Morning must reads for Monday, June 5, 2017

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Monday, June 5, 2017

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 156th day of the year. There are 209 days remaining in 2017. Today is the 137th day of Donald Trump's presidency.

Several women allege sexual misconduct by a candidate for chair of the Utah Democratic Party. President Donald Trump defends his travel ban on Twitter. Vladimir Putin says he doesn't have compromising information on President Trump.

The clock:

• 12 days until the Utah Republican 3rd District nominating convention at Timpview High School (6/17/2017).

• 12 days until the Utah Democratic State Convention at Weber State University (6/17/2017)

• 71 days until the 2017 Utah primary election (8/15/2017)

• 155 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)

• 231 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)

• 276 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)

• 519 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)

• 1,247 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

• Our "Political Insiders" say Sen. Deidre Henderson should have the advantage among GOP delegates when they vote on June 17 to pick a nominee for the special congressional election in CD3 [Utah Policy].
   
• Several women have come forward alleging sexual misconduct on the part of Rob Miller, who is a candidate for Utah Democratic Party Chair. Miller says the allegations are political dirty tricks, coming just two weeks before the election for party chair [Utah Policy].
   
• On the latest episode of "Beg to Differ," Bryan Schott and Rep. Mike Winder ask some very tough questions of Sens. Deidre Henderson and Margaret Dayton, who are running for the soon-to-be open seat in Utah's 3rd Congressional District [Utah Policy].
   
• President Donald Trump made several official statements via Twitter on Monday morning, defending his travel ban and saying the Department of Justice should have done more to defend the controversial order [The Hill].
   
• President Trump reacted to Saturday's London Bridge terrorist attack by stoking panic and fear via Twitter, appearing to capitalize on the incident for political gain [Washington Post]. Here's what we know following the horrific attack over the weekend [BBC].
   
• Must-see TV! Former FBI Director James Comey will testify before a Senate panel on Thursday of this week [The Hill]. Here's everything we know, and what we don't know, about the investigation into Russia's involvement in the 2016 election [Axios].
   
• Senate Republicans are worried the fight over raising the debt ceiling in September will lead to a "train wreck" when Congress returns to work following the summer recess [Politico].
   
• Russian President Vladimir Putin denied having any compromising information on President Donald Trump during an interview with NBC's Megyn Kelly [Politico].
   
• Republicans have been in total control of Washington for almost 6 months and have still not accomplished a major legislative achievement. Time is running out for them to get something significant done [Associated Press]. In fact, Republicans and President Donald Trump have done little more than dismantling some of the policies of previous administrations [Washington Post].
   
• President Donald Trump will launch his push for more infrastructure spending this week [Wall Street Journal].
   
• Salt Lake City Council members are questioning whether Sen. Jim Dabakis is qualified to be the city's representative on the Utah Transit Authority board. Key quote from Councilman Derek Kitchen: "I'm disappointed that she (Mayor Jackie Biskupski) keeps 'firing' well-qualified professionals and putting forward her friends" [Tribune].
   
• A Utah judge has blocked Chia-Chi Teng's bid to get on the ballot for the special election in Utah's 3rd Congressional District. Teng attempted to file for the election remotely because he was out of the country. Utah law specifies that candidates must file in person [Fox 13, Tribune].
   
• Gov. Gary Herbert says the Utah Board of Education needs to do more to dispell myths about the Common Core education standards [Tribune].
   
• Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan is running for his sixth straight term leading that city while Former Murray Mayor Dan Snarr has filed to run again for that office [Tribune].
   
• The Utah Transit Authority Board is seeking a way to rebuild public trust following several public scandals and controversies [Tribune].
   
• The Nevada legislature is considering tearing down the Glen Canyon Dam, which would drain Lake Powell [Fox 13].
   
• Many Utah drivers are cheering the end of mandatory safety inspections for cars, but businesses are worried it will hurt their bottom line [Tribune].

On this day in history:

• 1933 - The United States went off the gold standard.
   
• 1967 - War erupted in the Middle East as Israel raided Egyptian military targets. Syria, Jordan and Iraq entered the conflict.
   
• 1968 - Sen. Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles after claiming victory in California's Democratic presidential primary. Gunman Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was immediately arrested.
   
• 1981 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that five homosexuals in Los Angeles had come down with a rare kind of pneumonia; they were the first recognized cases of what became known as AIDS. 
   
• 2002 - Elizabeth Smart, 14, was kidnapped from her bedroom in her family's Salt Lake City home. (She was rescued in March 2003.) 

Today At Utah Policy

'Political Insiders' say Henderson is the frontrunner to win delegate vote in CD3 special election
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Our "Political Insiders" say Deidre Henderson is the person to beat at the GOP nominating convention for Utah's 3rd District on June 17....

