This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Some House Dems plan to challenge Trump's Electoral College victory today. Hatch says Congress won't be 'reckless' in tossing out Obamacare. Congressman raises concerns about Utah Retirement Systems selling California hotel.
Happy Friday. Some 10 House Democrats will contest the validity of Donald Trump's election Friday, when lawmakers meet at the Capitol to certify his Electoral College victory. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee says that she and her allies plan to challenge the validity of electoral votes in multiple states, where she argued voter suppression tactics may have tainted the outcome. She said a separate batch of challenges will focus on disqualifying electors who may have been ineligible to serve at all. The move, though, is moot as the GOP controls the House and no senator is expected to join the challenge. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/house-democrats-trump-electoral-college-233264">Politico</a>]
<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Sen. Orrin Hatch says Congress doesn't "want to be reckless" in dismantling Obamacare, but will instead work carefully to come up with an alternative plan — though it's not clear exactly what that will look like. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4786113-155/utahns-in-congress-ready-to-pounce?page=1">Trib</a>]
-> If Utah Retirement Systems sells a hotel it owns in California, will Chinese buyers use it to spy on U.S. officials? One congressman thinks so. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4785744-155/congressman-raises-chinese-espionage-alarm-over">Trib</a>]
-> The interest rates on payday loans in Utah compares to what the New York mafia used to charge. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4785118-155/taking-out-a-payday-loan-in?page=2">Trib</a>]
<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/StephenAtHome">StephenAtHome</a>: "Free marijuana will be given out on Inauguration Day to protesters. Half will march to the White House, the other half to the White Castle."
From @<a href="http://www.twitter.com/ryanstruyk">ryanstruyk</a>: "Kellyanne Conway on Fox this morning: 'Does anyone fit more into 140 characters than this man?'"
<strong>Behind the Headlines: </strong>Tribune reporters Matt Piper, Thomas Burr and Emma Penrod as well as columnist Robert Gehrke join reporter Benjamin Wood to talk about the week's top stories, including Bears Ears and homeless resource centers. Listen at KCPW.org or tune in to KCPW or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast from 9-10 a.m.
<strong>In other news: </strong>The most controversial of the four sites selected by Salt Lake City officials for new homeless shelters came with a $7 million price tag. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4785825-155/salt-lake-city-spent-7-million?fullpage=1">Trib</a>]
-> Residents near the proposed shelter site at 275 W. High Avenue, by Smith's Ballpark, were less tense at a community meeting Thursday night than at others this week. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/near-high-avenue-shelter-site-a-quieter-and-more-supportive-crowd-greets-biskupski">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865670552/Ballpark-area-sets-new-tone-on-homeless-plan-efforts-to-cut-Sugar-House-site-simmer.html">DNews</a>]
-> Salt Lake City will offer six weeks of paid leave to full-time employees that will include, for the first time, both mothers and fathers. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4785585-155/salt-lake-city-announces-paid-parental">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865670523/Salt-Lake-City-employees-now-get-paid-parental-leave.html">DNews</a>]
 
-> Former Utah Attorney General John Swallow may request a delay in his upcoming trial. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4786216-155/swallow-host-of-new-witnesses-and">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865670521/Former-Attorney-General-John-Swallow-seeks-to-postpone-his-upcoming-criminal-trial.html">DNews</a>]
-> Paul Rolly talks with a state senator who visited the turbulent Middle East and found signs of peace in the middle of a war zone. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4784737-155/rolly-utah-legislator-sees-a-softer?page=1">Trib</a>]
-> A new poll shows 55 percent of Utahns oppose the "big, beautiful wall" that President-elected Donald Trump proposed during his campaign to stop illegal immigration. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865670528/Poll-Utahns-dont-want-President-elect-Trumps-US-Mexico-border-wall.html">DNews</a>]
<strong>Nationally:</strong> Top U.S. intelligence officials affirmed that the Russian government used hacking, as well as "classical propaganda, disinformation and fake news," in an effort to influence the 2016 presidential election. [<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/us/politics/taking-aim-at-trump-leaders-strongly-affirm-findings-on-russian-hacking.html?ref=politics">NYTimes</a>]
-> Trump plans to nominates former Indiana Sen. Dan Coats as director of national intelligence. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-expected-to-name-ex-senator-dan-coats-as-director-of-national-intelligence/2017/01/05/6ad3a7f6-d380-11e6-945a-76f69a399dd5_story.html?utm_term=.d3b28b13d550">WaPost</a>][<a href="http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/05/trump-has-reportedly-picked-ex-sen-dan-coats-as-director-of-national-intelligence.html">CNBC</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/05/politics/dan-coats-picked-to-be-director-of-national-intelligence/">CNN</a>]
-> James Woolsey, former CIA director, resigned from Trump's transition team Thursday. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/01/05/former-cia-director-james-woolsey-quits-trump-transition-team/?utm_term=.a396d2e158d3">WaPost</a>]
<strong>Where are they?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a></strong> votes and returns to Utah to attend a memorial service for LaVell Edwards.</li>
<li>Rep. Mia <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank"><strong>Love</strong></a> counts electoral votes in a joint session, casts her vote and flies back to Utah.</li>
<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>meets with local government officials and makes phone calls.</li>
<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>participates in an interview with Vox.</li>
</ul>
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— Thomas Burr and Miranda Tilley
<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mtilley11">Twitter.com/mtilley11</a>