Two weeks ago, The Tribune reported this comment by Utah Attorney General John Swallow in his famous April 2012 Krispy Kreme conversation with Jeremy Johnson while Swallow was the attorney general's chief deputy: "Do they know about the houseboat? … Is there any paper trail on that?" ("John Swallow may have broken law by using Johnson's houseboat," Tribune, Jan. 31).

As soon as that exchange became public knowledge, every Republican Party official should have asked Swallow to resign. Asking about a paper trail speaks volumes about his mindset. Whether or not it was legal to use said houseboat (it probably was legal) is secondary.

No ethical public official should have to worry about a paper trail of any type ­— unless he or she is leaving a restroom.

Stan Johnson

Salt Lake City