Senate leader Reid denies involvement in Utah businessman scheme

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Frazzled**

Fun fact, in the movie casino, the Congressman that they are bribing in the first part of the movie who later disowns them is Reid, many years ago.

http://news.yahoo.com/reid-denies-involvement-utah-businessman-scheme-200715838--election.html

Reid denies involvement in Utah businessman scheme
By MICHELLE L. PRICE | Associated Press – 13 hrs agoEmail 0Share Tweet0Share0PrintRelated Contentprevnext View PhotoFILE -This undated file photo provided …
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office said Monday he was never involved in a deal to have a Utah businessman pay the senator to make a federal investigation disappear.

St. George businessman Jeremy Johnson, who's accused of running a $350 million software scheme, said a top official in the Utah attorney general's office orchestrated an agreement in 2010 to pay $600,000 to someone connected to Reid.

Johnson told The Salt Lake Tribune over the weekend that he believed Reid would intervene in the Federal Trade Commission's investigation into his business.

A spokeswoman for Reid's office, Kristen Orthman, said Monday that the Nevada Democrat "had no knowledge or involvement" in Johnson's case and said the allegations "are nothing more than innuendo and simply not true."

Federal prosecutors allege that Johnson's company sent software to consumers for a supposedly risk-free trial but billed them anyway.

Johnson was arrested at a Phoenix airport in 2011, carrying more than $26,000 in cash and a one-way plane ticket to Costa Rica.

Prosecutors initially charged him with one count of mail fraud. He was set to enter a guilty plea Friday to two additional charges of bank fraud and money laundering as part of an agreement with the government.

But that deal fell apart after Johnson and prosecutors disagreed over the terms. Johnson instead decided to maintain his not guilty plea and the case is set to go to trial.

On Saturday, the Tribune reported that Johnson provided the newspaper with emails, financial statements, photos and a transcript of a recorded meeting with John Swallow, then the state's chief deputy attorney general.

Only one email from Johnson was available on the newspaper's website.

Swallow was elected as Utah Attorney General in November and was sworn into office last week. He has strongly denied the allegations and maintains he only offered to connect Johnson with a lobbying firm.

After the FTC filed a lawsuit against Johnson and nine business associates in December 2010, Johnson said he asked Swallow to return part of the $250,000 he had paid. Johnson said he doesn't know if anyone connected to Reid received it.

Swallow, a Republican, said he told Johnson he would not interfere with the FTC investigation or advocate for Johnson to the U.S. attorney.

"Any suggestion by Mr. Johnson that I have been involved in illegal or inappropriate activity regarding his FTC case or any other matter is false and defamatory," he said.

Swallow said he connected Johnson to someone who could hire lobbyists but did not participate in any agreement or receive any payment. He said Johnson is trying to divert attention from his own problems.

Utah Democrats have called for an independent investigation to look into the allegations against Swallow.

Swallow's office declined to answer questions Monday and said they would be issuing a statement. Messages left with Reid's office for further comment on Monday weren't immediately returned.

Late Monday afternoon, Swallow's office released a letter asking the U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City to investigate Johnson's claims.

Swallow said he's confident an investigation will clear his name.

"These lies he's told have been fabricated for some end I cannot imagine. That's what I hope this investigation will show. I'm looking forward to clear my name and show people that this didn't happen," Swallow told The Associated Press Monday evening.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Salt Lake City has declined comment on whether there is an investigation into the alleged deal.

Before his arrest, Johnson donated generously to charities and to the political campaigns of former Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. He gave $2,400 to Reid's re-election campaign in July 2010, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Johnson also used his personal helicopters to aid search and rescue efforts in southern Utah and made international headlines in January 2010 when he purchased a plane to fly doctors and other critical supplies to Haiti following a devastating earthquake.

Johnson, 37, could face decades in prison if he's convicted. He is currently free on a $2.8 million bond.

Prosecutors on Friday said they plan to file a new indictment in the case within a month, but wouldn't comment on whether other people besides Johnson would be charged.

A spokeswoman for Johnson's attorneys released a statement Monday afternoon saying Swallow's claims that he was uninvolved and had no knowledge of the agreement are false.

"Johnson stands by his comments, as told to the Salt Lake Tribune, and continues to believe that his understanding of the agreement to be accurate," the statement said.

___

Associated Press writer Brady McCombs contributed to this report

**Breotan**

Harry Reid was involved in a land scheme in Nevada awhile back, too.

**whembly**

Uh... so politicians are known for shady dealings... no?

He's a known quantity and folks still elect him... so, obviously he's doing something right.

**Frazzled**

whembly wrote:
Uh... so politicians are known for shady dealings... no?

He's a known quantity and folks still elect him... so, obviously he's doing something right.

Getting elected yes. Actually performing his duties as President Pro Tem, no.

**whembly**

Frazzled wrote:
whembly wrote:
Uh... so politicians are known for shady dealings... no?

He's a known quantity and folks still elect him... so, obviously he's doing something right.

Getting elected yes. Actually performing his duties as President Pro Tem, no.

It's a strategy that he elected to obstruct the House Republicans... and BLAME them for it. He's getting a way with that... right?

**Frazzled**

yep.

**whembly**

Frazzled wrote:
yep.

Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

**Frazzled**

whembly wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
yep.

Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

Nope. There's nothing shrwed about not permitting any bills come to the floor.

**whembly**

Frazzled wrote:
whembly wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
yep.

Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

Nope. There's nothing shrwed about not permitting any bills come to the floor.

But.. he's largely escaping the criticism and blaming house republicans... THAT'S the shrewd part.

**Frazzled**

whembly wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
whembly wrote:
Frazzled wrote:
yep.

Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

Nope. There's nothing shrwed about not permitting any bills come to the floor.

But.. he's largely escaping the criticism and blaming house republicans... THAT'S the shrewd part.

Touche young man touche.

**Ouze**

I heard the first thing Harry Reid does when he gets out of bed every morning is sends Sharron Angle flowers.

**whembly**

Ouze wrote:
I heard the first thing Harry Reid does when he gets out of bed every morning is sends Sharron Angle flowers.

I thought that was Michelle Bachman?

**Ouze**

No, Michele Bachmann is from Minnesota.

**dogma**

Frazzled wrote:

Getting elected yes. Actually performing his duties as President Pro Tem, no.

Harry Reid isn't the President pro tempore, he's the Senate Majority leader. The President pro tempore as of December 17, 2012 is Patrick Leahy, prior to that it was Daniel Inouye.

**KalashnikovMarine**

Just remember, they're honest and care about your needs

**Ouze**

KalashnikovMarine wrote:

Just remember, they're honest and care about your needs

I don't think that thing is true.

**Relapse**

I'm not a Reid fan, but the guy that is telling the story about him is a common type around here and is most likely lying through his teeth or severly distorting facts.

**whembly**

Ouze wrote:
No, Michele Bachmann is from Minnesota.

Oops... I get it now... sorry.

**sebster**

whembly wrote:
Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

You reckon? To me, Reid's rise to Senate Majority Leader is one of the great mysteries of modern politics.

I don't know if there's anything to the story above, there isn't much to the story Fraz posted by he's a Nevada politician so it'd be genuinely shocking if he wasn't corrupt. But Reid's media performances are consistently dreadful, and his positioning and sale of various pieces of legislation has been just woeful throughout his tenure.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ouze wrote:
I heard the first thing Harry Reid does when he gets out of bed every morning is sends Sharron Angle flowers.

Hah!

**KalashnikovMarine**

sebster wrote:
whembly wrote:
Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

You reckon? To me, Reid's rise to Senate Majority Leader is one of the great mysteries of modern politics.

I don't know if there's anything to the story above, there isn't much to the story Fraz posted by he's a politician so it'd be genuinely shocking if he wasn't corrupt. But Reid's media performances are consistently dreadful, and his positioning and sale of various pieces of legislation has been just woeful throughout his tenure.

Fixed that for ya Sebs

**whembly**

sebster wrote:
whembly wrote:
Say what you will about Reid... but he's a shrewd politician.

You reckon? To me, Reid's rise to Senate Majority Leader is one of the great mysteries of modern politics.

I don't know if there's anything to the story above, there isn't much to the story Fraz posted by he's a Nevada politician so it'd be genuinely shocking if he wasn't corrupt. But Reid's media performances are consistently dreadful, and his positioning and sale of various pieces of legislation has been just woeful throughout his tenure.

Absolutely... no arguments from me.

Yeah, the media helps him... but, not THAT much. So, he's gotta be doing something right (staying where he's at).

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Ouze wrote:
I heard the first thing Harry Reid does when he gets out of bed every morning is sends Sharron Angle flowers.

Hah!

Yeup... I missed that reference earlier.

**sebster**

whembly wrote:
Absolutely... no arguments from me.

Yeah, the media helps him... but, not THAT much. So, he's gotta be doing something right (staying where he's at).

He might be like, say, Lyndon Johnson, and be a lot more impressive behind closed doors.

And you're not baiting me with that media shot... not this time

**whembly**

sebster wrote:
whembly wrote:
Absolutely... no arguments from me.

Yeah, the media helps him... but, not THAT much. So, he's gotta be doing something right (staying where he's at).

He might be like, say, Lyndon Johnson, and be a lot more impressive behind closed doors.

And you're not baiting me with that media shot... not this time

So you think it's "all him"? o.O

<this is whembly trying to set a trap>

So... why hasn't there been much attention to the fact that Reid won't floor any house budget plans for debates? Riddle me that one batman!

**Easy E**

This seems pretty flimsy.

At best, this story needed some more actual investigation before print date. Now, this looks like something from TMZ or OK magazine.

**sebster**

whembly wrote:
So... why hasn't there been much attention to the fact that Reid won't floor any house budget plans for debates? Riddle me that one batman!

Because they're all Republican wishlist bs.

**Mannahnin**

On the subject of Reid, he did get some stuff done on January 1st...

“Harry Reid, who every day does much more than most people in the news media realize, and definitely accomplishes much more than the news media ever reports, pushed through pages and pages of nominations for President Obama yesterday when everyone was focused on what the House would do on the fiscal cliff vote. And Harry Reid did that with the active but invisible help of Mitch McConnell who did his part to make sure that no Republicans would vote against any of those nominations. And what did the United States Senate do today, that dysfunctional United States Senate? According to the news media, absolutely nothing.”