This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

Former VP candidate Mindy Finn may leave the GOP. Lee helping to write alternative GOP health care bill. New Utah group targets redistricting.

Happy Wednesday. As a vice presidential candidate, Mindy Finn and her top-of-the-ticket-partner Evan McMullin grabbed 21 percent of Utah's vote for president in November. Now Finn may be leaving the GOP. "Donald Trump's Republican Party is not a party I recognize," Finn said, deriding the president as "dangerous" for the country. "It is not a party that I feel very comfortable affiliating with." [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/07/05/whats-next-for-mindy-finn-240205">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>Sen. Mike Lee is part of an effort to write a conservative alternative to the Senate's health care bill that would garner the support of the majority. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865684187/Sen-Lee-seen-as-shifting-from-bomb-thrower-to-consensus-builder-on-health-care.html">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://kuer.org/post/utah-sen-mike-lee-proposes-update-senate-health-bill">KUER</a>]

-> Utah offers 91 sales tax exemptions that keeps the state from $650 million in revenue each year. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5445020-155/utah-loses-650-million-each-year">Trib</a>]

-> A new political issues committee, Utahns for Responsive Government, is pushing for a ballot initiative that would create an independent commission to redraw political district boundaries. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5470528-155/ballot-initiative-forming-to-create-independent">Trib</a>]

-> If Obamacare is repealed without a replacement, as many as 200,000 Utahns could lose health insurance according to the Utah Health Policy Project and Voices for Utah's Children. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865684188/Groups-say-ACA-repeal-without-replacement-could-hurt-200K-Utahns.html">DNews</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day:</strong> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/jackshafer">jackshafer</a>: "The 4th isn't complete unless some lazy op-ed page publishes a 'Declaration of Interdependence.'"

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/BronzeHammer">BronzeHammer</a>: "North Korea launched a missile huh? Whoopee doo. Hey Kim, call me when you launch a beloved comedy podcast. Unless you're scared"

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei">GeorgeTakei</a>: "Many are concerned there's no agenda for Donald's meeting with Putin. Not sure how much time will be left after the arm wrestling match tho."

<strong>Happy Birthday: </strong>To former state Rep. Johnny Anderson.

<strong>In other news:</strong> The Utah Supreme Court ruled that a naked self-portrait a father sent to his 5-year-old daughter is not sexually suggestive. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5433194-155/mans-drawing-of-himself-naked-was">Trib</a>]

-> Josh Holt, a Utah man who has been held in a Venezuelan prison for over a year, was reportedly injured. [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/josh-holt-injured-in-venezuelan-prison/757539230">ABC4</a>]

-> A former child bride is seeking millions of dollars from Warren Jeffs and the FLDS church. [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/07/03/ex-child-bride-could-get-millions-in-lawsuit-against-utah-polygamous-church/">FOX13</a>]

-> Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke plans to overhaul the BLM's planning and environmental review procedures. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865684162/BLM-wants-to-streamline-its-review-planning-procedures.html">DNews</a>]

-> Michael Fowlks was appointed interim director of the Division of Wildlife Resources after former Director Greg Sheehan was named head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865684167/Division-of-Wildlife-Resources-gets-interim-director.html">DNews</a>]

-> Myton, a tiny Utah city, decided to drop an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court and instead negotiate with the Ute Indian Tribe in a border dispute. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5470990-155/tiny-utah-city-drops-appeal-to">Trib</a>]

-> A grass-roots preservation group is working to keep Murray from tearing down four buildings that are more than a century old. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5453883-155/wrecking-ball-set-for-four-murray">Trib</a>]

-> West Wendover is considering an ordinance that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to open in the city. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5470233-155/medical-marijuana-dispensary-may-open-in">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/07/03/west-wendover-city-council-takes-up-marijuana-sales-ordinance-this-week/">FOX13</a>]

-> For someone who starts a wildfire, the maximum penalty is a class A misdemeanor. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5470610-155/the-maximum-criminal-penalty-for-accidentally">Trib</a>]

-> This year was Millcreek's first Independence Day as a city. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5473456-155/millcreek-an-old-fashioned-4th-in-a">Trib</a>]

-> For 21 Utahns, their first full day as citizens coincided with Independence Day. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5465061-155/for-the-first-time-21-utahns">Trib</a>]

-> Pat Bagley depicts what would have happened if dogs had signed the Declaration of Independence. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5470429-155/bagley-cartoon-the-doglaration-of-independence">Trib</a>]

-> Paul Rolly contends that while celebrating Independence Day, citizens shouldn't forget that the American Dream is still alive for immigrants and refugees like Amandine Akimana. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5461464-155/rolly-from-unschooled-refugee-to-college-bound">Trib</a>]

-> Robert Gehrke argues that state Rep. Mike Noel's discourse on the Brian Head Fire leads residents away from the truth. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5462842-155/gehrke-mike-noels-inflammatory-screed-blaming">Trib</a>]

-> Many Senate Republicans avoided July 4 festivities, but those that attended faced opposition from constituents concerned about the health care bill. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/04/us/politics/senate-republicans-lay-low-on-the-fourth-or-face-single-minded-pressure.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fpolitics">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/at-parades-and-protests-senators-get-earful-about-health-care/2017/07/04/ab675938-5de2-11e7-9fc6-c7ef4bc58d13_story.html?utm_term=.6fc76a7e67b7">WaPost</a>]

-> Both the U.S. and Russia are uncertain about what will come of a meeting between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to Europe. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/05/us/politics/trump-poland-germany-g20-putin.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fpolitics&action=click&contentCollection=politics&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/what-russia-hopes-to-gain-from-this-weeks-putin-trump-meeting/2017/07/04/dd7c30ae-6000-11e7-80a2-8c226031ac3f_story.html?utm_term=.b5caf2438eee">WaPost</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Herbert</a></strong> takes a natural resources tour with the <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: medium;">Six County Association of Governments</span>.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dougall</a> </strong>spends time in his office and meets with auditors from the legislative auditor general's office.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Emily Anderson

<a title="Thomas Burr" href="https://twitter.com/thomaswburr"; target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twitter.com/thomaswburr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/emilyinorgandy">Twitter.com/emilyinorgandy</a>