This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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 Trump ready for a world crisis on day one? Interior pick says new president could amend or perhaps toss national monument designations. Poll: Utahns want Chaffetz to investigate Trump's business dealings.

Happy Wednesday. The abrupt withdrawal of a top Trump National Security Council appointee and the dozens of high-level personnel holes across key foreign policy and defense agencies have national security experts posing a dark question: Will Donald Trump be ready to manage a national security crisis from Day One? The new president takes office Friday at noon Eastern Time but yet there are no signs of filling some top spots ahead of the swearing in. [<a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2017/01/donald-trump-national-security-crisis-233732">Politico</a>]

<strong>Topping the news:</strong> President Donald Trump could amend or even get rid of national monuments designated by President Obama, says Trump's pick to lead the Interior Department. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/home/4830270-155/interior-nominee-president-has-power-to">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/01/17/trumps-pick-for-secretary-of-interior-grilled-over-bears-ears-national-monument/">Fox13</a>]

-> Utahns want Chaffetz to investigate Trump's business dealings, a new poll shows. Meanwhile, the congressman is pursuing a case against a federal ethics official for criticizing the president-elect. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4831057-155/utahns-want-chaffetz-to-probe-trump">Trib</a>]

<strong>Tweets of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/philipaklein">philipaklein</a>: "I'm gonna need an explainer on when I'm supposed to like Wikileaks and when I'm supposed to think it's undermining America."

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/BennyRaskin">BennyRaskin</a>: "I'm not sure it's solely Trump's fault my car battery froze over but I'm sure he had something to do with it."

-> From @<a href="https://twitter.com/daveweigel">daveweigel</a>: "Alt-right people crediting memes w electing Trump remind me of the crowd cheering for Rick Moranis at the end of 'Ghostbusters II.'"

<strong>In other news: </strong>According to a program posted online, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir will sing "America, the Beautiful" at Trump's inauguration on Friday. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865671298/Heres-what-the-Mormon-Tabernacle-Choir-will-sing-at-Trump-inauguration.html">DNews</a>]

-> Utah struck a deal with Amazon to collect sales tax on internet purchases — but the details of that plan won't be released because it "would provide undue advantage for competitors," according to the State Tax Commission. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4830230-155/utah-wont-release-details-on-amazon">Trib</a>]

-> A December poll shows a majority of Utahns would vote to raise their taxes to support education. [<a href="http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/12048-">UtahPolicy</a>]

-> Federal inmates, including a few Utahns, hope President Barack Obama will commute their sentences before he leaves office this week. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4831079-155/federal-inmates-in-utah-and-nationwide">Trib</a>]

-> Meanwhile, Obama reduced the sentence for a man from Ogden in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and pardoned a woman from Orem convicted of issuing fraudulent issuance of money orders and making a false statement in a loan application. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4830952-155/obama-reduces-utah-mans-life-term">Trib</a>]

-> Sen. Daniel Thatcher says he isn't proposing a hate-crimes bill. Rather, to him, it's legislation focused on enhancing the penalties when a victim is targeted due to a specific ethnicity, gender or religion. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4817564-155/bill-emerges-to-replace-utahs-unenforceable">Trib</a>]

-> There are fewer air quality bills on the table so far for the Utah Legislature this year than last, but that might not be a problem. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4831541-155/activists-expect-small-steps-on-utah">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/lawmakers-consider-clean-air-proposals">KUTV</a>]

-> Pat Bagley offers his take on the GOP plan to replace Obamacare. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/bagley/4829624-155/bagley-cartoon-gop-replaces-obamacare">Trib</a>]

-> Bagley also offers his take on Trump's pick for education secretary, Betsy DeVos, and her pointed plan for schools. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/4831421-155/bagley-cartoon-trump-education">Trib</a>]

-> There are disparities among school districts in Utah in tax revenue raised per student, and one state lawmaker is proposing a bill to even the financial playing field. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4817531-155/theres-a-big-gap-between-utahs">Trib</a>]

-> Robert Gehrke explores a water battle being waged in Big Cottonwood Canyon. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/4831520-155/gehrke-water-war-between-landowners-and">Trib</a>]

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert"; target="_blank">Herbert</a></strong> participates in an economic review with the Salt Lake Chamber, greets the consul general of Israel, sits in on a Women's State Legislative Council meeting, attends a Utah Association of Counties meeting and travels to Washington for the presidential inauguration.</li>

<li>Lt. Gov. Spencer <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerJCox"; target="_blank">Cox</a></strong> chats with lawmakers and county clerks about counting ballots, conducts various meetings, talks with members of the Retired School Employees Association, congratulates the winners of a poster contest and awards the Governor's Medals for Science & Technology.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall"; target="_blank">Dougall</a> </strong>speaks with local government officials, addresses members of the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants about the legislative process and releases audits on Unified Fire Authority.</li>

<li>SL Co. Mayor Ben <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/MayorBenMcAdams"; target="_blank">McAdams</a></strong> meets with justice court administrator Jim Peters and speaks at a Salt Lake County Library launch party.</li>

<li>President Barack <strong><a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama"; target="_blank">Obama</a> </strong>holds his final press conference.</li>

</ul>

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— Thomas Burr and Courtney Tanner

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