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Situational awareness - January 7, 2019

Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City.

Executive summary: Sen. Mike Lee may be readying a run for governor in 2020. Still no end in sight for the government shutdown. President Trump may try to declare a national emergency to build his wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

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TICK TOCK

19 days until Salt Lake County Democrats elect a new County Mayor (1/26/2019) 21 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019) 66 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019) 117 days to the Utah State Republican Party Organizing Convention (5/4/2019) 147 days until the municipal election filing period opens (6/3/2019) 151 days until the municipal election filing period ends (6/7/2019) 218 days to the 2019 Utah primary elections (8/13/2019) 302 days to the 2019 municipal elections (11/5/2019) 393 days to the 2020 Iowa Caucuses (2/3/2020) 661 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today At Utah Policy

Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton being pushed to launch a 2020 campaign for Utah governor
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
UtahPolicy.com has learned that several Republicans are urging Salt Lake County Council Chair Aimee Winder Newton to run for governor in 2020.... Bishop spoke to the White House about the Interior Secretary job, but says it wasn't a job interview
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Rep. Rob Bishop spoke with White House officials shortly before Christmas about what priorities the new Interior Secretary should have, but Bishop insists the conversation was not a job interview.... Our 'Political Insiders' say they don't expect Mitt Romney to be a thorn in President Trump's side
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Mitt Romney began his career in the U.S. Senate with a bang this week by penning an op-ed criticizing President Donald Trump for his character failings. Romney said Trump has failed to live up to the standards expected of the president.... Utah Republicans believe Sen. Mike Lee may be preparing to run for governor in 2020
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Is Sen. Mike Lee laying the rhetorical groundwork for a run for governor in 2020? It sure as heck looks like it.... Chaffetz predicts government shutdown will continue until end of January at least
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, now a Fox News commentator, predicted Sunday the partial government shutdown would continue at least through President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, and Republicans would be seen as the winners.... Greg Gutfeld names '3 things blander than Mitt Romney'
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Fox News host and comedian Greg Gutfeld took a swipe at Sen. Mitt Romney over the weekend as he tried to name 3 things "blander" than the new U.S. Senator from Utah.... Turd in the punchbowl - Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 404
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Sen. Mitt Romney announced his arrival in Washington with a bang, penning an op-ed slamming President Donald Trump for his lack of character. Reaction from Trump's supporters has been harsh, and in some cases, over the top.... Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics Ep. 404
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott guide you through a short, but eventful week in Utah politics.... McAdams says Democrats are wrong to talk about impeaching President Trump
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
New Rep. Ben McAdams said Friday morning he disagrees with talk from some of his fellow Democrats about impeaching President Donald Trump....

OTHER UTAH HEADLINES

Deseret News

Pignanelli and Webb: How to spend Utah's hefty budget surplus

Op-ed: Roadside traffic stop or fishing expedition?

Utah Sen. Mike Lee suggests Sen. Mitt Romney take 'mulligan' on harsh words for Trump

What Senate committees did Sen. Mitt Romney land on?

Utah has resources to survive shutdown through January, but 'can't float this forever'

Their street 'swallowed' by homeless center, South Salt Lake neighbors take county buyouts

'We're the model': Mayor Jackie Biskupski lauds Salt Lake City's affordable housing efforts

Utah congressmen urge emergency measures to keep national parks open

Lawmaker wants to remove slavery exception from Utah Constitution

Sen. Mike Lee prods governor to stop defending 'unconstitutional' SB54

Sen. Mitt Romney scolds Michigan Democrat's profane reference to Trump

Utah bill aims to better protect sex assault, domestic violence victims before trial

Utah national parks affected by shutdown will get federal help 'within days'

Greg Hughes goes behind the scenes of Utah's medical marijuana compromise

New Utah County clerk 'Powers' her way forward to fix 'dysfunction' in elections office

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: On air quality, Utah sputters as Utahns cough

Utah lawmakers applaud move to keep national parks going, but which parks? And is the move legal?

