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Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing
How to Sound Smart About Utah Politics for Thursday July 21, 2016
Good Thursday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 203rd day of the year. There are 163 days left in 2016.
Rep. Mia Love wants to hear more specifics from Donald Trump before she can support him. Ted Cruz roils the GOP convention by refusing to endorse Donald Trump. Mike Pence officially accepts the GOP nomination for vice president.
The clock:
- Four days to the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia (7/25/2016)
- 110 days until the 2016 presidential election - (11/8/2016)
- 186 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (1/23/2017)
- 231 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature - (3/9/2017)
Ten talking points for Thursday:
- Rep. Mia Love says she needs to hear more concrete policy proposals from Donald Trump before she can support his candidacy [Utah Policy].
- An internal poll from Mia Love's campaign shows her with a 15-point lead over Democrat Doug Owens [Utah Policy].
- A new poll shows Utahns would overwhelmingly support an income tax hike to better fund public education [Utah Policy].
- Ted Cruz stabbed Donald Trump in the back by refusing to endorse him during his speech at the Republican National Convention. The crowd lustily booed him off the stage [Politico]. Cruz's wife, Heidi, was escorted from the arena by security after his speech [Talking Points Memo]. Cruz was reportedly threatened by angry donors and delegates following his speech [Slate]. Utah Delegates, who supported Cruz over Trump, cheered Cruz's refusal to endorse the GOP nominee [Deseret News].
- Mike Pence officially became the Republican nominee for vice president [Politico]. Donald Trump is set to formally accept the Republican nomination on Thursday evening [Washington Post].
- In an interview, Donald Trump says his administration would not automatically defend other members of NATO if they were attacked. Instead, he said he would consider their contributions to the alliance [New York Times].
- Melania Trump's speechwriter, Meredith McIver, apologizes for plagiarizing Michelle Obama [Politico]. McIver graduated from the University of Utah in 1976 [Tribune].
- The Mormon members of Utah's delegation to the Republican National Convention are having difficulty reconciling Donald Trump's rhetoric with their religion [Tribune].
- Donald Trump's campaign says they raised $26.7 million in June and ended the month with $20 million on hand [Roll Call]. Trump also forgave the $47.5 million he loaned his campaign [Bloomberg]. Hillary Clinton's campaign raised $36.4 million in June, and spent $34.5 million, leaving them with $44.4 million in the bank [Politico].
- A state audit finds an insurance co-op for local governments spent taxpayer money lavishly on hotels and golf, among other things. The audit said the organization fostered a "culture of excess" [Utah Policy, Deseret News].
On this day in history:
- 1861 - The first major military engagement of the Civil War occurred at Bull Run Creek, Va.
- 1925 - The so-called Monkey Trial ended with John Scopes convicted and fined $100 for teaching evolution in violation of Tennessee state law.
- 1969 - Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin lifted off from the moon in the Apollo 11 lunar module.
- 2002 - Telecommunications giant WorldCom Inc. filed for bankruptcy protection after disclosing it had inflated profits by nearly $4 billion.