Several women allege sexual misconduct by candidate for Utah Democratic Party chair
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Several women have come forward alleging they were sexually harassed by Rob Miller, one of the leading candidates for Utah Democratic Party Chair....

'Beg to Differ' podcast: Standing out in a crowd
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
There are 21 candidates running to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz, including 15 Republicans, 13 of whom will be at this month's convention. ...

Policy News

29 different organizations to Trump: Reduce or rescind egregious national monuments
9 different organizations jointly asked President Donald Trump to reduce and/or rescind egregious national monuments where local support exists to do so....

Press release: Congress' proposed health care plan would reduce funding for Utah children's health programs and services by $470 million by 2026, new estimates show
New analysis shows that the American Health Care Act passed by the House of Representatives earlier this month would lead to reduced funding for children’s Medicaid services and programs....

Senators from both parties call on DOJ to reform civil asset forfeiture policies
Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Rand Paul (R-KY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Angus King (I-VT) sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking that the Justice Department reform its civil asset forfeiture practices....

'Double up food bucks' stretches food stamp benefits at 23 farmers' markets statewide
Utahns Against Hunger is launching the third season of Double Up Food Bucks at farmers’ markets and farm stands across the state of Utah....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Antiquities Act review a chance to scale back executive overreach

Editorial: Operation Diversion won't work without more money

Editorial: Utah governor should cast wider net for transportation chair

Snelgrove bid for Murray mayor among surprises in opening day of candidate filing

Utahns cheer, dread impending demise of required vehicle safety inspections

City Council members question Dabakis' qualifications for UTA board and mayor's motives for nominating him

UTA board talks about rebuilding public trust after scandal

7 women allege sexual misconduct by candidate for Utah Democratic Party chairman

Judge: Utah right to bar BYU professor from jumping into election via video chat

Mormon church - the one that doesn't practice polygamy - is becoming a fixture in a polygamous town

Longtime mayors Dolan, Snarr back in the running

Most Utah college students work while attending classes; graduation rates a concern

Who punishes a prosecutor? In Utah, it's most likely no one

Deseret News

Frank Pignanelli & LaVarr Webb: Thoughts on Chaffetz, the new political party, and the new GOP chair

Op-ed: Children are our most important resource, but public schools don't treat them that way

Op-ed: Appearance of a poll tax can't be avoided

Op-ed: United Utah offers real 2-party competition

Op-ed: Fixing a broken system that traps the mentally ill behind bars requires this missing piece

Op-ed: Mormon scripture supports both conservative and liberal values

Hal Boyd: Trump picks Mormon and Utahn Randal Quarles for Fed

Editorial: The web encourages political divisiveness

Judge rejects Republican candidate's challenge to in-person filing law

Several women allege sexual misconduct against Utah Democratic Party chairman candidate

GOP delegates 'highly encouraged' to donate at convention to replace Chaffetz

'Special problems here:' Hatch talks Utah's dire suicide rate, lauds state hotline

Could legal homeless camps work in Salt Lake County?

USTAR revising role in making Utah tech matter

Other

Contest for Park City mayor starts with familiar figures (Park Record)

National Headlines

'Kushnergate' is a big fat nothing-burger (New York Post)

Maher, Griffin, Colbert: Anti-Trump comedians are having a really bad moment (Washington Post)

Russia tests Zircon hypersonic missile system, which it says makes U.S. defenses obsolete (Washington Times)

Conservatives torch Comey's credibility ahead of Senate hearing (McClatchy)

High-stakes Georgia race puts pressure on Dems (The Hill)

Rural America Is the New 'Inner City' (Wall Street Journal)

Pro and anti-Trump protesters descend on Portland as police brace for violence at competing rallies (Los Angeles Times)

Trump plans week-long focus on infrastructure, starting with privatizing air traffic control (Washington Post)

Meet the GOP senator who wants to bridge the Obamacare divide (Politico)

Slower US job creation is usually a bad thing. This time, it might be a good sign (MarketWatch)

Facebook aims to be 'hostile environment for terrorists' (MarketWatch)

Wise Words

Stubborn Things
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclination, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." John Adams

Lighter Side

Not a Stroke
"Twitter went absolutely berserk. Not since Phil Collins gave us the word "Susudio" has a nation been so utterly fascinated and perplexed. You know a typo is bad when even Melania is like, 'I'm pretty sure that's not English, Donald.' Even after Trump deleted the tweet, which he almost never does, Sean Spicer claimed it was intentional. He said it wasn't a typo or a stroke." Jimmy Fallon