Thread: Shurtleff’s preferred successor won’t take up immigration crusade

By David Montero
The Salt Lake Tribune
First published 1 hour ago
Updated 24 minutes ago

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff on Thursday stood behind John Swallow — the man he is endorsing to take his place — knowing if Swallow wins election, Utah’s run as a national model of state-based comprehensive immigration reform is likely coming to an end.

“He’s not going to drive the issue like I did,” Shurtleff said. “I recognize that. But I’m disappointed with Mitt Romney and the stances he’s taken on immigration, too. But it doesn’t mean I don’t support him. I can overlook that one issue.”

Swallow is Shurtleff’s chief deputy and has known him for more than a decade, dating back to when Swallow was in the state Legislature. And at Swallow’s official campaign announcement Thursday, the Republican hopeful made clear he wouldn’t use the office as a platform the way Shurtleff has.

Shurtleff was one of the first signers of The Utah Compact, which seeks to be a template for immigration reform centered on federal solutions, compassion and economic contributions of immigrants. He also was among its biggest boosters around the country.

Swallow takes a different approach.

“I haven’t signed the Utah Compact and I don’t intend to sign it,” Swallow said. He offered that he supports many of its principles, but wouldn’t go into detail about his views.

Asked about why he didn’t sign the Compact, Swallow said he didn’t know.

Swallow’s shyness on the issue drew criticism from Utah Democratic Party Chairman Jim Dabakis.

“When a candidate for attorney general steps back from the Chamber of Commerce, steps back from the LDS Church and steps back from so many right-minded groups that came up with a compromise and a fair way to look at immigration, it’s a sad day,” Dabakis said. “If Swallow is elected attorney general, we can expect to see the kind of negative effects … that exist in Arizona.”

The race for attorney general on the Republican side already includes Sean Reyes, who recently offered free legal services to help Shurtleff’s office defend Utah’s enforcement-only immigration law sponsored by Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem.

Reyes also didn’t sign the Utah Compact and wouldn’t follow in Shurtleff’s footsteps.

Swallow said his three priorities in office would be families, lands and freedoms — with a heavy emphasis on his zeal to help fight President Barack Obama’s mandated health-care law that will be battled in the U.S. Supreme Court this spring. He also stressed his desire to advance Utah’s effort to wrest control of land controlled by the federal government.

“Our land belongs to our people, not to the bureaucrats and extreme environmentalists who want to lock it away for the privileged few,” Swallow said.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also endorsed Swallow at the announcement and said Swallow has a long track record of being “a bona-fide conservative” — even when it departs from the party line.

Lee said Swallow was an early opponent of President George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind law and said the candidate understood about the overreaching of the federal government. He said Swallow had a strong, internal ethic.

“Whenever you hire a lawyer, you want to find somebody smart and loyal,” Lee said. “Somebody who will never compromise when it comes to ethics.”

dmontero@sltrib.com

Shurtleff

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By Dennis Romboy,
Deseret News
Published: Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012 7:48 p.m. MST

SALT LAKE CITY — Chief deputy Utah attorney general John Swallow wants his boss' job.

But he won't manage the office like Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has for nearly 12 years.

"My goal as attorney general will be to run this office as a law firm based on my experience as a litigation partner in my (private) firm and to not perhaps be quite as involved in driving the policy as my predecessor," Swallow said. "That is not a criticism of him. That is simply a style issue for me."


Utah attorney general candidate John Swallow thanks Washington County Commissioner Alan Gardner (right) for his support in St. George on Wednesday.

Swallow, a Republican, entered the race for attorney general Wednesday. Shurtleff, also a Republican, is not seeking re-election after three terms in office.

Shurtleff has been a vocal proponent of illegal immigration laws, such as in-state tuition for undocumented students and Utah's guest worker program, that many conservatives view with disdain. In introducing Swallow at his campaign kickoff, Shurtleff noted their differences on immigration issues.

"If I could just get him to come my way a little on immigration, he'd be perfect," Shurtleff said.

Shurtleff said he'd keep the job forever if he could, but there comes a time to move on. "I don't want just anybody coming in, frankly, and taking the lead in this office," he said.

He described Swallow as seasoned. "He knows this job," he said. "He knows this office."

Swallow, 49, has served as Shurtleff's chief deputy since 2009, sometimes having to take the reins when Shurtleff suffered through cancer. He spearheads Utah's legal battles with the federal government over public lands and natural resources. He also oversees the state's effort to strike down the government's controversial health care law requiring Americans to buy health insurance.

"We are poised to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court, and God willing, we will prevail," Swallow said.

Swallow starting raising money for the campaign last fall, and to date has already raked in about $325,000. Another Republican in the race, Cottonwood Heights lawyer Sean Reyes, has raised about $464,000, mostly in in-kind donations for office space, supplies and staff from a law firm and businesses he has worked for.

Swallow also served six years in the Utah Legislature and ran two failed campaigns for Congress in 2002 and 2004, losing to Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson both times.

Looking back, Swallow said he's glad that he didn't win those elections.

"I really feel I at this point in my life I could make more of an impact in this state than I could make in Congress," he said.

Swallow said as attorney general he would work to keep the federal government in check. He said he would fight against any attempts by Washington to hamper personal rights and freedom.

"I have seen the federal government's intrusion into our lives at almost every level and am committed to putting an end to it," he said.

GOP Sen. Mike Lee, who also attended Wednesday's event, called Swallow a bona fide conservative who will stand up for constitutional principles.

Shurtleff deputy John Swallow enters Utah attorney general's race | Deseret News