Morning must reads for Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 228th day of the year. There are 137 days remaining in 2017.
John Curtis appears to have won the GOP primary in Utah's 3rd CD. Utah election officials tell Julie Dole to remove some social media posts. Donald Trump defends white supremacists and neo-Nazis during a press conference.
The clock:
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83 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)
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159 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
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204 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
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447 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
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1,175 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
Today's political TL; DR -
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It certainly looks like Provo Mayor John Curtis has won the three-way GOP primary election in Utah's 3rd District. Curtis has a 12-point lead over Chris Herrod. There are still ballots to be counted, though and Herrod has not conceded the race. Tanner Ainge is about 15-points back [Utah Policy, Washington Post, Deseret News, Tribune].
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State elections officials have told acting Salt Lake County Recorder Julie Dole to remove some social media posts that recycle old endorsements from a race she ran six years ago. Dole has not yet complied [Utah Policy].
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Draper City Councilwoman Michelle Weeks prevailed in the runoff election for that city's mayoral race and will face incumbent Troy Walker in November. Polygamist Joe Darger was in fourth place on Tuesday night [Deseret News, Tribune].
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The first day of Operation Rio Grande to crack down on lawlessness in downtown Salt Lake City netted 87 arrests. Officials say they plan to continue the enhanced police presence over the long term [Deseret News, Tribune].
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The focus on the Rio Grande area has unexpectedly disrupted a substance abuse treatment program for current inmates in Salt Lake County. Officials are scrambling to resume that program [Tribune].
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Rosie Rivera was sworn in as Salt Lake County's first female sheriff on Tuesday [Tribune].
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The LDS Church issues a statement explicitly condemning white supremacist views, saying they are "morally wrong and sinful" [Deseret News].
National headlines:
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President Donald Trump caused jaws to drop and ignited a backlash when, during a Trump Tower press conference, he offered a defense of white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups who were responsible for a domestic terrorist attack in Virgina over the weekend that left dozens injured and one woman dead [New York Times, Washington Post, Politico].
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TV hosts were stunned and reacted with disgust immediately following the president's remarks on Tuesday [New York Times].
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During his news conference, Trump tried to blame the "alt-left" for being equally as disruptive and violent as the "alt-right." However, experts say the "alt-left" isn't really a thing and is just a morally-equivalent boogeyman created by supporters of extreme right-wing groups [USA Today].
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Evangelical favorite Roy Moore and Luther Strange, who is backed by President Donald Trump, have advanced to the final election for U.S. Senate in Alabama to replace Jeff Sessions [Politico].
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If President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to end certain subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, premiums would skyrocket by 20% and the federal deficit would jump by $194 billion according to the Congressional Budget Office [New York Times].
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The first major overhaul of the NAFTA agreement in 23 years begins on Wednesday [Bloomberg].
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A federal court invalidated two congressional districts in Texas on Tuesday saying the maps discriminate against minorities [Texas Tribune].
On this day in history:
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1812 - During the war of 1812, American General William Hull surrenders Fort Detroit without a fight to the British Army.
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1858 - President James Buchannan inaugurates the new transatlantic telegraph cable by exchanging greetings with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
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1966 - The House Un-American Activities Committee begins investigations of Americans who have aided the Viet Cong. Anti-war demonstrators disrupt the meeting and 50 people are arrested.
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1977 - Singer Elvis Presley died at Graceland Mansion in Memphis. He was 42.
Today At Utah Policy
Curtis apparently wins GOP primary election
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
It will take a few days to get the complete results in Tuesday's close GOP 3rd U.S. House District primary race, but Provo Mayor John Curtis has apparently won the GOP nomination in Utah's 3rd CD....
Elections Office tells Dole to remove recycled endorsements from Facebook; Dole hasn't indicated whether she'll comply
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The Utah Elections Office has asked acting Salt Lake County Recorder Julie Dole to remove a series of old endorsements she's recycling on Facebook, but so far she hasn't complied....
