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Situational awareness - August 20, 2018
Good Monday morning from Salt Lake City.
Nazi jokes. "Truth isn't truth." Cohen investigated for bank fraud.
TICK TOCK
- 50 days until the last day to register to vote by mail (10/9/2018)
- 57 days until mail-in ballots are sent to voters (10/16/2018)
- 64 days until in-person early voting begins (10/23/2018)
- 71 days until the last day to register to vote in person or by mail (10/30/2018)
- 73 days until in-person early voting ends (11/2/2018)
- 78 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
- 161 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019)
- 206 days until the final day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (3/14/2019)
- 806 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)
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HERE ARE THE STORIES YOU SHOULD PAY ATTENTION TO TODAY
Nazi "jokes"
The vice-chairman of the Utah County Republican Party is apologizing after making a Nazi joke about Count My Vote on a private Facebook page for the party's State Central Committee - http://bit.ly/2PiGiOR
Casting blame
Disgraced former GOP Rep. Blake Farenthold, who resigned from Congress in the wake of a sexual harassment scandal, is partially blaming Rep. Mia Love for his downfall. He said in a court deposition that he was upset with Love who he felt would call for his resignation if he had not stepped down - http://bit.ly/2OPorOt
Operation Rio Grande
Our "Political Insiders" say the effort to combat homelessness in Salt Lake City is either a success so far, or it's still too early to cast judgment. Around a third say the program has been a failure so far - http://bit.ly/2MDTFKY
Utah's economy continues to roll
Utah's job picture grew by nearly 4% over the past year as the state's economy added more than 57,000 jobs in that time - http://bit.ly/2PpoEJt
OTHER UTAH HEADLINES
Salt Lake Tribune
Op-ed: Will voters put Utah kids first?
Editorial: Mountain Accord won't make it at a glacial pace
A southern Utah county that fought monument designations is now eager to make money off them
Utah again leads the nation for job growth
Midvale councilman calls for the Utah city to ban Confederate flags from its Harvest Days Parade
Deseret News
Pignanelli & Webb: The political inferno of wildfires, and other issues
Op-ed: Are tax exemptions for businesses a blessing or a curse?
Editorial: This is a vexed generation
Love, McAdams refute allegations in dueling FEC complaints
Utah's jobless rate is among the lowest in the nation. Here's how it ranks
Utah Inland Port board subcommittees have been meeting behind closed doors
Utah 2018 wildfires destroy the most structures in past 15 years
Dream of citizenship at risk for immigrants in the U.S. military
Utah's overdose deaths fall 12% despite nationwide surge
Utah lawmaker proposes putting a team in every school to catch red flags
Other
U.S. Senate candidate Jenny Wilson makes case to valley voters (Logan Herald Journal)
NATIONAL HEADLINES
- "Truth isn't truth." Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani made that head-scratching claim during an interview while trying to make the case that President trump should not testify for special counsel Robert Mueller - https://politi.co/2MyxS7B
- President Trump's legal team is suddenly realizing they don't know what White House counsel Don McGahn told investigators for special counsel Robert Mueller - https://nyti.ms/2PpelVG
- Prosecutors are investigating Michael Cohen, President Trump's ex-lawyer, for bank and tax fraud. They're focusing on more than $20 million in loans obtained by the taxi business he owns - https://nyti.ms/2Popsyc
- A speechwriter for President Trump has been fired following revelations he appeared at a conference with prominent white nationalists - https://wapo.st/2PopExq
- Former CIA director John Brennan says he's considering legal action over President Trump's decision to strip his security clearance - https://wapo.st/2Myyfz1
- Some analysts say the worst-case scenario for the GOP in the 2018 midterm elections is a loss of more than 70 seats in the House - http://bit.ly/2PmmDO5
- The FBI is probing a cyber attack on a Democratic candidate for Congress in Californa. Hackers infiltrated the computers of David Min, who was defeated in a June primary - https://reut.rs/2MES5bC
- National Security Adviser John Bolton is warning that Russia, China, North Korea and Iran could all try to interfere in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections - https://abcn.ws/2MClLq8
- President Trump claims social media platforms are "totally discriminating" against conservatives - https://abcn.ws/2MAbQkQ
- Asia Argento, one of the first women to accuse producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, paid $380,000 to silence a young actor who claimed she had sexually assaulted him - https://nyti.ms/2Plvhw9
- Fewer Americans are relocating for a job, mostly because of high housing costs in places where jobs are abundant - https://on.wsj.com/2PkD65v
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY
- 1741 - Danish navigator Vitus Jonas Bering discovered what is now called Alaska.
- 1858 - Charles Darwin first publishes his theory of evolution.
- 1866 - President Andrew Johnson formally declares the Civil War over.
- 1920 - The National Football League is organized as the American Professional Football Conference in Canton, Ohio.
- 1968 - Warsaw Pact troops invaded Czechoslovakia to crush the "Prague Spring."
- 1996 - President Bill Clinton signed into law an increase in the minimum wage.
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Today At Utah Policy
'Political Insiders' grade Operation Rio Grande's first yearOperation Rio Grande, the extensive program to help the homeless in downtown Salt Lake City, marked its first year in existence last week. Our "Political Insiders" say the effort so far has either been a success or it's too early to reach a conclusion....
Disgraced former GOP congressman blames Mia Love for his ousterFormer GOP congressman Blake Farenthold says Rep. Mia Love is partially to blame for his resignation following a sex scandal....
Utah added 57,000 jobs over the last yearUtah's nonfarm payroll employment for July 2018 grew by an estimated 3.9 percent, adding 57,100 jobs to the economy since July 2017. Utah's current employment level registers 1,510,700. No revision was made to June's year-over job growth rate. ...
Utah Republican leaders made Nazi 'jokes' on a private Facebook pageSome members of the Utah GOP State Central Committee, including the State Secretary and a Utah County GOP leader, seem to have no problem with making nazi-themed jokes inside a private Facebook page....
Trump administration is considering a plan to sell land that used to be part of Grand StaircaseThe Trump administration is considering a proposal to sell 1,600 acres of land in Southern Utah that used to be protected as part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument....
Nominees announced for 2nd District Court vacancy
The 2nd District Judicial Nominating Commission has selected nominees for a vacancy on the 2nd District Court. ...
Policy News
2018 general election debate series announcedThe ABU Education Fund and the University of Utah's John R. Park Debate Society will host a series of three general election debates this fall. The debates will be for S.D. 8, H.D. 8, and H.D. 32....
Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy announces its World Affairs Lecture Series
Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy is pleased to announce its 2018-2019 Ambassador Price & Marcia Price World Affairs Lecture Series, hosted in partnership with Westminster College....
Tax Commission designates interim executive director
Utah State Tax Commissioners designated a 32-year veteran of the agency as its interim executive director....
National Headlines
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey: I 'fully admit' our bias is 'more left-leaning' (The Hill)
If you think the political divide is worse than ever, you may be right (New York Times)
Congressman warms up rally with Trump death joke (Daily Caller)
Asia Argento, Who Accused Weinstein, Made Deal With Her Own Accuser (New York Times)
Minnesota Democrats endorse Ellison amid abuse allegation (NBC News)
Stormy Daniels' lawyer dips toe in political candidate waters (Boston Globe)
Trump seeks to overhaul signature Obama climate policy (The Hill)
Clapper: Brennan's rhetoric is becoming an issue (The Hill)
Big Questions on Global Economy Hang Over Jackson Hole Gathering (Bloomberg)
US says conserving oil is no longer an economic imperative (Associated Press)
