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Trump friends and donors jockey for ambassadorships. Man at center of Swallow scandal refuses to testify. McMullin calls for congressional inquiry over Trump's Russia ties.

Happy Thursday. It happens every four to eight years: Friends and donors of the president line up to press for a cushy gig as a U.S. ambassador to a sun-kissed or culturally drenched spot. And President Donald Trump has a lot of friends. Immediately after the election, the presidential transition team began collecting names and winnowing a list of top contenders for ambassadorships. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/whos-got-dibs-on-france-trump-friends-and-donors-jockey-for-ambassadorships/2017/02/15/94d111ee-efb7-11e6-9973-c5efb7ccfb0d_story.html?hpid=hp_rhp-banner-main_ambassadors-8p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.7afa6940b7f1">WaPost</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>The man whose mouth started the whole scandal around former Utah Attorney General John Swallow refused to testify in court yesterday and was held in contempt; he'll be asked again today. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4945546-155/now-johnson-isnt-talking-he?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673446/List-of-potential-Swallow-trial-witnesses-a-whos-who-of-Utah-politicians.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/jeremy-johnson-refuses-to-testify-in-john-swallow-trial/656897516"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/jeremy-johnson-refuses-to-answer-questions-in-john-swallow-trial"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/02/15/jeremy-johnson-refuses-to-testify-in-swallow-corruption-trial/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]

<p class="p1">-> Earlier, day six of Swallow's case began with cross-examination of Assistant Utah Attorney General Scott Reed, who gave his account of the negotiations that led to a plea agreement in Marc Sessions Jenson's 2005 criminal case. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4945521-155/latest-from-the-john-swallow-corruption?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1"> -> Utah native and former presidential candidate Evan McMullin called for a congressional investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump administration during the presidential election. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4947206-155/utah-native-mcmullin-calls-for-deep?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>

-> Though current state law prohibits single-party dominance of state boards, new legislation in the House would remove those restrictions and prohibit party affiliation from being considered when appointing board members or commissioners. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946875-155/senate-poised-to-ok-removing-party?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> The House voted in favor of a bill to stop considerations of race and gender when nominating judges, with its sponsor arguing compliance to the Utah Constitution means looking only at "fitness for office." [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946576-155/utah-house-votes-to-ban-considering"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673511/Bill-removes-gender-race-from-judicial-nomination-process.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] (More news from the Utah Legislature below)

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From <a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/Acosta"; target="_blank">@Acosta</a>: "Spicer says Trump rally in FL Saturday is a 'campaign' event. So the 2020 campaign has begun."

-> From <a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/fordm"; target="_blank">@fordm</a>: "It's less of a 'news cycle' these days and more of that BSG episode where the Cylons attack every 33 minutes."

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>To Dylan Gibson and Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes.

<strong>In other news: </strong>Rep. Jason Chaffetz is calling for an investigation into information leaked to reporters about President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673506/Chaffetz-calling-for-investigation-of-mishandling-of-classified-information-in-reporting-on-Trump.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

<span style="line-height: 1.5;">-> </span>At the newly-opened Eccles Theatre, a product of Salt Lake City and County's Downtown Rising action plan, lawmakers gathered together to promote the next steps for the city, which may include a public market, a sports and fitness facility and a streetcar. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4945516-155/salt-lake-city-vision-includes-public"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673487/Downtown-Rising-wish-list-revealed-includes-a-new-school.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/the-new-vision-for-downtown-salt-lake-city/657125980"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/local-lawmakers-unveil-updated-downtown-rising-action-plan"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/02/15/new-plans-for-downtown-slc-include-high-tech-campus-convention-hotel-charter-school/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]

-> Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says he will use a trip to Washington next week to talk about Bears Ears National park and discuss states' authority. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673496/Herbert-talks-cutting-US-Education-Department-upcoming-DC-trip.html"; target="_blank">APviaDNews</a>]

-> Garfield County Commissioners agreed to hold a hearing March 13 before voting on whether to ask Congress to dramatically shrink the size of Utah's Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4941386-155/escalante-business-owners-rebel-against-anti-monument?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673421/Southern-Utah-residents-speak-against-resolution-to-make-Grand-Staircase-Escalante-smaller.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/proposal-to-change-national-monument-stirrup-concern-among-southern-utah-groups"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]