Today At Utah Policy
 | Love says She Wants to Hear More Policy Proposals from Trump Rep. Mia Love says she's not entirely convinced she can support Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump yet.... |
 | Utahns Overwhelmingly Support Income Tax Increase to Fund Public Education Two-thirds of Utahns support a personal income tax increase to support public schools, a new UtahPolicy poll shows.... |
 | 'I Have Questions with Bryan Schott' - Rep. Mia Love Rep. Mia Love sits down for a conversation with UtahPolicy.com Managing Editor Bryan Schott.... |
 | Cruz Bombs in Tumultuous Convention I’ve always thought Ted Cruz was creepy. Now I know he’s also classless, a sore loser and a jerk. He once again proved why so few people in Washington like him.... |
 | Internal Poll Shows Mia Love with a 15-Point Lead Over Democrat Doug Owens A new internal poll from Mia Love's campaign shows the incumbent Republican with a 15-point lead over her Democratic opponent, Doug Owens. ... |
| Hatch: Trump Will Govern Like a Mainstream Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch says GOPvotersshould set any lingering concerns aside and fully embrace Donald Trump, suggesting the businessman will eventually hew to Republican orthodoxy if elected in November.... |
 | Weekly Survey: What Will Bears Ears be Declared a New National Monument? Do you think President Obama will declare Bears Ears as a new national monument? Let us know your thoughts in our weekly survey.... |
 | Majority of Utah Voters Concerned About Partisan Politics More than half of the voters surveyed as part of the Utah Priorities Project expressed a high level of concern (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale) about partisan politics. The issue ranks 8th on the top ten list of issues identified by voters in the statewide survey.... |
Policy News
| Office of the Utah State Auditor Releases Report on Utah Local Governments Trust The Office of the Utah State Auditor released its Report on the Utah Local Governments Trust for calendar years 2014 and 2015. ... |
| Office of the Utah State Auditor Releases Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind Report on Investigation of Theft The Office of the Utah State Auditor released its Report on the Investigation of Theft at the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind for the period January 2012 through April 2016. ... |
| Utah Attorney General Reyes Energizes Asian Pacific American Republican Leaders with Speech During RNC Convention During day three of the 2016 RNC Convention, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, the first ethnic minority elected to statewide office in Utah, whose heritage includes Filipino, Japanese, Hawaiian and Spanish roots, delivered an energetic speech to excited Asian Paci... |
| Mayor Biskupski Recognizes Businesses on the Cutting Edge of Energy Efficiency with Mayor's Skyline Challenge Awards Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski joined business and community leaders to honor the winners of the second annual Mayor’s Skyline Challenge Awards.... |
| Interior Department Funding Bill Passes the House, Rep. Stewart's Critical Provisions Included The Interior Department funding bill passed the House with several of Rep. Chris Stewart’s (R-Utah) provisions that are critical for Utah. ... |
Local Headlines
Salt Lake Tribune
Editorial: Dougall's audit shows the need for state agencies to operate in the open
Utah auditor: Local governments' insurance co-op suffers 'culture of excess'
Utah delegate's libertarian leanings an uncomfortable fit at GOP convention
Utah Mormons find Trump's style and substance tough to swallow
Ohio Mormon prays for political leaders, enemies at GOP convention
Utah Republicans long for the good ol' Romney days
Wyoming men charged in gay Utah men's beatings - but not with hate crime
'It's hard to hate up close': Lawmen give tips on making houses of worship safe in Utah
Cruz refuses to endorse Trump, sparking boos and jeers
Deseret News
Dan Liljenquist: My theory regarding Melania Trump's plagiarism
Natalie Gochnour: The convention speech Mr. Trump should give
Editorial: An unsatisfying resolution to a high-profile case
BLM releases blueprint for oil and gas development, potash mining in Moab area
Business says thanks by donating 10 bicycles to Ogden police
2 charged in attack on gay men; prosecutor calls Utah hate crimes law too weak
Local government board fostered 'culture of excess,' state audit shows
Utah GOP delegates finally fired up - but over Cruz, not Pence
National Headlines
Pence seeks to unify after Cruz (Politico)
Christie blasts Cruz for 'awful, selfish speech' (Politico)
Cruz aides made late push for Trump endorsement (The Hill)
Convention erupts at Cruz snub (The Hill)
Peter Thiel's Embrace of Trump Has Silicon Valley Squirming (New York Times)
How the Dallas massacre unfolded (CNN)
Appeals court: Texas voter ID law violates Voting Rights Act (CNN)
Christie convicts Clinton, but was he 'guilty' of going too far? (FOX News)
From Links to Lucifer to Calls for Execution, Republicans Seethe at Hillary Clinton (New York Times)
Trump speechwriter takes blame for Melania Trump 'plagiarism' (Washington Post)
AP sources: Clinton VP search focus is Kaine, Vilsack, Perez (Washington Post)
Wise Words
Principles
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both." Dwight D. Eisenhower Brainy Quote
Lighter Side
Sadistic
"Britain has a new foreign secretary, and the new foreign secretary once likened Hillary Clinton to a "sadistic nurse." After hearing this, Bill Clinton said, "Man, I wish." Conan O'Brien Political Humor
