This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Utah's McMullin to launch anti-Trump group. Trump's Supreme Court list narrowed to three — but doesn't include Utah's Mike or Tom Lee. Utah House Republicans want Trump to trim national monuments in the state.
Happy Wednesday. Former presidential candidate Evan McMullin and his running mate Mindy Finn will launch a new conservative group on Wednesday that's opposed to President Donald Trump, and will kick off the effort with a television advertisement questioning his connections to Russia. The new group will be called Stand Up Republic. [<a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/evan-mcmullin-to-launch-conservative-group-opposing-trump/article/2612880#.WIg1kJnXV7A.twitter">WashingtonExaminer</a>]
-> On a different note, it appears President Trump has narrowed his list of possible Supreme Court nominees and will announce his pick next week. Sen. Mike Lee and Utah Supreme Court Justice Thomas Lee didn't make the cut. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4859374-155/trump-narrows-supreme-court-picks-to"; target="_blank">APviaTrib</a>]
<strong>Topping the news: </strong>The head of Utah's World Trade Center says Trump's executive order abandoning the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement could hurt Utah, where international business makes up 22 percent of jobs. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4858828-155/utah-trade-chief-says-president-trump"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> House Speaker Greg Hughes denies allegations aired in court tying him to then-Attorneys General Mark Shurtleff and John Swallow and developers working on the Draper FrontRunner station. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4857456-155/utah-house-speaker-greg-hughes-name?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671755/Key-witness-in-Swallow-case-claims-Greg-Hughes-Harry-Reid-met-in-his-S-California-office.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/house-speaker-greg-hughes-implicated-in-swallow-case/645110784"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://www.ksl.com/?sid=42976158&nid=148&title=key-witness-in-swallow-case-greg-hughes-harry-reid-involved-in-secret-meetings"; target="_blank">KSL</a>]
-> Though no president has ever attempted to rescind a national monument, Utah House Republicans plan to ask Trump to rescind the newly-created Bears Ears National Monument and to downsize portions of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859353-155/utah-house-republicans-push-to-eliminate?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From <a href="https://twitter.com/conncarroll"; target="_blank">@conncarroll</a>: "I got dibs on 'Alternative Facts' as my fantasy football team name this year."
From <a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/JimDabakis"; target="_blank">@JimDabakis</a> "Alternative fact. More people at the Utah State Capitol Women's Rally today than at the Inauguration!"
From <a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/BetteMidler"; target="_blank">@BetteMidler</a>: "The bad news is SNL writer may lose her job for offensive & inappropriate tweet. The good news is she could still become President one day!"
<strong>In other news:</strong> State representatives are bringing back proposals to use federal land to create two new state parks. The park proposals for Little Sahara in Juab County and Hole-in-the-Rock in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area were introduced last session but did not pass in the Senate. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4858083-155/lawmakers-hope-to-create-utah-state"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<p class="p1">-> The House voted unanimously to eliminate the requirement that potential car dealerships buy property before getting a permit to operate their business. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859566-155/tesla-inspired-bill-to-waive-property-requirement"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> The House passed legislation requiring county clerks to notify voters if their ballots are spoiled so they can re-vote. Nearly 30,000 ballots were rejected in last year's election. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859585-155/after-30000-ballots-rejected-last-year"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671770/Some-spoiled-ballots-would-be-counted-under-proposal.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> The Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill that would let high schools keep the funding attached to students who graduate early. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859545-155/schools-would-keep-funding-when-students"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
-> State Sen. Lincoln Fillmore wants to stop special districts from appointing members who can raise taxes without being elected. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4807914-155/utah-lawmaker-says-you-could-be"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> A new University of Utah study suggests ordinances in Utah cities that limit the number of payday lenders have done little to curb the industry's presence. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4857952-155/study-local-ordinances-in-salt-lake"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<p class="p1">-> Despite a $1 million budget increase last year, Utah's medical examiners face higher-than-average workloads, contributing to the state's longer-than-average wait time for autopsy reports. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859550-155/too-many-dead-bodies-not-enough?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5;">-> </span>The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control asked for an additional $1.1 million to help boost employee pay. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4857958-155/utah-liquor-agency-seeks-1m-budget"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> State managers say lower estimates of Utah's population growth may allow them to delay construction of a series of dams and reservoirs along the Bear River. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4858267-155/with-water-demand-slowing-bear-river"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671689/State-Bear-River-Development-Project-can-be-delayed.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