Policy News
Hatch, Blumenthal support consumer choice in the contact lens market
Senators Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., sent a letter to the Acting Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, Honorable Maureen Ohlhausen, urging the proposed amendments to Contact Lens Rule be finalized to spur competition and consumer choice in the m...
Hatch statement on U.S.-China trade policy
Following President Trump's executive order regarding Chinese policies leading to forced technology transfer and trade secret theft, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) issued the following statement:...
In wake of Charlottesville violence, Hatch calls for unity and civility
Senator Orrin Hatch, the longest serving Republican in the United States Senate, issued a statement on the weekend's violence in Charlottesville, and what it means to the United States as a nation....
Local Headlines
Salt Lake Tribune
Editorial: The joint effort to clean up the Rio Grande area is something to be proud of
Salt Lake County swears in Rosie Rivera - its first female sheriff
'Operation Rio Grande' has disrupted a drug treatment program for Salt Lake County inmates
On Day Two of Operation Rio Grande, leaders reiterate that they're in it for the long haul
Provo Mayor John Curtis declares victory in Republican primary for Chaffetz's seat
Rogers and Mendenhall coast in Salt Lake City primaries; four emerge in two open council races
Councilwoman outpaces field in race for Herriman mayor; polygamist a distant fourth
Transgender Midvale mayor candidate likely headed for general election; all Salt Lake County mayors appear to survive runoff
Gehrke: Why we can all celebrate John Curtis' win in the 3rd District Republican primary
Deseret News
Op-ed: How to create an equitable education for both white and minority students
Should you retire to Salt Lake City? Probably.
Election officials tell Julie Dole to remove social media posts
Curtis declared winner, but Herrod not ready to concede
Operation Rio Grande makes 87 arrests on first day
Utah County ballot blunder causes confusion at polls
Rivera sworn in as new Salt Lake County sheriff
Pledge to cut crime, but few details, in open meeting on Rio Grande
Draper councilwoman advances to general election as mayoral favorite
Other
3rd Congressional District race unofficially called for Provo Mayor John Curtis (Daily Herald)
Candidates across Utah County cities narrow headed into 2017's general election (Daily Herald)
Op-ed: What the parable of the river can teach us about SLC's Rio Grande crisis (Standard-Examiner)
Davis County primary winners 2017: Field narrows in 7 municipalities (Standard-Examiner)
Weber County primary winners 2017: Ogden City Council incumbents survive (Standard-Examiner)
Gov. Herbert hears from new teachers at Bridger Elementary (Logan Herald Journal)
Williams, Beerman advance in Park City mayoral primary election (Park Record)
National Headlines
The Left Tries To Politicize Charlottesville, And Exposes Its Own Double Standards (Investor's Business Daily)
Trump Campaign Officials Rebuffed Volunteer's Attempts To Broker Meeting With Russian Government (Daily Caller)
In direct challenge to Trump, Iran's president says it could restart its nuclear program 'within hours' (Los Angeles Times)
LA County leaders greenlight effort to pay homeowners to house the homeless (Los Angeles Daily News)
Trump defiant on Charlottesville unrest: 'Blame on both sides' (AFP)
About 1 in 4 Americans would follow Trump to the end -- about the same share that totally rejects him (Los Angeles Times)
Sen. Luther Strange will face jurist Roy Moore in Alabama's Republican Senate runoff (Washington Post)
Tillerson raps some US allies for religious freedom violations, slams IS (Reuters)
Organizer may cancel Google rallies due to fears of violence (Washington Post)
These slides from Google's diversity training program may help explain why fired engineer felt silenced (CNBC)
Settlement reached in federal case of Modesto-area farmer fined $2.8 million for plowing his field (Sacramento Bee)
Corroboration
"No one wants advice - only corroboration." John Steinbeck
Twitter Bio
"A spokesperson for North Korea called president Trump a senile man who can't think rationally. But it turns out they just stole that from Trump's Twitter bio." Jimmy Fallon
