Salt Lake City — Search warrants obtained yesterday by the Salt Lake Tribune in the investigation into former Attorney General John Swallow revealed allegations by Jeremy Johnson that Johnson and Swallow laundered some $50,000 in campaign contributions to Sen. Mike Lee.
The Alliance for a Better UTAH, whose history of monitoring election law and campaign contributions resulted in an investigation by the Lt. Governor’s office into Swallow’s campaign practices, has released the following statement:
“We are in the initial stages of preparing a complaint to the Federal Elections Commission to ask them to investigate illegal election activity in Sen. Lee’s campaign. That complaint could consider not only Johnson’s allegations, but also whether or not Lee’s debt forgiveness resulting from the short sale of his Alpine home in 2012 should also have been recorded as a campaign contribution.
“Campaign election law violations are serious business. Unfortunately, too many of Utah’s elected leaders seem to treat election laws like the rest of us treat speed limits–as if they were merely suggestions. If Utah’s freshman senator did indeed allow, whether by ignorance, negligence or complete disregard of the law, a sizeable amount of money to be illegally funnelled into his campaign, then Sen. Lee should be held accountable. While Senate campaigns involve significant amounts of money, it is not unreasonable for the public to expect a first-time senate candidate from Utah to know the identity of his donors.”
For background on the investigation, click here.
For a copy of the search warrant, click here.
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Contact:
Isaac Holyoak
Communications Director, Alliance for a Better UTAH
801.664.9751 | isaac@betterutah.org