Integrity, Smegrity He's a Mormon Right (link)

[_The Mighty Builder]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/5 ... y.html.csp

GOP lawmaker shields John Swallow from legislative grilling

Attempts by Democratic lawmakers to ask tough questions of embattled Utah Attorney General John Swallow during a budget hearing were swatted down Friday by Sen. Daniel Thatcher, chairman of the appropriations committee who ruled them out of order.

"If there was something that happened that was untoward, that should be shaken out in a court of law and not in an appropriations meeting," argued Thatcher, a West Valley City Republican and an ardent Swallow supporter.

Thatcher again ruled King’s question out of order.

"I have serious questions about the extent to which the Attorney General’s Office, past and current, is not in compliance with those rules," King argued. "I think we ought to be talking about that."

Swallow had noted that he could not retain attorneys at their current pay scale, and King contended that their outside-employment arrangements were germane.

"I’m not out there trying to grandstand," King said after the hearing. "[Thatcher] is just blatantly protecting the attorney general."