<p class="p1">-> A Colorado nonprofit group launched a public campaign to bring the Outdoor Retailer away from Salt Lake City after its contract ends in 2018. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673503/Pressure-over-public-lands-pushes-effort-to-move-Outdoor-Retailer-show-from-Utah.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/colorado-group-tries-to-lure-outdoor-retailer-show-from-utah"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Some Utah Democrats say they are in favor of Washington lawmakers repealing a rule that strengthened the federal background check system for people with mental disorders. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/some-local-democrat-leaders-favor-repealing-obamas-mental-health-gun-law"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>]</p>

-> North Ogden Mayor Brent Taylor says the Utah Transit Authority is blocking his appointment to its board because of his vocal intentions to reform the agency and cut salaries. But UTA Board Chairman Robert McKinley says it's seeking rather to avoid nepotism, since Taylor's father works as a FrontRunner operator for the agency. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4942507-155/uta-improperly-blocking-appointment-to-its?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> A Holladay City councilman proposed that he and his colleagues sign a pledge to report and pay taxes on their online purchases to help combat the loss of sales tax revenues from internet retail, calling it his "moral duty." [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946177-155/holladay-city-leaders-propose-taking-the"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

<p class="p1">-> Utah Highway Patrol seized about 500 pounds of meth last year, but one official said the department is only able to solve about 10 percent of cases when it comes to investigating where suspects were coming from, where they were going, and who they were working for. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946123-155/utah-police-finding-an-alarming-amount"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/02/15/utah-troopers-see-spike-in-drug-seizures-say-traffickers-becoming-more-careless/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> The Utah Division of State History recently released 171,000 images from The Salt Lake Tribune's photo archives on its history website. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946497-155/171000-photos-of-utah-history-are"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> A survey from the Pew Research Center shows that Americans feel as favorably toward Muslims today as they did Mormons three years ago. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/4946342-155/americans-view-muslims-mormons-more-favorably"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673443/All-major-faith-groups-except-evangelicals-are-viewed-more-warmly-today-than-in-2014.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on who's running the American show. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4947474-155/bagley-cartoon-best-in-show"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Paul Rolly remembers the unique and at times tumultuous tenure of Dominic Welch, the Salt Lake Tribune's former publisher, who died of brain cancer yesterday at age 84. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4909520-155/dominic-welch-former-salt-lake-tribune"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]

-> Robert Gehrke<span class="s1"> explores the processes behind the Mountain Accord and argues the $8 million </span><span class="s1">endeavor should have followed the state's Open and Public Meetings Act. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4942788-155/gehrke-more-daylight-is-whats-needed?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</span>

<strong>From the Hill: </strong>A bill in the House that would create a pilot program to provide effective educators with a $5,000 incentive to teach at low-income schools in the state cleared through committee. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946069-155/bill-to-give-teachers-at-low-income"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673477/Salary-bonuses-proposed-for-teachers-in-high-poverty-schools.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]

-> A poll from the Alliance for a Better Utah about feelings toward Trump's plans to repeal and replace the ACA recently found strong opposition to eliminating rules on pre-existing conditions. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946006-155/majority-of-utahns-polled-by-group"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673485/Utahns-visit-Capitol-to-laud-benefits-of-Affordable-Care-Act.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-group-highlights-health-care-law-support"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]

