Political conventions, Jared Kushner and Twitter rants. Your Friday morning political briefing from UtahPolicy.com

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Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Friday, June 16, 2017

Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 167th day of the year. There are 198 days remaining in 2017. Today is the 147th day of Donald Trump's presidency.

Utah Democrats and Republicans gather Saturday to pick their nominees in Utah's 3rd CD. Jared Kushner is reportedly under investigation for his financial dealings. Trump picks an event planner to head up a federal housing program in New York.

The clock:

The Utah Republican 3rd District nominating convention at Timpview High School is tomorrow (6/17/2017).

The Utah Democratic State Convention at Weber State University is tomorrow (6/17/2017)

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

144 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)

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

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

508 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)

1,237 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

Understand what happened this week in Utah politics and why with our week-in-review. You won't be sorry [Utah Policy].
Bob Bernick says the potential three-way GOP primary race in Utah's 3rd Congressional District is almost unprecedented in Utah politics [Utah Policy].
Once thought to be a frontrunner to head up the Federal Trade Commission under President Trump, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes is now reportedly out of the running [Utah Policy].
Utah Republicans and Democrats are set to select their nominees in the race to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz on Saturday [Deseret News, Daily Herald].
Seems fishy. Kari Cutler, who fills a number of roles in South Salt Lake government, steps down as the head of Mayor Cherie Wood's political arm after questions arise about whether public funds were being used for campaign purposes [Tribune].
Utah's credit rating remains high as the state is ready to start borrowing money for construction and transit projects [Tribune].
A Utah Muslim leader, Imam Yussuf Abdi, is stranded in Kenya after U.S. airline workers told him he's been blocked from returning to the country [Utah Policy, Deseret News].
The Utah State Board of Regents has selected a 24-member committee to head up the search for a new president of the University of Utah [Deseret News].
State Medicaid officials are being asked to provide more funding for organizations so that they can keep employees from leaving to take higher-paying jobs elsewhere [Deseret News].
The University of Utah is taking steps to increase student safety on campus, including mandatory sexual assault awareness training [Tribune].

National headlines:

President Donald Trump has tapped Lynne Patton, who planned Eric Trump's wedding and other events for the Trump family, to oversee federal housing programs in New York. Patton has zero housing experience and claims she earned a law degree from Quinnipiac University, but the school says she dropped out after two semesters [New York Daily News].
Bombshell! Special counsel Robert Muller is investigating the financial dealings of President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner [Washington Post].
President Donald Trump gets loose on Twitter again, calling the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election the "single greatest witch hunt in American political history." Trump also returned to attacking one of his favorite targets, Hillary Clinton [New York Times].
President Trump's aides worry his near non-stop complaining about the probe into Russia's involvement in the 2016 election may be making things worse for him [Politico].
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein issued a statement warning against taking reports at face value that quote anonymous administration officials [Politico].
Officials for Trump's transition team have bene ordered to save any records relating to the Russia investigation [Politico].
Vice President Mike Pence has hired an outside lawyer to help him deal with the special counsel investigation into Russia [Washington Post].
This is hardly shocking. Senate leaders say they're probably going to miss their self-imposed deadline to vote on an Obamacare repeal measure by the end of the month [Politico].
President Donald Trump is set to announce new restrictions on Cuba Friday [The Hill].
Remember Evan McMullin? He's been "locked in a near-daily battle with Trump and his supporters" since his Quixotic presidential bid in 2016 [The Atlantic].
The U.S. is about to send 4,000 more troops to Afghanistan [Associated Press].
Russia claims it has killed the leader of the Islamic State group in an airstrike Friday morning [Associated Press].
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise remains in critical condition following this week's attack by a gunman during a congressional baseball practice [Politico].

On this day in history:

1858 - Accepting the Illinois Republican Party's nomination for the U.S. Senate, Abraham Lincoln said the slavery issue had to be resolved, declaring, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."
1897 - The United States signed a treaty of annexation with Hawaii.
1963 - The Soviet Union launched the first female space traveler, Valentina Tereshkova, into orbit aboard Vostok 6.
1987 - A jury in New York acquitted Bernhard Goetz of attempted murder in the subway shooting of four young blacks he said were going to rob him; he was convicted of illegal weapons possession.
2011 - Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., announced his resignation from Congress, bowing to the furor caused by his sexually charged online dalliances with a former porn actress and other women.

Today At Utah Policy

Bob Bernick's notebook: Unprecedented By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor Rare are the times when one may say: “All politics is different from now on.”...

Some Republicans are more Republican than others - Bernick and Schott on politics #333 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick Oh, how the Utah electoral landscape has changed!...

Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics #333 By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick dissect the week in Utah politics....

Report: Reyes no longer a candidate to lead Federal Trade Commission By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Once upon a time Utah Attorney General was thought to be the leading candidate to chair the Federal Trade Commission in the Trump administration. That no longer seems to be the case....

