This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Is Rep. Jason Chaffetz 'the prince of oversight'? Salt Lake County set to announce selection for homeless shelter site. Poll says most Utahns do not know a homeless person.
Happy Friday. Republican Rep. Jason Chaffetz is caught in a balancing act. As chairman of the Oversight Committee, he's tasked with being a White House watchdog. But with a GOP president in office, some critics say he's not investigating the administration with as much vigor as he would have had Democrat Hillary Clinton won. Instead, some suggest, Chaffetz is caught carefully trying to police his own party without damaging his conservative popularity and future bids for higher office. "Somebody'll do something stupid at some point, and we'll be all over it," he assured about looking into President Donald Trump. So is Chaffetz, then, "the prince of oversight"? [<a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/03/jason-chaffetz-oversight/521271/?preview=Om3NJZI3oKDFko7u9kCSumc0jR8">TheAtlantic</a>]
<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Though Draper Mayor Troy Walker announced his intention to rescind his offer of two potential sites for a homeless shelter in his city, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams later said the locations are still on the table. The county will announce its top choice today and the state's Homeless Coordinating Committee will weigh the decision until April 10. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5120402-155/mcadams-to-announce-his-top-choice?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676726/McAdams-Proposed-Draper-sites-for-homeless-shelter-remain-options.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/30/mayor-mcadams-still-considering-nine-potential-sites-for-new-homeless-resource-center/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/despite-local-outrage-draper-could-house-homeless-shelter"; target="_blank">KUTV</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/looming-deadline-where-will-the-third-homeless-resource-center-go/683270010"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]
-> A new Salt Lake Tribune-Hinckley Institute of Politics poll shows that 79 percent of registered Utah voters say they do not know anyone who is currently or has been homeless in the past two years — which may contribute to the "Not in My Backyard" attitude that has surrounded recent conversations over where to place a new shelter. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5122365-155/most-utahns-dont-know-a-homeless"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder defended his 21-point plan to deal with the issues erupting near the Road Home homeless shelter and the surrounding Rio Grande neighborhood. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5120160-155/search-homeless-at-shelter-keep-out"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676761/Sheriff-defends-his-harsh-plan-to-solve-homelessness-crisis.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/30/sheriffs-plan-to-solve-homeless-issue-has-some-concerned-about-invasions-of-privacy/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]
<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/danpfeiffer">danpfeiffer</a>: "The Trump White House: The plot of House of Cards with the characters from Veep"
-> From <a class="ProfileHeaderCard-screennameLink u-linkComplex js-nav" href="https://twitter.com/pbump"; target="_blank">@pbump</a>: "Love when Spicer says that he will let vague tweets 'speak for themselves.' If they spoke for themselves, no need to ask about them."
<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>Today to state Rep. Jim Dunnigan and ABC's Meredith Nettles. On Saturday to<b> </b>Mimi Andrews,<b> </b>former state Sen. Chris Buttars and Matt Harakal, former spokesman for Sen. Orrin Hatch. And Sunday to former state Reps. Dana Layton and Julie Fisher and State Auditor John Dougall.
<strong>Hitting another milestone:</strong> Democrat Kathryn Allen has raised more than $500,000 in donations since she announced her bid to run against Rep. Jason Chaffetz in early March.
<strong>Behind the Headlines: </strong>Salt Lake Tribune reporter Chris Smart, Washington bureau chief Thomas Burr, editorial writer George Pyle and senior managing editor Matt Canham join KCPW's Roger McDonough to talk about the week's top stories, including homelessness and the 2018 Senate race. Listen at KCPW.org or tune in to KCPW or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast from 9-<span class="m_2040089167160630532m_8970736922217522827gmail-m_-4265483279800730830gmail-m_-3973982441317444429m_6600532312557774832gmail-m_6094597647190209037gmail-m_-8649229508051254198gmail-il">10</span> a.m.
<strong>In other news: </strong>It can take up to nine months or more for foreign religious workers to secure a visa to come to the United States. Under prompting from The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sen. Orrin Hatch introduced the Religious Worker Visa Improvement Act to streamline the process. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/5122288-155/mormon-church-turns-to-hatch-for"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
<p class="p1">-> The North Utah County Water Conservancy District will pay the state a $52,500 civil penalty for discharging metal-laced sediment into American Fork River last fall, as well as more than $92,000 to reimburse costs incurred during the response to the spill. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5121306-155/water-officials-will-pay-145k-for"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Sen. Orrin Hatch and Rep. Jason Chaffetz are looking to resolve water rights claims between Utah and the Navajo Nation with a negotiated settlement in Congress rather than through the court system. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676750/Congress-to-consider-water-rights-settlement-between-Utah-Navajo-Nation.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of reinstating federal protections for the Utah prairie dog — a reversal for property rights activists who had persuaded a judge that prohibitions against killing or harassing the rodents infringed on private property rights. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5117333-155/court-ruling-preserves-federal-protections-for"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/appeals-court-restores-federal-protections-for-prairie-dog"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Stan Penfold, who made history as the first openly gay person elected to the Salt Lake City Council, says he will not seek reelection for a third term. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5121299-155/penfold-to-step-down-from-salt"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676785/Salt-Lake-City-Councilman-Stan-Penfold-not-seeking-re-election.html"; target="_blank">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> On Tuesday, a Third District Judge ruled against a new American Preparatory Academy high school in a property dispute over a nearby roadway. Yesterday, the Draper charter school received another setback when construction workers were told to stop working on the school building in likely violation of permits issued by the Utah Board of Education. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5120744-155/american-preparatory-academy-ordered-to-halt"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> Though a measure to allow Utah schools to start classes later failed in this year's Legislature, Logan's school board approved a measure to give its high school students an extra 30 minutes of sleep next year. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/later-start-times-approved-for-northern-utah-schools"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> An ex-polygamist says she believes Gov. Herbert's approval of House Bill 99, which will make polygamy a second degree felony, will cause more harm than good and will fail to stop abuse. [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/bigamy-bill-angers-ex-polygamist-turned-activist/683364150"; target="_blank">ABC4</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> A Salt Lake fire captain's allegations of discrimination and whistle-blowing retaliation from the city, Mayor Jackie Biskupski, the former fire chief and other fire officials will be heard in federal court. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865676762/Fire-captains-discrimination-lawsuit-against-Salt-Lake-moves-to-federal-court.html">DNews</a>]</p>
