Pat Swindall
| Pat Swindall | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 4th district |
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In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1989 |
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| Preceded by | Elliott H. Levitas |
| Succeeded by | Ben L. Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
October 18, 1950 Gadsden, Alabama |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Kimberly Swindall |
| Alma mater |
University of Georgia (B.A.) University of Georgia School of Law (J.D) |
| Profession | Attorney |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
Patrick Lynn Swindall (born October 18, 1950) is an American former politician, attorney, and businessman who served as a Republican member of the US House of Representatives from Georgia's 4th congressional district, based in Atlanta's eastern suburbs, from 1985 to 1989.
Born in Gadsden, Alabama, Swindall earned a B.A. from the University of Georgia in 1972 and obtained his J.D. from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1975. He practiced law in Atlanta from 1975 until his election to Congress.
In 1984, with Robb Austin as his campaign manager, Swindall defeated five term Democratic congressman Elliott H. Levitas by six percentage points, an upset election considering Levitas was elected with relative ease since his first election in 1974. He won by a similar margin against actor Ben L. Jones in 1986. However, Swindall lost in a rematch with Jones in 1988 by a lopsided 20 point margin, mostly due to Swindall indictment on perjury charges.
In October 1988, Swindall was indicted on ten counts of perjury related to a money laundering scheme. In recorded dealings with an undercover IRS agent posing as a representative of the Colombian drug cartel, Swindall was told that the $850,000 loan he was seeking to finish building his luxury home included illegal drug money and that he would be part of an operation to "wash" cash. Swindall proposed that an associate set up a mortgage company to funnel the money through.
During an ensuing investigation into the illegal drug trade, Swindall lied to a federal grand jury about his knowledge that the funds were from a drug trafficking operation, which was refuted by the undercover tapes. While one of the perjury charges was dismissed by District Judge Richard C. Freeman, the jury convicted Swindall on nine counts and sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of $30,450.
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