Documents recently provided to The Madison Report show a discrepancy between Madison County Attorney Stephen Swanson’s 2024 application for appointment as County Attorney and Texas court records related to a prior misdemeanor conviction.
According to Arlington, Texas Police Department records, in December 2020, Swanson—who was living in Ankeny, Iowa at the time—was arrested following an altercation at Texas Live!, an entertainment and dining complex in Arlington, Texas. Texas Live! is located next to AT&T Stadium, where Iowa State University played in the Big 12 Championship earlier that day.
Shortly before 8:00 p.m. on December 19, 2020, officers responded to a disturbance and charged Swanson with Assault Causing Bodily Injury and Public Intoxication. According to the police report, at issue was Swanson allegedly pushing a man off his chair and punching him in the face inside the bar. After security removed Swanson from the bar, Swanson approached and behaved aggressively toward another man who was waiting in line outside the bar. It was at this point that officers intervened. The report provides a detailed narrative from the arresting officer including statements he obtained from the victim and a security guard.
Swanson was arrested, booked into the Arlington City Jail, and released the next day on a $500 bond with a no‑contact condition regarding the alleged victim.
Court records show that on August 12, 2021, Swanson pleaded guilty in absentia to Disorderly Conduct, a Class C misdemeanor, receiving six months of deferred adjudication and paying costs and fees. In October 2024, when he applied for appointment as Madison County Attorney, Swanson answered “No” to the question: “Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony? (For purposes of this question, ‘convicted’ includes found guilty, plead guilty, plead no contest, or been given a deferred sentence or judgment.)” Swanson’s answer to that question is inconsistent with the Texas court record showing his 2021 guilty plea and deferred adjudication. Swanson’s job application can be viewed here. See pp 6–7.
Earlier this week, The Madison Report was sent a copy of a complaint submitted by a private citizen to the Iowa Supreme Court Disciplinary Board regarding County Attorney Stephen Swanson’s job application and the accuracy of the information provided. That citizen requested to remain anonymous to protect his/her identity.
County Attorney Swanson has been a frequent and vocal participant in Madison County Board of Supervisors meetings over the past year. The Madison Report compiled highlights from these discussions, which include exchanges that grew heated at times. Discussions include:
Auditor vacancy debates (July 22, 2025), the hire of outside legal counsel by the Board of Supervisors (August 5, 2025), refusal by Swanson to allow the Board to meet with their legal counsel without him or the Auditor present (October 27, 2025), and a request by a Supervisor to the Sheriff to remove Swanson from a Board of Supervisors meeting (October 28, 2025).
The video, with timestamps for reference, can be viewed on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/I3g9lyKPP5s