If the government shutdown lasts much longer, food programs intended to help women and children could run out of funding

Utah's dip in Obamacare enrollment reverses as late sign-ups push the numbers above 2018

Trump's nomination of a Utahn, who is an immigration hardliner, to oversee refugee issues has now expired

Sen. Mike Lee urges Utah governor to drop state defense of 'unconstitutional' law that both Lee and Gov. Herbert used in their last elections

Utah's state constitution bans slavery - mostly. And Rep. Sandra Hollins says mostly isn't good enough.

Utah's U.S. House members seek emergency funding to keep national parks in the state fully staffed during shutdown

Property tax delinquents: a railroad disputes its big bill and 3 lawmakers miss the deadline, including one who blamed his wife

Other

Government shutdown has about 200 Utah forest service employees out of work (Daily Herald)

Four Utah County cities may pilot new ranked-choice voting (Daily Herald)

North Ogden mayoral hopefuls weigh in on amphitheater, Brent Taylor's legacy (Standard-Examiner)

NATIONAL HEADLINES

The partial government shutdown is entering its 16th day. White House and Congressional leaders continued negotiating over the weekend but didn't make much headway. The Trump administration is still insisting on $5.7 billion in funding to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, but they floated the possibility of an additional $800 million for humanitarian aid - https://wapo.st/2FfDjnR
President Donald Trump is floating declaring a "national emergency" to get his border wall built. Legal scholars say Trump cannot use emergency powers in that way - https://nyti.ms/2Fc3Wdn
President Trump has started referring to his proposed border wall as a "steel barrier," but the change in terminology is not moving Democrats who are opposed - https://nyti.ms/2FcWYVw
The Trump administration announced Sunday they would use entrance fees to reopen national parks that have been closed since last month. The money will be used to pay staff to clean up trash and bathrooms - https://wapo.st/2Felvt7
The House Natural Resources Committee announced plans to investigate the legality of dipping into visitor fees to reopen national parks - http://bit.ly/2Fjhggb
U.S. towns with a large number of federal workers are bracing for the financial impact of the government shutdown - https://wapo.st/2FfKSuG
Government subcontractors like janitors and security guards likely won't receive back pay if and when the government shutdown ends - http://bit.ly/2FhdwLN
Vulnerable Republicans in the 2020 elections are seeking to distance themselves from President Trump - https://nbcnews.to/2FfRVmZ
Former Vice President Joe Biden's associates say he sees himself as the Democrats' best chance of defeating President Trump in 2020 - https://nyti.ms/2FgaSWE
President Trump's re-election campaign is moving to quash any opposition from Republicans that could embarrass him at the party's national convention in Charlotte next summer - https://politi.co/2Fezwac
House Democrats are preparing to initiate dozens of investigations into President Trump's financial dealings and the more controversial policies of the administration - https://politi.co/2Fezpvi
President Trump said Sunday he is in "no hurry" to name replacements for vacant Cabinet positions. The president says he likes the flexibility acting department heads gives him - http://bit.ly/2FfGHiz
President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un will likely hold their second face-to-face meeting in Vietnam according to published reports - https://bloom.bg/2FeDIXw
National security adviser John Bolton gave a timeline for withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria that seemingly contradicts President Trump's insistence that the pullout would be immediate - https://wapo.st/2FeBFmi
An American airstrike in Yemen killed one of the leaders of the deadly al Qaeda bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in 2000 - https://nyti.ms/2FfpYf5
American officials are headed to Beijing for talks aimed at easing the trade war between the U.S. and China - http://bit.ly/2FfrePl

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

1782 - The first American commercial bank, the Bank of North America, opens. 1920 - The New York State Assembly refuses to seat five duly elected Socialist assemblymen 1927 - The first transatlantic telephone service is established from New York City to London. 1939 - Marguerite Perey discovers Francium, the last element first discovered in nature, rather than by synthesis. 1953 President Harry Truman announced that the United States had developed the hydrogen bomb. 1980 - President Jimmy Carter authorizes legislation giving $1.5 billion in loans to bail out the Chrysler Corporation. 1999 - The Senate trial in the impeachment of President Bill Clinton begins. 2003 - President George W. Bush proposed a tax-cut package of $670 billion over 10 years.

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