DEMOCRATS - The Salt Lake Tribune

GOP ready to push Benghazi case into 2014, beyond

Sat, 11 May 2013 14:30:20 MDT

GOP ready to push Benghazi case into 2014, beyond

By CHARLES BABINGTON The Associated Press

Updated May 11, 2013 02:30PM MDT

Washington • Steady drips of information about a horrific night in Libya are fueling Republican arguments and ads designed to fire up the conservative base and undercut the Democrats’ early favorite for president in 2016. Strategists in both parties disagree on the issue’s power to influence elections next year and beyond. But after eight months of trying, Democrats are still struggling to move past the terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi last Sept. 11 that killed Ambass...

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Rolly: Redistricting is bipartisan for a price

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:01:14 MDT

Rolly: Redistricting is bipartisan for a price

By Paul Rolly The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 13, 2013 09:01AM MDT

My column last week opined that the lawyers hired by the Legislature do the Republicans’ bidding because that’s who runs the show. My basis for that conclusion was the nearly $16,000 the Legislature’s Office of Research and General Counsel charged the Democratic Party for its GRAMA request of documents relating to the Legislature’s redistricting process compared to the little more than $2,000 charged for the Republicans’ request. That triggered protests from some readers who pointed out that th...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Will: For Obama, 2014 is his number

Thu, 09 May 2013 01:01:05 MDT

Will: For Obama, 2014 is his number

By George F. Will The Washington Post

Updated May 9, 2013 01:01AM MDT

WASHINGTON -- Thirty-one months ago Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell affronted the media and other custodians of propriety by saying something common-sensical. On Oct. 23, 2010, he said: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” He meant that America needed conservative change from the statist course of Obama’s presidency (the stimulus, Obamacare, etc.), therefore America needed a president who would not veto such change. B...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Utah District Court affirms records should be free if public benefits

Mon, 06 May 2013 19:13:03 MDT

Utah District Court affirms records should be free if public benefits

The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 6, 2013 07:13PM MDT

A 3rd District Court judge’s ruling in an open-records case does more than force the Utah Legislature pay $15,000 in attorney’s fees. Judge L.A. Dever’s April 30 ruling on behalf of the Utah Democratic Party affirms that government agencies should waive fees when a records request benefits the general public. Dever rejected the Legislature’s attempt to charge the Democrats almost $15,000 for copies of correspondence and other documents related to the redistricting effort. “I’ve always maintained...

Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

State’s lawyers butter the right bread

Sun, 05 May 2013 16:41:03 MDT

State’s lawyers butter the right bread

By paul rolly The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 5, 2013 04:41PM MDT

Third District Judge L.A. Dever’s recent ruling that the Utah Legislature is legally bound to release records related to its redistricting strategies without charging exorbitant fees for the records has exposed one glaring truth about the Legislature and the politics that guide it. Those who are paid with taxpayer money to interpret and then follow the law are fully aware of who exactly they work for. It isn’t the taxpayer. Just how the Legislature drew up legislative and congressional boundarie...

Rolly: State’s lawyers butter the right bread

Sun, 05 May 2013 18:01:27 MDT

Rolly: State’s lawyers butter the right bread

By Paul Rolly The Salt Lake Tribune

Updated May 5, 2013 06:01PM MDT

Short takes on issues

Sat, 04 May 2013 01:01:06 MDT

Short takes on issues

Updated May 4, 2013 01:01AM MDT

Providing options • Increasing the “morning after” pill’s availability to women of all ages to prevent pregnancy within 24 hours after intercourse could reduce the number of abortions and unwanted pregnancies. But would easier access increase sexual activity among young girls and circumvent parental involvement? The Obama administration would limit the now over-the-counter “Plan B” drug to women over 17, but a U.S. District Court judge ruled earlier this month that it should be available without...