This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Columnist: Hatch only one standing between Secretary of State Giuliani and President Giuliani. Hatch could seek an eighth term. Legislature passes gas tax fix.

Happy Thursday. A columnist for the Detroit Free Press notes that with some of the more surprising names being floated for President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet, there is a silver lining in the presidential succession: Sen. Orrin Hatch, as Senate president pro tem, is third in line for the presidency should the president, vice president and speaker be unable to serve. That makes Hatch, the columnist says, "the only man standing between Secretary of State Giuliani and <em>President</em> Giuliani." [<a href="http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/brian-dickerson/2016/11/16/presidential-succession/93901828/"; target="_blank">FreePress</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Sen. Orrin Hatch may run for an eighth term, but that isn't keeping a few other high profile Utah conservatives, including Evan McMullin, from eyeing the seat. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4595571-155/sen-orrin-hatch-considers-re-election-run?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/11/16/senator-orrin-hatch-evan-mcmullin-respond-to-possibility-of-running-in-2018/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]

-> Compromise bills on the gas tax formula flaw and vetoed recycling bill passed in a special legislative session Wednesday. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4596301-155/legislature-passes-special-session-bill-hopes-its?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667364/Utah-lawmakers-change-road-funds-formula-for-cities-counties-again.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/lawmakers-throw-3-million-at-fixing-problems-with-gas-tax"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/utah-lawmakers-pass-special-session-bill-fix-road-funding#stream/0"; target="_blank">KUER</a>]

-> The federal government says it will likely return Utah's mini-Medicaid expansion plan with changes. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4595547-155/feds-to-utah-expect-changes-to"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-lawmakers-hear-updates-on-medicaid-public-lands-push"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/danpfeiffer"; target="_blank">danpfeiffer</a>: "I really don't think Team Trump realizes they are in charge of the whole government without training wheels in two months."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/AliLozoff"; target="_blank">AliLozoff</a>: "According to Netflix the number 1 trending show right now is The West Wing. This does not surprise me in the least."

From @<a href="https://twitter.com/mattyglesias"; target="_blank">mattyglesias</a>: "Is Donald Trump conducting official business over an unsecured private telephone system rather than using appropriate equipment?"

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>to Alan Crooks, campaign manager for Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes.

<strong>In other news: </strong>The Utah Department of Transportation, which has been ready to go for the season's first snow storm for weeks, offers a list of safe winter driving tips. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4594268-155/crews-ready-for-first-snow-urge"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2016/11/16/go-time-for-udot-traffic-operations-center-as-first-snowstorm-of-season-approaches/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/snow-removal-crews-prepping-for-utahs-first-wintery-blast"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/udot-prepares-for-the-valleys-first-snowfall"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/what-to-remember-for-the-first-snowfall-of-the-season/article_4eb15a83-2eeb-5c8c-9dca-bad6d733af06.html"; target="_blank">Herald</a>]

-> Utahns moved at rates above the national average in 2015, and experts say that reflects the state's economy bouncing back from the recession. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4594705-155/restless-utahns-moving-more-than-average?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> State lawmakers push for new road recommendations at the Point of the Mountain after the president of Envision Utah — the firm planning development for the Draper state prison site when a new Salt Lake City prison goes up — told them Wednesday that the fast-growing area would turn into a bottleneck. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4595482-155/redeveloping-the-prison-site-faces-a"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The Utah Senate confirms retiring Rep. Kraig Powell as a 4th District Judge. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4596031-155/senate-confirms-powell-to-4th-district"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667361/Senate-confirms-judge-despite-LGBT-concerns-over-past-legislation.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/senate-approves-lawmaker-for-state-judge-position"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

-> The Utah Supreme Court dismisses ex-Attorney General John Swallow's petition to drop his case over investigators' intrusion of his private emails with a defense lawyer. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4596065-155/swallow-loses-round-as-utahs-top"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667356/Utah-Supreme-Court-declines-to-hear-appeal-in-John-Swallow-criminal-case.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> Utah Transit Authority chief Jerry Benson told the UTA Board Wednesday that the agency should comb through the budget for ways to expand service without raising taxes — at least for now. Benson said if Utah wants to see the advanced systems other Western cities have, a tax increase is on the horizon. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4596014-155/uta-chief-seeks-to-expand-service?page=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667353/UTA-chief-says-back-to-basics-approach-will-guide-agency-in-2017.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> In an Arizona state effort on top of the U.S. Department of Justice's lawsuit, police regulators voted Wednesday to start the process of removing the police marshals from their posts in twin polygamous towns on the Utah-Arizona border. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4590424-155/arizona-begins-process-of-booting-polygamous"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Taylorsville City Council, with Alliance for a Better Utah at its flanks, falls one vote short of overriding the mayor's veto of an ordinance that clamped down on campaign finance. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4594553-155/group-urges-override-of-taylorsville-mayors"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865667338/Group-urges-override-of-Taylorsville-mayors-campaign-finance-law-veto.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> As student government at Brigham Young University considers relocating a wall dedicated to BYU alumni who died in wars to a busier spot, ROTC students call the move unpatriotic. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4595796-155/byu-student-government-mulling-relocation-of"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Pat Bagley gives his take on who's behind the fake news infiltrating Facebook and Twitter. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/bagley/4596144-155/bagley-cartoon-fake-news"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> Donald Trump takes a big "drain the swamp" step: ban registered lobbyists from working under his administration and ban officials leaving government from lobbying for five years. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/11/16/trump-administration-will-ban-lobbyists-enact-five-year-lobbying-ban-after-leaving-government/"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/donald-trump-lobbying-ban-231534"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/17/us/politics/aides-to-donald-trump-announce-curbs-on-lobbyists.html?ref=politics&_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>]

-> The Post puts together the contenders for the big jobs in the Trump administration. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-administration-appointee-tracker/?hpid=hp_rhp-top-table-main_powercenters-810pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory">WaPost</a>]

-> Hillary Clinton, after a low-profile week since giving her concession speech, steps out into the spotlight again at a Children's Defense Fund event to lift up her supporters' spirits. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2016/11/hillary-clinton-speech-loss-231533"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hillary-clinton-in-first-formal-talk-since-conceding-there-is-common-ground-to-build-upon/2016/11/16/180efaf8-ac1a-11e6-977a-1030f822fc35_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a></strong> heads to a Republican Study Committee Chair election, votes and flies back to Utah.</li>

<li>Rep. Chris <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a></strong> starts the morning at a breakfast with the Department of Energy and a House Intelligence Committee hearing. Later he meets with the Ethiopian National Project and the Society for Human Resource Management before voting.</li>

<li>Rep. Mia <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank"><strong>Love</strong></a> catches up with staff and House leadership, votes and heads back to Utah.</li>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> flies in to Salt Lake City and drops in at a senior staff planning session.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> sits down with legislators and sits in on a senior staff planning session.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>meets with county auditors at the Utah Association of Counties annual convention.</li>

<li>State Treasurer David <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/DamschenDavid"; target="_blank">Damschen</a></strong> talks over policy issues with Alaska State Treasurer Pam Leary and goes to an administrative/investments meeting of the Utah Retirement Systems board.</li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>spends the day at the German Chancellery in a bilateral meeting, holds a press conference and eats dinner with Chancellor Angela Merkel.</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>