swallow. Maryann Martindale, executive director, …

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Accountability/TransparencyBetter Utah Staff

Shutdown obsession

What is it they say? The first step to overcoming a problem is to admit you have a problem. Well, I have a problem. I can’t look away. I am obsessed with everything to do with the government shutdown in an almost train-wreck-fascination sort of way. I can’t get enough …

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