<p class="p1">-> In response to a bill that looks to change laws about non-compete clauses, which ban employees from working for competitors after they leave jobs, the Free Enterprise Utah coalition announced its formation and intention to defend such clauses. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4946605-155/business-coalition-forms-to-defend-non-compete"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/02/15/coalition-of-utah-business-leaders-speak-against-changing-non-compete-laws/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> A bill from Rep. Brad Daw would allow Utah County cities to raise local sales taxes to improve local roads without having to raise taxes at the same time for the Utah Transit Authority. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4947485-155/proposal-would-allow-local-sales-tax-hike"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Legislation that would allow street-legal all-terrain vehicles on most roads in Salt Lake County is headed to the Senate for consideration. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4947087-155/street-legal-atvs-could-be-coming-to"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673488/Bill-pushes-for-street-legal-OHV-use-in-Salt-Lake-County.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Mobile home park owners and tenants united in favor of legislation that would better define each group's rights. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4945960-155/miracle-mobile-home-park-owners-tenants"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> A bill clarifying residency requirements for city officials moved forward to the Senate for consideration. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4947511-155/bill-would-require-elected-city-leaders"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> A House committee put a bill on hold that would create a process for courts to intervene on behalf of those with substance abuse orders. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673508/Substance-abuse-treatment-intervention-bill-on-hold.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Aerospace companies, industry associations and educational institutions from across the state visited Capitol Hill for Aerospace Day on the Hill. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865673486/Aerospace-enthusiasts-drop-in-for-a-visit-to-the-Capitol.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>

<strong>Nationally:</strong> President Donald Trump abandoned decades of diplomatic orthodoxy at a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the United States would no longer insist on a Palestinian state as part of a peace accord between Israel and Palestinians. [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/15/politics/netanyahu-trump-white-house-visit/"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/world/middleeast/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-trump.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/15/trump-brings-art-deal-middle-east-negotiations/"; target="_blank">WaTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/02/15/514986341/watch-live-trump-netanyahu-hold-joint-press-conference-at-white-house"; target="_blank">NPR</a>]

-> Andy Puzder, Trump's nominee for labor secretary, withdrew his nomination as some Republicans said they couldn't support him the day before his hearing was scheduled. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/politics/andrew-puzder-withdrew-labor-secretary.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/labor-secretary-nominee-andy-puzder-expected-withdraw-nomination-n721421"; target="_blank">NBCNews</a>] [<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiGnM-93ZPSAhVF7oMKHedpAd8QqQIIGigAMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fhomenews%2Fadministration%2F319739-puzder-withdraws-nomination-for-labor-secretary&usg=AFQjCNECZ61Rdn06DHXHgBNsdYfVCkdQIg" target="_blank">TheHill</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/now-6-republicans-are-on-the-fence-about-andrew-puzder/2017/02/15/e34cada6-f38b-11e6-8d72-263470bf0401_story.html"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>]

-> Trump said Michael Flynn, his former national security adviser, was treated unfairly and brought down by "very un-American" and illegal leaks to news media. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/02/15/trump-reveled-in-leaks-that-hurt-hillary-clinton-he-now-calls-administration-disclosures-un-american/?utm_term=.a09a012ec333"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/15/us/politics/trump-condemns-leaks-to-news-media-in-a-twitter-flurry.html?emc=edit_ne_20170215&nl=evening-briefing&nlid=78265872&te=1"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/319666-trump-flynn-treated-badly-by-fake-media"; target="_blank">TheHill</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Jason <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse"; target="_blank">Chaffetz</a> </strong>attends a civil service reform discussion with oversight members and a postal reform meeting at the White House before returning to Utah.</li>

<li>Rep. Mia <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank">Love</a> </strong>heads to a legislative meeting with staff and a healthcare meeting with the Utah delegation and Intermountain Healthcare.</li>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a> </strong>hosts a weekly meeting with legislative leadership, speaks with the media and meets with the Outdoor Industry Association and staff before attending the Jr. Achievement Hall of Fame Dinner in Salt Lake City.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a> </strong>attends a weekly meeting with legislative leadership and a legislative strategy meeting and greets the Ambassador of Uzbekistan. Later, he heads to the Women's Leadership Institute Political Development Graduation, meets with the Outdoor Industry Association, receives a legislative update and attends the Jr. Achievement Hall of Fame Dinner.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong></strong>meets with various legislators and attends a local government board meeting.</li>

<li>President Donald <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">Trump</a> </strong></strong>participates in a congressional listening session, speaks with Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi and meets with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Later, he signs H.J. Res. 38, which disapproves the rule submitted by the Department of the Interior known as the Stream Protection Rule, and tapes his weekly address.</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">Twitter.com/tstevens95</a>