Morning must reads for Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 46th day of the year. There are 319 days remaining in 2017.

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox says Republicans need to do a better job talking about the value of public lands. Rep. Jason Chaffetz says he has no plans to investigate Michael Flynn's ties to Russia. Outdoor companies ratchet up the pressure on state leaders over support for public lands. 

The clock:

• 13 days until President Trump is scheduled to addresses a joint session of Congress (2/28/2017)
• 22 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature (3/9/2017)
• 265 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)
• 630 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1357 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Here are the stories making news in politics this morning:

• Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox says Republicans have "done a terrible job" talking about public lands issues [Utah Policy]. Here's the video of our conversation with Cox.
   
• Rep. Jason Chaffetz says he has no plans to investigate Michael Flynn, who resigned as the National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump over his ties to Russia [Utah Policy, Tribune, Deseret News].
   
• Lawmakers are closing in on a plan to provide more funding for homeless programs, but there are still a few roadblocks to overcome [Utah Policy].
   
• Lawmakers change, then advance a bill which seeks to end programs which limit where former felons can live [Utah Policy, Tribune].
   
• A group of 30 outdoor recreation companies send a letter to Gov. Gary Herbert demanding that state leaders stand up for public lands, or they will call for the Outdoor Retailers Show to leave the state [Utah Policy, Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Phone records and intercepted calls show members of Donald Trump's presidential campaign had repeated contacts with Russian intelligence officers in the year before the 2016 election [New York Times].
   
• Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn was questioned by FBI agents over his contacts with Russian officials in January. President Trump was informed about the inquiry in late January [Wall Street Journal].
   
• Senate President Wayne Niederhauser suggests restoring the state portion of the sales tax on food could be a solution to finding more money for public schools [Deseret News].
   
• Doubts are growing that Republicans in Congress will be able to repeal ObamaCare [Politico].
   
• The Office of Government Ethics sends a letter to the White House recommending disciplinary action against Kellyanne Conway after she endorsed Ivanka Trump's fashion line in a television interview [Wall Street Journal].
   
• Rep. Jason Chaffetz says he wants information about why President Donald Trump reviewed classified documents about a North Korean missile test in a public dining room at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida [Politico].
   
• Utah lawmakers will consider legislation creating a process for removing elected officials from office due to diminished mental capacity [Deseret News].

On this day in history:

• 1820 - American suffragist Susan B. Anthony was born in Adams, Mass.
• 1898 - The U.S. battleship Maine blew up in Havana Harbor, killing more than 260 crew members and bringing the U.S. closer to war with Spain over the issue of Cuban independence.
• 2002 - Canadian pairs figure skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were awarded a gold medal to resolve a judging controversy at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Today At Utah Policy

Compromise on homeless funding issue slowly coming together
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
There are only three weeks left in the 2017 Legislature, and House Speaker Greg Hughes is not happy where the complicated issue of the homeless among us sits....

Cox: Republicans 'have done a terrible job' talking about public lands
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The very public spat over the new Bears Ears National Monument has spiraled beyond anything anyone expected, but Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox hopes cooler heads will prevail....

'I have questions with Bryan Schott' - Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox (with video)
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox discusses the ongoing battle over public lands in Utah and the threat from organizers of the Outdoor Retailers Show to leave the state....

Hatch: Dodd-Frank is 'worse than Obamacare'
By Golden Webb
In an interview, Sen. Orrin Hatch says Barack Obama's Wall Street reform law is so bad it's even worse than the former president'shealthcare reform law. As with Obamacare, congressional Republicans are currently debating whether to scrapthe Dodd-FrankAct entirely or replace ...

Lawmakers advance bill to end most 'good landlord' programs
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Some of the more interesting debates you’ll hear in the Utah Legislature occur when basic rights bang up against political partisanship....