Opinion: Unshackle regional banks to jump-start economic growth By LaVarr Webb, Publisher Regional banks need regulatory relief from the Dodd-Frank Act, which unfairly treats moderately-sized regional banks like the gigantic Wall Street financial institutions, says Zions Bancorporation Chairman and CEO Harris Simmons....

Weekly survey: Dabakis' failed bid to join the UTA Board By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor This week the Salt Lake City Council rejected Sen. Jim Dabakis' nomination to the Utah Transit Authority board. Dabakis had promised to be a reformer in the embattled organization. Do you think the council made the right move? Vote now in our weekly survey....

3rd Congressional District special election candidate tracker [Updated] By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Three candidates have already qualified for the ballot in the race to replace Rep. Jason Chaffetz. Find out who's in and who dropped out with our Special Election Campaign Tracker....

Policy News

Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report Outdoor Notes--Tribune:Utah Hike of the Week: Mary Jane Canyon near Moab--Tribune:Looking for a Utah hiking trail? Here are some websites--Tribune:Summer is duckie season on the flat water of the Colorado River near Moab--Tribune:Fishing is spotty right now, but should be ex...

Refugee Justice League representing Utah Imam stranded in Kenya The Refugee Justice League announced that its lawyers have been in contact with and are legally representing Yussuf Awadir, an American citizen, Utahn, and beloved Imam at Salt Lake City’s Madina Islamic Center Mosque....

Hatch lauds president's executive order to expand apprenticeships Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), the former Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement in support of President Trump’s executive order, which seeks to expand apprenticeships to train people for millions of unfilled jobs....

Rep. Mia Love receives Climate Leadership Award Representative Mia Love has been awarded the Climate Leadership Award from Citizens’ Climate Lobby for “extraordinary leadership and bold commitment to environmental stewardship.” Rep. Love is part of the bipartisan House Climate Solutions Caucus....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Utah needs to have a look at burdensome school fees

Zika-prone mosquitoes virus are in Vegas. Here's why southern Utah officials aren't too concerned.

Utah retains top bond rating as it readies to begin $1 billion-plus borrowing spree

Provo Mayor John Curtis says running as a Democrat 20 years ago tarred him with many conservatives

Rolly: Sorry, West Jordan, West Valley gets the liquor store and its spoils

South Salt Lake mayor's political fund director steps down after questions are raised about her lucrative city contracts

Well-funded Democratic candidate in special election draws criticism from her in-party rivals

Latest draft of state water strategy still includes controversial water projects

New Utah facility will be able to power a Bountiful-size city by digesting food waste, turning it into natural gas

Here's what Republican candidates for Jason Chaffetz's seat want to do in office

Democrats who seek Chaffetz's seat agree on disliking Trump and vary on health care

Deseret News

Greg Bell: We expect too much of government. It can't solve every issue

Editorial: Partisan violence is a crime against democracy, civility and humanity

11 GOP candidates hoping to win Chaffetz's seat gather in Lehi

Governor's team looks to shore up Utah's water future

This candidate for Chaffetz's seat just got featured by the L.A. Times

Groups make pitches for adjustments to how Utah's Medicaid dollars can be used

Republican, Democratic parties to nominate candidates to replace Chaffetz

Utah imam, a U.S. citizen, blocked from flying home, attorney says

Other

Editorial: Utah's Republicans need to turn out for convention - and eschew the attendance 'fee' (Daily Herald)

Saturday's GOP convention will select only one candidate to head to primary (Daily Herald)

Eight GOP candidates for Jason Chaffetz's seat gather for Q&A in Provo (Daily Herald)

Mayoral candidate John Fenley discusses plans to disincorporate Provo City on 'What Say Ye?' (Daily Herald)

Conservative and liberal join forces to introduce UTA reforms (Standard-Examiner)

Ogden mayor not focused on undocumented immigration, says that's for the feds (Standard-Examiner)

National Headlines

Dems ask themselves: Has their rhetoric gone too far? (McClatchy)

Gunman's wife says she didn't know his plans (Associated Press)

Nearly $50 million in the California state budget will go to expanded legal services for immigrants (Los Angeles Times)

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes Defends Assassination Play (Variety)

How Congress Failed to Plan for Doomsday (Politico)

Trump to clamp down on Cuba travel and trade (Politico)

Scalise ally, a Dem, leads fight to boost lawmaker security (The Hill)

Bipartisan baseball game a show of unity after shooting (The Hill)

Is Kamala Harris the Future of American Politics? (National Review)

New York Times, heal thyself (Washington Examiner)

The bogus claim that a map of crosshairs by Sarah Palin's PAC incited Rep. Gabby Giffords's shooting (New York Times)

Wise Words

First Duty
"Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives." Ronald Reagan

Lighter Side

United
"An 88-year-old woman has set a new record for oldest female to stand on the wing of a flying plane. It sounds dangerous, but it's actually the safest place to be when you fly United." Seth Meyers

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