john swallow
chief deputy - civil divisions
John E. Swallow was elected as Utah Attorney General in November 2012 with 65 per cent of the statewide vote. He plans to focus on protecting children from abuse and sex trafficking, stopping financial fraud and preserving state's rights. Swallow had been serving as Chief Deputy Attorney General since December 2009 and was overseeing the civil divisions and all litigation involving the state of Utah. Under his leadership, the A.G.’s Office filed a lawsuit with 26 states over health care reform and instigated litigation over the federal Wild Lands policy. He helped double the size of the public lands litigation team and hired an attorney to research constitutional issues related to federalism and state’s rights.
Swallow graduated with a BS and law degree from Brigham Young University and was a member of the Brigham Young University Law Review. He started as an associate and later became a partner with the commercial litigation firm Scalley & Reading. Swallow was also appointed as a Judge Pro Tem for the Third District Court and served as Chairman of the Business Section of the Utah State Bar.
Swallow was elected to the Utah House of Representatives for three terms from 1997 through 2002. He served on the committees for Revenue and Taxation, Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Standing and Administrative Rules Review and was the chairman of the Public Utilities and Technology Standing Committee. He was also the Regional Whip for the Majority Party.
While in the Utah House of Representatives, Swallow was named the Taxpayer Advocate of the Year by the Utah Taxpayers Association for sponsoring and passing legislation giving Utah one of the largest tax cuts in state history. He sponsored a bill to expand Drug Courts statewide and was honored by the Utah Association of Chiefs of Police for creating a task force to help local police departments develop crime reduction plans. Swallow was also recognized by the Utah Association of Realtors, National Federation of Independent Business and the Utah Food Industry Association and other industry groups for his service on behalf of the business community.
In 2002 and 2004, Swallow was the Republican Party nominee for Utah’s Congressional District but narrowly lost to Congressman Jim Matheson in both races. He is fluent in Spanish and helps coach youth sport teams. Swallow is married to Suzanne M. Seader and they are the parents of five children.