Grand jury sought in case that includes alleged attempt to bribe US Sen. Harry Reid

A county prosecutor in Utah wants a grand jury to probe a complex case that includes allegations of an attempt to bribe U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported this week that Utah’s Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings wants a grand jury this summer to examine evidence and consider whether charges are necessary.

The case grew out of an investigation into former Utah Attorneys General Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow. The case’s scope includes allegations from Jeremy Johnson of St. George are that Swallow started an effort in 2010 to bribe Reid in a bid to stop a federal investigation of Johnson’s online marketing company, the Utah newspaper reported.

Shurtleff and Swallow have both pleaded not guilty to charges related to their time in office in a Utah case. The FBI had first investigated the pair, and federal prosecutors eventually opted against charging them. But Utah prosecutors opted to take up the case.

Johnson has a July 29 sentencing scheduled in federal court in an unrelated criminal case for providing false information to a bank in connection with the operation of his business, I Works, Inc.

“The full scope of allegations, including all potential players, has never been adequately addressed, if even at all, in the context of the Utah Criminal Code,” Rawlings said in an email.

Reid’s office didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Reid hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing in any court proceeding. Rawlings said in an email that even if a grand jury convenes, it may not determine there’s enough evidence for any indictments. A five-judge panel would first need to agree to a grand jury before one happens.

“Everyone is presumed innocent and may in fact be innocent,” Rawlings said. “If a state grand jury is ever impaneled, it may result in no one being indicted.”

Connections that are being examined include possible ties between Johnson, Swallow and Shurtleff. In late 2012, Shurtleff, then the Utah attorney general, reportedly visited with federal prosecutors after hearing the allegations about Swallow, who was his chief deputy at the time, involved in a possible bribe attempt.

In Utah, there are lingering questions about why the FBI didn’t pursue the case.

After investigating Shurtleff and Swallow, the Utah feds pressed criminal charges only against Johnson.

Earlier in Reid’s storied political career, an attempt to bribe him has become legendary.

When Reid was chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1978, Jack Gordon tried to bribe Reid with $12,000 to get approval for a new gaming device.

As the story goes, Reid contacted the FBI, and they set up a sting. As agents closed in on Gordon after the two talked. Reid tried to choke Gordon, and agents pulled the future senator off their suspect, who went to prison.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2904. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.