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Bribery case kicks off vs. Utah attorneys general

By WTOP Staff

MICHELLE L. PRICE
Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Two former Utah attorneys general made their first appearance as criminal defendants Wednesday, vowing to beat a slew of bribery charges and other counts.

Between the two, Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow spent nearly 13 years running Utah’s top law enforcement office.

Both wore suits and ties as they sat a few feet apart on a bench inside a Salt Lake City courtroom Wednesday. They then stood together in front of a judge for less than five minutes as a judge ran through a few formalities with their attorneys and scheduled another hearing on Aug. 18

Shurtleff and Swallow have not yet entered pleas but told about 30 swarming reporters Wednesday that they want to prove their innocence.

“Facts will show that I’m innocent of all the things they’ve said I’ve done, and that’s all I have to say,” Swallow said afterward.

Shurtleff dismissed the possibility of accepting a plea deal.

“There’s no plea_what would I plead to? There’s nothing to plead to,” he said. “When I say these are frivolous, false charges, I absolutely mean it.”

Two hours before his court appearance, Shurtleff posed for a selfie with his 17-year-old daughter, who was holding up a piece of paper that read “#justice.” His daughter, Annie Shurtleff, tweeted the image along with the message “We are ready.”

Legal experts say the case could take years to resolve as lawyers navigate a scandal involving nearly two dozen charges, hundreds of thousands of pages of evidence and some dubious witnesses.

Both men face numerous charges of bribery, obstruction of justice and other counts that prosecutors say stem in part from cozy relationships with businessmen who offered gold coins, luxury vacations and use of a private jet.

They each face a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Shurtleff, 56, arrived at the courthouse with his wife and daughter. He was on crutches and wore a medical boot on one foot, recovering from a recent surgery.

Swallow, 51, was flanked by his attorneys and left quickly afterward.

Legal experts said that because allegations against the Republican politicians have been playing out on front pages and evening newscasts for about a year and a half, it could be difficult to find an impartial jury in Utah.

“If you missed the news on this one, you’re either in another state or you’re not somebody anybody would like to have as a juror,” said Kent Morgan, a criminal defense attorney and former Salt Lake County prosecutor.

Prosecutors have collected more than 200,000 pages of evidence, along with audio and visual recordings.

Shima Baradaran, a criminal law professor at the University of Utah, said the case could drag on but she doubts a judge will allow it to be delayed for years.

“I think the stakes are too high,” Baradaran said. “The issues are so important to the public. Everyone’s watching this case.”

The allegations against the men marinated for a year and a half as new accusations and various federal, state and local investigations were launched.

The scandal came to a head July 15, when Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill announced the charges and arrests. Swallow and Shurtleff left jail without posting bail hours after being booked.

Swallow, Shurtleff’s hand-picked successor, resigned in late 2013 after spending almost a year as attorney general fending off mounting accusations and investigations into his conduct.

Prosecutors said the men used a luxury jet, houseboat and homes belonging to one businessman in trouble with regulators and took luxury California vacations paid for by another.

Gill said both men accepted at least $50,000 in cash or campaign contributions from people facing or expecting to face scrutiny by the attorney general’s office. Swallow also accepted a dozen gold coins from a former employer as a gift and then sold them back to the employer for more than they were worth, investigators said.

Both are accused of covering up their activities.

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Associated Press writer Annie Knox in Salt Lake City contributed to this report.

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Follow Michelle L. Price at https://twitter.com/michellelprice

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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