Leading outdoor companies to Herbert: Support public lands or Outdoor Retailers Show should leave
By Press Release
Over 30 Utah and national outdoor recreation companies - including Patagonia, REI, The North Face, KUHL, and others – are calling on Utah Governor Gary Herbert to stand up and protect Utah’s public lands, or they will “publicly and emphatically” urge ...

Podcast: Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Lt. Governor Spencer Cox speaks with UtahPolicy.com Managing Editor Bryan Schott....

Hutchings injured in automobile accident Monday night
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
State Rep. Eric Hutchings and several family members were injured in a car crash Monday night in Salt Lake City, UtahPolicy is told....

Chaffetz won't investigate Flynn
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz says he will not investigate Michael Flynn after he resigned as National Security Adviser to President Trump on Monday night....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Chaffetz asks White House about sensitive info at Mar-a-Lago, says door is open to Flynn investigation

Bill allowing concealed weapons without a permit dies on tie vote

House seeks to stop city programs that discourage renting to ex-convicts

Audit recommends Salt Lake City's Building Services improve customer service

House endorses declaring Spiral Jetty as 'state work of art'

Utah bans 'advocacy of homosexuality' in the classroom. This bill would strike that law.

Legislators honor Utah Jazz for arena project, legacy trust

Will shielding conversations between Utah victims and campus advocates help combat sex assault?

Outdoor industry execs ramp up rhetoric, send ultimatum to Utah governor

Wording on abortion yanked from Utah telemedicine bill

Tuesday's testimony focuses more on Shurtleff than the ex-Utah A.G. who's on trial

Deseret News

Op-ed: Elevate student performance by changing high school graduation requirements

Boyd Matheson: Principle matters and endings matter

Richard Davis: Choice or life: Abortion arguments are outdated

Op-ed: Our elected officials are unwilling to do what it takes to fund public schools

Editorial: Message bills can be very attractive to legislators

Testimony in John Swallow trial continues to focus on Mark Shurtleff

Chaffetz asks Trump for information about Mar-a-Lago's security protocols

Bill would criminalize harassment of livestock

Southern Utah residents speak against resolution to make Grand Staircase-Escalante smaller

Controversial abortion-drug restriction removed from telehealth bill

Committee OKs bill intended to help college victims of sexual, interpersonal violence

Bill raising minimum wage in Utah to $10.25 an hour held by committee

Newly filed bill would remove incapacitated elected officials

Restoring full sales tax on food 'still a possibility,' Senate president says

Other

Bill allowing concealed weapons to be carried without a permit dies in committee (Daily Herald)

City Council imagines Park City's future (Park Record)

Park City mayor: resorts are not the bad guys (Park Record)

School funding remains hot topic at Utah Legislature (Park Record)

Bill to end the use of gas chambers in animal shelters advances in the Utah Senate (Park Record)

National Headlines

Defiant Flynn Insists He Crossed No Lines, Leakers Must Be Prosecuted (Daily Caller)

America's spies anonymously took down Michael Flynn (The Week)

New York Times Reporter Apologizes for Calling Melania Trump a 'Hooker' (The Wrap)

Gov. Brown says federal aid has been approved (Washington Post)

Rift in GOP threatens ObamaCare repeal (The Hill)

Secret Service director to step down, giving Trump a chance to select his own security chief (Washington Post)

Top Dems fall for fake Flynn Twitter account (The Hill)

Omarosa vs. April Ryan: War of words between White House official, reporter (CNNMoney)

Yellen Rejects Trump Attacks on Dodd-Frank, Says Banks Now Safer (Bloomberg)

Republicans block Dem effort to get Trump's tax returns (Washington Post)

U.S. Mulls Fresh Tactic to Prod China on Yuan, WSJ Says (Bloomberg)

Wise Words

Take Responsibility
"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." Abraham Lincoln

Lighter Side

Great Idea
"The Baltimore airport just got a gym where you can work out while you wait for a flight. Finally combining the two things Americans love most - waiting in airports and exercise." Jimmy Fallon