<p class="p1">-> A group of future lawyers from Brigham Young University spent five days volunteering at a facility in Texas where women and children caught crossing the border illegally await U.S. authorities' decision on whether they'll be granted asylum. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/lifestyle/faith/5001136-155/byu-law-students-help-fleeing-immigrants?fullpage=1"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]</p>
-> Paul Rolly says a Wasatch prosecutor's warnings to Utah senators of a bounty hanging over their heads after they passed new sex-offender legislation is a "this county ain't big enough for the three of us" kind of moment. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5117287-155/rolly-wasatch-prosecutor-warns-utah-senators"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Robert Gehrke imagines the divine perspective of a "scraggly homeless-looking guy in his early 30s who may well be living in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Pioneer Park" to consider a new side of the homeless shelter debate. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5122048-155/gehrke-when-it-comes-to-homeless"; target="_blank">Trib</a>]
-> Utah's non-profits kicked off the fifth-annual Love Utah Give Utah, a 24-hour fundraising blitz that encourages people to "give where they live" with the overarching goal of raising $1.7 million for participating organizations. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5117939-155/give-where-you-live-24-hour-fundraising"; target="_blank">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/03/30/utahns-open-their-hearts-and-wallets-for-love-utah-give-utah/"; target="_blank">Fox13</a>]
-> A program designed to make clean needles available to addicts in order to curb the spread of Hepatitis C and the HIV virus has been put on hold following concerns from law enforcement that it would actually encourage drug use. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-needle-exchange-program-put-on-hold"; target="_blank">APviaKUTV</a>]
<strong>Nationally:</strong> House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said two White House officials helped provide him with the intelligence reports that showed that President Donald Trump and his associates were swept up in foreign surveillance by American spy agencies. [<a href="http://thehill.com/homenews/house/326647-nunes-i-used-wh-to-confirm-what-i-already-knew"; target="_blank">TheHill</a>] [<a href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/politics/devin-nunes-intelligence-reports.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/report-white-house-officials-aided-nunes-getting-intel-reports-n740631"; target="_blank">NBCNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/30/white-house-officials-leaked-rep-devin-nunes-surve/?"; target="_blank">WaTimes</a>]
-> Former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn says he is willing to be interviewed about ties between the Trump administration and Russia — in exchange for immunity. [<a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/michael-flynns-attorney-says-hes-seeking-immunity-testify/"; target="_blank">PBSNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/30/politics/michael-flynn-immunity-testimony/"; target="_blank">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/30/lawyer-michael-flynn-in-talks-with-congress-about-/"; target="_blank">WaTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mike-flynn-willing-testify-return-immunity-n740836"; target="_blank">NBCNews</a>]
<p class="p1">-> The Senate sent a bill to Trump's desk that would give states permission to withhold federal family planning funds from Planned Parenthood. Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of the measure. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/mike-pence-johnny-isakson-planned-parenthood-vote-senate-236702"; target="_blank">Politico</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/03/30/pence-breaks-tie-on-debate-for-planned-parenthood-measure/?utm_term=.884713ce4c43"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/politics/pence-congress-family-planning-money.html"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/congress-lets-states-block-planned-parenthood-money-46473310"; target="_blank">ABCNews</a>]</p>
-> North Carolina's governor signed a bill repealing portions of the state's controversial "bathroom bill," including a requirement that restricted what public restrooms transgender people could use. [<a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/03/30/522009335/north-carolina-lawmakers-governor-announce-compromise-to-repeal-bathroom-bill"; target="_blank">NPR</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/30/us/north-carolina-senate-acts-to-repeal-restrictive-bathroom-law.html?_r=0"; target="_blank">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2017/03/30/north-carolina-lawmakers-say-theyve-agreed-on-a-deal-to-repeal-the-bathroom-bill/?utm_term=.6ca583baef4a"; target="_blank">WaPost</a>] [<a href="http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/watch-live-nc-legislature-debates-repeal-hb2-bathroom-bill/"; target="_blank">PBSNews</a>]
<strong>Where are they?</strong>
<ul>
<li>Rep. Chris <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepChrisStewart"; target="_blank">Stewart</a> </strong>hosts his third annual "America's Role in the World" conference and later holds a town hall meeting.</li>
<li>Rep. Mia <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove"; target="_blank">Love</a> </strong>conducts a strategy and planning meeting with district office staff and meets with constituents.</li>
<li>State Auditor John <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong></strong>chats with a member of the Utah State Board of Education and attends the Cache County GOP convention.</li>
<li>President Donald <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump">Trump</a> </strong></strong>meets with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, receives his daily intelligence briefing and makes an announcement with the National Association of Manufacturers. In the afternoon, he meets with the director of the National Institutes of Health and then with the director of the Office of Management and Budget.</li>
</ul>
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— Courtney Tanner and Taylor Stevens