SALT LAKE CITY — As authorities investigate accusations leveled between Salt Lake County’s mayor and a state lawmaker, a liberal think tank who leveled complaints against former Utah Attorney General John Swallow said it believes the current process is transparent.
“The good news in this one is that it’s being aired publicly,” Josh Kanter, the board president of Alliance for a Better Utah, said in an interview with FOX 13 on Friday.
Rep. Justin Miller, D-Salt Lake City,is facing accusations that he stole more than $30,000 from the campaign funds of Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. Miller, who was McAdams’ campaign manager and associate deputy mayor prior to being elected to the Utah State Legislature, has claimed he was fired from the jobs for blowing the whistle on corruption in the mayor’s office. He has accused the Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office of entering into questionable contracts with a public affairs firm that also had some ties to McAdams’ campaign.
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office said it investigated Miller’s complaints and found them without any merit;the Davis County Attorney is conducting its own investigation into the theft accusations against Miller.
Reacting to conservative critics who noted that Alliance for a Better Utah was very vocal when Swallow faced accusations, Kanter said this time the accusations involving the two Democrats have been well publicized in newspapers and TV. Alliance for a Better Utah said it has no plans to file any complaints against McAdams or Miller.
“In the Swallow matter, the problem was early on it looked like it was going to get brushed under the rug. That was our concern and that’s why we filed our complaint,” Kanter said.
Any calls for resignations “depend on the outcome of both the investigation and what other things come to light about who knew what, when,” Kanter told FOX 13.
