This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Liberal groups prepare to fight President Trump. Critics worry about Trump top aide's ties to the alt-right. Top Oversight Dem asks Chaffetz to probe Trump's business associations.
Happy Tuesday. Liberal groups are preparing for war under Donald Trump. Top Democratic operatives are huddling this week in a series of meetings to strategize about which groups will run point on everything from safeguarding women's access to health care to fighting any increase in deportations to preventing attacks on Muslim Americans. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/liberal-groups-donald-trump-231383">Politico</a>]
<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Donald Trump's appointment of Steve Bannon as his chief strategist revives disgust at Bannon's connections with white supremacy and open bashing on the LDS Church. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4584355-155/critics-cringe-at-trump-strategist-bannons"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, urges Rep. Jason Chaffetz in a letter to investigate conflicts of interest between Trump's business ventures and his new role. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4585119-155/democrat-elijah-cummings-presses-jason-chaffetz"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert calls a special session of the Legislature for Wednesday to address calculation problems with the new gas tax, pass a new version of a recycling bill he vetoed and consider Herbert's Cabinet apointees. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4585134-155/gov-herbert-calls-special-session-wednesday"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667197/Utah-lawmakers-to-fix-gas-tax-revenue-dispute-in-special-session.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/gov-herbert-calls-special-session-to-address-roads-waste-regulations"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-lawmakers-to-meet-in-special-session-wednesday"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/utah-lawmakers-to-meet-in-special-session-wednesday/article_18b89297-e847-55d2-80f0-ddc0021d1ac3.html"; target="_blank">Herald</a>]
-> A Senate committee voted to recommend Kraig Powell as a judge Monday, complete with a change of heart by Equality Utah Executive Director Troy Williams on Powell's ability to judge the LGBT community fairly. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4583494-155/utah-lawmaker-changes-lgbt-leaders-mind"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667196/Utah-Senate-approves-judge-nominee-despite-LBGT-concerns.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/11/14/former-lawmaker-apologizes-to-lgbt-community-gets-confirmed-as-utah-judge/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]
<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/dcbigjohn"; target="_blank">dcbigjohn</a>: "A dystopian future in which the inbred Trump, Clinton, and Bush dynasties battle for control of DC. With a midget savior and dragons."
From @<a href="https://twitter.com/hunterschwarz"; target="_blank">hunterschwarz</a>: "No one seems more chill about Donald Trump becoming president than Barack Obama."
From @<a href="https://twitter.com/SarahKSilverman"; target="_blank">SarahKSilverman</a>: "Great to see that the man who coined the word 'libtard' will be the senior advisor to the potus while the First Lady tackles bullying."
From @<a href="https://twitter.com/weknowwhatsbest"; target="_blank">weknowwhatsbest</a>: "Outraged students protesting in the streets want the election to be held one more time — and this time they'll try this voting thing."
<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>to former state Rep. Neal Hendrickson and to Clayton Scrivner, who ran Ben McAdams' campaign for Salt Lake County Mayor.
<strong>In other news: </strong>As a group of small Salt Lake City restaurants gears up to lobby against Utah's Zion Curtain liquor law next legislative session, Utahns are split on the issue, a new poll shows. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4554820-155/poll-reveals-mixed-feelings-on-utahs?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/restaurateurs-want-to-bring-down-utahs-zion-curtain"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]
-> Eight out of 10 Utahns want to do whatever it takes to get the state out of its ranking as spending the least per student. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11452-">UtahPolicy</a>]
-> Sen. Jim Dabakis loses his leadership role in the state Senate. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/11451-Bob%20Bernick%20and%20Bryan%20Schott">UtahPolicy</a>]
-> Residents of White Mesa, Utah, worry that the town's uranium mill is contaminating local water supply. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4505515-155/southeastern-utah-tribe-worries-about-contamination?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The Utah Department of Transportation will hike freeway speed limits to 80 mph in some southern Utah corridors after analyzing traffic. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4584304-155/more-80-mph-zones-coming-to"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> The tower of Salt Lake City Hall will start to peek through again as workers remove the scaffolding after completing phase one of stone repair on the building. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4583933-155/crews-begin-dismantling-scaffolding-around-upper"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<strong>Nationally:</strong> President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday about improving U.S.-Russia relations and linking arms to fight ISIS. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-and-putin-speak-by-phone-say-theyll-work-together-to-improve-relations/2016/11/14/242f44c2-aa90-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]
-> Trump struggles to separate business and politics with his hotel down the street from the White House and his children running his empire while also working on his transition team. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/15/us/politics/donald-trump-holdings-conflict-of-interest.html?ref=politics"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>]
-> President Barack Obama has his work cut out for him as he makes his final presidential international trip through Greece, Germany and Peru where he will have to convince foreign leaders that Trump in the White House won't be as bad as they think. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/obama-trip-greece-germany-peru/index.html"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/14/us/politics/obama-heads-overseas-where-topic-of-trump-will-follow-him.html?ref=politics&_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>]
<strong>Where are they?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a></strong> chairs an Oversight hearing examining the Secret Service and goes to a hearing on the Central Wasatch National Conservation and Recreation Area Act, a House GOP organization conference and leadership elections.</li>
<li>Rep. Chris <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a></strong> keeps busy with a House Intelligence Committee briefing, a GOP Conference meeting, a get-together with Citizens' Climate Lobby, a meeting with JP Morgan Chase, voting and the GOP organizing conference and leadership elections.</li>
<li>Rep. Mia <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank"><strong>Love</strong></a> receives a business update from Utah Financial Services constituents, heads to a Financial Services Committee hearing, sits down with Citizens' Climate Lobby, swings by a House leadership election, hits by a Mountain Accord meeting and votes.</li>
<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> spends the day at Republican Governors Association meetings.</li>
<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> tours Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies, heads to a conference for the Certified Property Casualty Underwriters Association, sits down for an annual meeting with FEMA and attends a UserveUtah Commission meeting.</li>
<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>starts the morning with a breakfast meeting, hops on a teleconference with state auditors about improper Medicaid payments and kicks back at an annual service award dinner.</li>
</ul>
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— Thomas Burr and Zoe Woolf McGinn
<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/zoewmcginn"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/zoewmcginn</a>