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Friday, March 29, 2024

A total of nine file to replace Swallow

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SALT LAKE CITY (Legal Newsline) -- Three more Republicans have submitted their names to fill the office left behind by Utah Attorney General John Swallow.

Swallow, a Republican, resigned effective last week. The attorney general had been fighting allegations of ethics and election law violations since he took office earlier this year.

According to the Utah Republican Party, as of Monday morning a total of nine individuals have filed to fill the vacancy created by Swallow's resignation, including the man overseeing the office in the meantime.

Last week, Bret Rawson, Sean Reyes, Brent Ward, Michael J. Wilkins, Scott Burns and Michelle Mumford all declared themselves candidates.

Three more submitted their names: Brian Tarbet, Robert Smith and Stephen Sorenson.

Last month, Gov. Gary Herbert named Tarbet, a retired adjutant general with the Utah National Guard and one of the governor's cabinet members, to temporarily oversee the office until Swallow's replacement is chosen.

Smith is the managing director of Brigham Young University's International Center for Law and Religion Studies. He also worked at the largest law firm in the state, Kirton McConkie PC.

Sorenson, at one point, worked in the Attorney General's Office.

The deadline to register was Friday.

Last month, Herbert called on the Republican State Central Committee to convene "as soon as is practical" and send him three names to consider for appointment.

Herbert will pick one of the three candidates to fill the office until a special election can be held - most likely, next November.

State Democrats have said they may challenge the process because they want a full election to be held sooner.

From Legal Newsline: Reach Jessica Karmasek by email at jessica@legalnewsline.com.

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