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Investigators recover data deleted during probes into former AG John Swallow

Posted at 9:16 PM, Feb 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-12 23:16:10-05

SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow told investigators a computer hard drive had crashed and the data on it was beyond retrieval, but investigators have now recovered that data.

Investigators hired by the state were able to recover a large portion of the deleted data, which Swallow allegedly destroyed as numerous investigations surrounding him were taking place.

Rep. Jim Dunnigan, R- District 39, said the new data is consistent with their earlier findings.

“The emails we have seen from that corroborate other chains of emails that have gone back and forth between people that, so far, tend to corroborate the information we presented in December,” he said.

During Wednesday’s hearing, lawmakers discussed a bill to make tampering with evidence or destroying data a felony if the individual is trying to block a legislative probe.

FOX 13 News' Gene Kennedy has more on this story in the video above.