-> The body-camera footage of police shooting then-teenager Abdi Mohamed received mixed reactions the day after it was released. The group Utah Against Police Brutality said the footage was "damning," but a police advocacy group said the shooting was legally justified. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859004-155/abdi-mohamed-shooting-police-group-says?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/aclu-praises-abdi-mohamed-body-cam-video-release-but-criticizes-da-for-waiting-so-long"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671660/Body-camera-footage-shown-in-court-as-case-ordered-to-proceed-against-Abdi-Mohamed.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/evidence-against-abdi-mohamed-unviled-in-court/644386431"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert's inauguration cost around $50,000 — of which about $40,000 came from public funds. But a survey from the Associated Press found that Herbert's inaugural costs were low compared to other inaugurations around the country. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859440-155/utah-gov-herberts-inauguration-cost-50k"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671754/Herberts-inauguration-cost-50K-in-public-private-money.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/herberts-inauguration-cost-50k-in-public-private-money"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.ksl.com/?sid=42975144&nid=148&title=herberts-inauguration-cost-50k-in-public-private-money"; target="_blank">KSL</a>]
-> A new report indicates teacher turnover could be significantly higher than previously thought. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671779/Utah-teacher-turnover-may-be-higher-than-previously-reported.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]
<p class="p1">-> The Utah Court of Appeals resolved a decade-long case involving two Duchesne County developers who were convicted for failure to file tax returns, ruling the state must refund penalties and interest paid after their convictions were overturned. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4800036-155/penalties-paid-by-utah-developers-whose?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> House Majority Leader Brad Wilson plans to introduce a bill that would eliminate the "Zion Curtain" — the 7-foot-tall barrier that prevents restaurant patrons from watching alcoholic drinks get mixed. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4859748-155/curtain-call-for-utahs-zion-curtain"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
-> Pat Bagley gives his take on right-wing lawmakers for putting their conservative agendas above the truth. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4859589-155/bagley-cartoon-murdering-the-truth"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<strong>Nationally: </strong>President Donald Trump signed executive orders approving the revival of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, marking a clear departure from the Obama administration. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/us/politics/keystone-dakota-pipeline-trump.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2017/01/24/trump-gives-green-light-to-dakota-access-keystone-xl-oil-pipelines/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_xlpipeline-1130a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.c925232afe0e" target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-signs-executive-actions-advancing-dakota-access-and-keystone-xl-pipelines/"; target="_blank">CBSNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/24/politics/trump-keystone-xl-dakota-access-pipelines-executive-actions/"; target="_blank">CNN</a>]
-> Officials in Trump's administration have instituted an information lockdown at multiple agencies, instructing employees to cease communication with the public through news releases and social media. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/federal-agencies-ordered-to-restrict-their-communications/2017/01/24/9daa6aa4-e26f-11e6-ba11-63c4b4fb5a63_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_gag7p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.48e8ba2dd3bf" target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/federal-agencies-trump-information-lockdown-234122"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/315989-trump-clamps-down-on-federal-agencies"; target="_blank">TheHill</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/us/politics/keystone-dakota-pipeline-trump.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>]
-> Trump is planning to sign executive orders on Wednesday concerning illegal immigration and making good on his election promise to construct a wall at the border of Mexico. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4860147-155/trump-moving-forward-with-border-wall"; target="_blank">APviaTrib</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/president-trump-is-planning-to-sign-executive-orders-on-immigration-this-week/2017/01/24/aba22b7a-e287-11e6-a453-19ec4b3d09ba_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_trumpdhs910p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.d565d4033f15" target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/24/us/politics/wall-border-trump.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/donald-trump-immigration-234142"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/jan/24/trump-sign-executive-order-border-wall-plans-immig/"; target="_blank">WaTimes</a>]
<strong>Where are they?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a></strong>, Rep. Chris <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a> and Rep. Mia <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank">Love</a><strong> </strong>attend the House and Senate Republican Retreat in Philadelphia.</li>
<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> meets with Democratic legislative leaders before his evening State of the State address.</li>
<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> talks to the media, meets with minority and majority leadership and attends the State of the State address.</li>
<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>presents before the Social Services Appropriation subcommittee and meets with legislators, a county commissioner and a group of Boy Scouts.</li>
<li>SL Co. Mayor Ben <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/MayorBenMcAdams"; target="_blank">McAdams</a></strong> heads to the third annual Winter Innovation Summit.</li>
<li>President Donald <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump"; target="_blank">Trump</a> </strong>catches up with his chief of staff before sitting for his official portrait in the Oval Office. In the afternoon, he'll visit the Department of Homeland Security before speaking with Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.</li>
</ul>
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— Thomas Burr and Taylor Stevens
<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/tstevens95"; target="_blank">Twitter.com/tstevens95</a>