Trouble viewing this email? Read it online

Utah's Daily Policy Resource, Brought to you by Utah Policy

---

Situational awareness - July 19, 2018

Good Thursday morning from Salt Lake City. 

Salt Lake City officials end up on opposite sides over the inland port. Lawmakers approve child tax credit for big Utah families. Trump was told that Putin personally ordered the 2016 attack to sway the presidential election shortly before he took office.

  TICK TOCK   

• 110 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 193 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
• 838 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

  SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER  

Thanks for reading Utah's must-read daily political news roundup. If you would like to subscribe to our morning newsletter, you can SIGN UP HERE.

Got a confidential news tip? You can reach me via encrypted, secure email at bryanschott@protonmail.com.

---

  HERE ARE THE STORIES YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO TODAY  

Inland port brawl

Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and the city council end up on opposite sides as lawmakers pass changes to the controversial inland port bill - http://bit.ly/2uOHuQO

Who decides party membership

A new UtahPolicy.com survey finds most Utahns, including an overwhelming number of Republicans, oppose letting party leaders decide who belongs to a political party, and who doesn't - http://bit.ly/2JAiTV9

Trump criticism was justified

Rep. John Curtis, a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, says criticism of President Trump following his meeting with Vladimir Putin was entirely justified. Download the podcast of our conversation here - http://bit.ly/2zLFxdv

---

  OTHER UTAH HEADLINES   

• Newly public letters show Speaker Greg Hughes, as a member of the UTA board, might have profited from a development deal near a TRAX station before staffers discovered the conflict and he withdrew from the project [Deseret News].
  
  
• Lawmakers approve a $30 million child tax credit during Wednesday's special session. The tax break works out to about $170 for a family with five children [Deseret News, Tribune].
  
  
• Democrats in Congress want Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman to testify about this week's Trump-Putin summit [Tribune].
  
  
• Sen. Mike Lee meets with Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, says he will support his confirmation later this year [Tribune].
  
  
• Utah cops are preparing for the state's new 0.05% DUI law which goes into effect next year [Deseret News, Tribune].
  
  
• Legislators may consider a proposal requiring gun owners to lock up their firearms when they're not carrying them [Deseret News, Tribune].
  
  
• Lawmakers will once again consider banning the use of hand-held cell phones by Utah drivers [Deseret News, Tribune].

---

  NATIONAL HEADLINES  

• Two years ago President Trump was given classified intelligence indicating that Vladimir Putin personally ordered cyberattacks to sway the 2016 election - https://nyti.ms/2LsjJoB
  
  
• President Trump said in an interview he holds Russian President Vladimir Putin responsible for attacking the 2016 election - https://cbsn.ws/2JCiem1
  
  
• American officials are scrambling to understand what was agreed to as Russian officials say they made "verbal agreements" with President Trump during his meeting with Vladimir Putin - https://wapo.st/2JC8oR8
  
  
• A new poll shows most Americans disapprove of the way Trump handled his press conference with Vladimir Putin, but nearly 80% of Republicans approve of Trump's interactions with Putin - http://bit.ly/2Lsam8j
  
  
• What? The White House is considering a proposal to allow Russian officials to question several Americans, including the former ambassador to Moscow, about alleged "illegal activities" - http://bit.ly/2Lv9U9u
  
  
• A bill in the Senate would kick in fresh sanctions against Russia if the Kremlin attacks the U.S. election system again - https://reut.rs/2Lw54Jd
  
  
• Troubling! Most states are not prepared to fend off cyberattacks on their election systems ahead of the 2018 midterms - http://bit.ly/2JCry9t 
  
  
• President Trump is threatening to impose tariffs on automobile imports to win concessions from trading partners. Auto industry executives and members of congress are uncomfortable with the plan - https://on.wsj.com/2Lw5CPh 
  
  
• President Trump's tariffs are leading to layoffs for American workers - https://wapo.st/2LsLGwu
  
  
• Donald Jr. and Eric Trump racked up nearly $250,000 in Secret Service costs in one month as they traveled overseas on Trump family business - http://bit.ly/2LuNiWq
  
  
• House Democrats unveil their new election slogan: "For the People" - http://bit.ly/2LtJPrb
  
  
• GOP congressman Jason Lewis made misogynistic comments on his radio show he hosted from 2009 to 2014, including lamenting that women can no longer be called "sluts" - https://cnn.it/2Lsm7vz
  
  
• The proposal to split California into three separate states has been kicked off the November ballot by that state's supreme court - https://cnn.it/2JGBMG4
  
  
• A new study shows air pollution in national parks is nearly as bad as air quality in the 20 largest cities - https://cnn.it/2LwdX5o

---

  ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY   

• 1911 - Pennsylvania became the first state to pass laws censoring movies.
  
  
• 1977 - The world's first Global Positioning System (GPS) signal was transmitted.
  
  
• 1989 - United Airlines Flight 232 crashes in Sioux City, Iowa killing 111.
  
  
• 1993 - President Bill Clinton announced the "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy toward gays in the military. The policy was lifted in 2011.

---

---

Today At Utah Policy

Utahns oppose political party leaders deciding who can and cannot be a member
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
If Utah Republican Party leaders decide that they, not voters, decide who can and who cannot be a Republican, the leaders will be going against the wishes of 90 percent of their own rank-and-file party members, a new UtahPolicy.com poll shows....

---

Inland port legislation puts Salt Lake City leaders on opposite sides
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski stood virtually alone on Wednesday, at odds with most Republican state lawmakers and the Salt Lake City council as she pushed back against changes to the controversial inland port....

---

United Utah Party noiminates Tim Zeidner in Third Congressional District
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
The United Utah Party nominated a replacement for Melanie McCoard, who was stepping down as the UUP candidate for US Congress in the Third Congressional District due to health concerns. ...

---

Sen. Lee statement on European Commission Google decision
By Press release
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday responding to the European Commission's Google decision....

---

U.S. Air Force looks for innovative ideas in Utah, across the United States to develop new technologies
By Brian Somers, USTAR Managing Director
The Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR), in partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory, hosted an industry reception at the Capitol on July 10 in support of the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 Initiative....

---

Podcast: Rep. John Curtis
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Rep. John Curtis joins Managing Editor Bryan Schott to discuss the aftermath of President Trump's meeting with Vladimir Putin. Curtis, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says the criticism of Trump following the meeting was justified....

---

Weekly survey: Biskupski vs. Salt Lake City Council
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski and the city council are on opposite sides of the inland port issue. Who do you think is taking the right approach? Vote now in our weekly survey....

---

---

Policy News

Downtown Alliance leader Jason Mathis stepping down
Community and business leader, Jason Mathis announced his resignation from the Downtown Alliance this week. Mathis has served as the executive director of the Alliance and executive vice president of the Salt Lake Chamber since 2008....

---

Department of Commerce announces new Director of the Division of Corporations
Francine A. Giani, Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, announced that effective July 30, 2018 Jason Sterzer has been appointed as the new Director of the Division of Corporations and Uniform Commercial Code.  ...

---

Wise Words

Perspective

"One cannot and must not try to erase the past merely because it does not fit the present." Golda Meir

 

Lighter Side

Winter

"This is the final season of "Game of Thrones," but HBO is working on a prequel that reportedly takes place 10,000 years before the original. Which means winter won't be coming for a very long time: 10,000 years." Jimmy Kimmel

 

Subscribers may receive special messages with information about new features, special offers, or public policy messages from clients and advertisers.

Advertise With Us

This email is intended for newsletter@newslettercollector.com.
Update your preferences or Unsubscribe