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Seven new search warrants in the investigation of former Utah Attorneys General John Swallow and Mark Shurtleff allege their well-connected campaign consultant filed bogus tax documents to hide the activities of a shadowy political organization.

The warrants, unsealed Thursday, demand records from Internet providers, cellphone companies and a consulting firm that provided services to Swallow’s and Shurtleff’s campaigns.

Information in the affidavits supporting the warrants add new details to evidence of impropriety already generated by multiple probes, which ultimately drove Swallow from office last month.

Investigators cite information from a confidential source who worked for Swallow’s campaign consultant, Jason Powers, and Powers’ company, Guidant Strategies.

The source revealed how Powers set up a nonprofit group, the Proper Role of Government Education Association (PRGEA), which does not require donors to be reported. That allowed Powers and Swallow to conceal contributions, mainly from payday lenders, that might be politically damaging.

Later, the source said, Powers and the source fabricated tax documents to hide how much the organization had raised and spent. The actual figures would have shown the organization had violated Internal Revenue Service rules about how much such nonprofits can legally pump into political activities.

Powers used money given to PRGEA entities to fund attack ads against Swallow’s Republican rival, Sean Reyes, who lost in last year’s GOP primary but was sworn in as attorney general Monday.

Ads also targeted then-Rep. Brad Daw, who fell short in his GOP primary as well. The Orem lawmaker had sponsored legislation opposed by payday lenders. Utah House investigators reported recently that PRGEA amassed more than $450,000, most of it from payday lenders. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57343544-78/swallow-attorney-campaig
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