SALT LAKE CITY -- A House Special Investigative Committee resumed its investigation Friday into former Attorney General John Swallow.
Tuesday's hearing is focused on money Swallow received during his bid for the office of Attorney General.
Special Counsel Steve Ross testified that Swallow cultivated relationships with people in the payday lending and online marketing businesses and used his relationships with businessmen for his personal benefit.
Investigator James Mintz said Kip Cashmore, the owner of a payday lending business, received an email message from Swallow in 2011 that outlined his plan to fight for the payday industry.
"As AG I will be in a position to help other state AGs understand the importance of the cash advance industry," the email message said.
The message ends with this request from Swallow: "Please do not forward this email."
Mintz also said Swallow received free office space and hidden contributions from Richard Rawle, another payday loan business owner, and that the campaign raised $450,000 "below the table" and spent it in ways the public has never known.
"They didn't want Swallow's longstanding ties to the payday industry to become a big issue in the campaign," Mintz said. "They thought if the public knew he was raising significant money from the paydays industry it would be a problem."
Watch FOX 13 News and fox13now.com for continuing coverage of this investigation.
