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Pinoy Abroad

Fil-Am lawyer becomes first Asian-American attorney general in Utah


The governor of Utah, Gary Herbert, has appointed the first Asian-American to hold a statewide post in Utah—and he's a Filipino!

Filipino-American lawyer Sean Reyes was appointed attorney general in December 2013, replacing John Swallow, who resigned amid reports on alleged improprieties he committed while in office.

According to a statement by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), Reyes ran against Swallow for the attorney general position in 2012, but lost in the primary election.

After Swallow resigned, Reyes was among the top three candidates for the position by December 14, 2013. Herbert appointed him weeks later.

“Sean is one of the most recognized lawyers in Utah and the country. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table that will help reestablish the public’s trust in the Attorney General’s Office,” said Herbert in a statement on the Attorney General's official website.

Herbert further said Reyes “has the right background and, most importantly, he has the right demeanor to take on what I consider a new beginning for the attorney general’s office.”

In a separate statement, NaFFAA described Reyes as “the son of immigrants with Filipino and Spanish roots.” He received his law degree from UC Berkeley in 1997, and served as a small claims judge and general counsel to a media and technology company prior to taking over as Attorney General.

Reyes was also described as a solid Republican with a wife and six kids.

Reyes' term will last until the supposed end of Swallow's term in November 2014. — Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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