This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Prison search to expand. Least productive Congress ends. Lee takes heat from GOP.
Happy Wednesday. The least productive Congress of the modern era ended with the Senate confirming a boat load of President Barack Obama's nominees. And that was about the only action Congress performed with any frequency due to the Democrats changing the rules. When everyone returns in January, Republicans will be in charge and a new Congress will commence. [http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-na-senate-final-business-20141216-story.html" target="_blank">LATimes][http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/another-republican-upends-the-senates-year-end-plans/2014/12/16/127292d8-8559-11e4-9534-f79a23c40e6c_story.html?hpid=z3" target="_blank">WaPost]
Topping the news: The Prison Relocation Commission is prepared to expand its search for a suitable replacement for the Draper site and has an eye on Tooele County. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1955741-155/state-leaders-plan-to-put-new" target="_blank">Trib] While at the same time, Salt Lake City ramps up its efforts to oppose moving the prison near the airport. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1955741-155/state-leaders-plan-to-put-new" target="_blank">Trib][http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617830/Plan-to-relocate-prison-to-Salt-Lake-City-too-much-for-our-community-councilman-says.html" target="_blank">DNews][http://www.kutv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/List-of-possible-prison-sites-drops-to-4-63749.shtml#.VJEOu2TF9MY" target="_blank">KUTV][http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/salt-lake-city-officials-and-residents-say-this-is/21483/H5412TmScUyCqcsmQPeMzg" target="_blank">ABC4][http://www.cityweekly.net/TheDailyFeed/archives/2014/12/16/slc-council-and-mayor-defiantly-oppose-prison-relocation-in-slc" target="_blank">CityWeekly]
-> A new poll says a majority of Utahns want the prison to stay put, but if it is to move 40 percent want it in Tooele County. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4294-exclusive-poll-majority-of-utahns-oppose-moving-state-prison" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> Sens. Mike Lee and Ted Cruz are being blamed for the confirmation of President Barack Obama's controversial nominees, but Lee continues to defend their move this weekend to thwart President Obama's executive orders on immigration. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1956187-155/ted-cruz-utahs-mike-lee-slammed" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Cruz apologized to his fellow Republican senators for any unexpected change in their weekend plans. [http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/ted-cruz-apologizes-113609.html?hp=r2_3" target="_blank">Politico][http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/16/cruz-stands-by-immigration-vote-despite-apology-to-fellow-senators/" target="_blank">FoxNews]
-> Why it's better for Lee to be Robin to Cruz's Batman. [https://news.yahoo.com/why-sen—mike-lee-needs-to-stay-in-sen—ted-cruz-s-shadow—-151622001.html" target="_blank">Yahoo]
Tweets of the day: From https://twitter.com/davidfrum" target="_blank">@davidfrum: "In this magnificent land of opportunity, anyone can aspire to the presidency, provided only that an immediate relative had the job already."
-> From https://twitter.com/NatalieDicou" target="_blank">@NatalieDicou: "Dear Microsoft Word, It's "Utahns" not "Utahans." Enough with the squiggly red lines please."
Happy Birthday: To state Sen. Jim Dabakis.
Tune in: Got grades? Salt Lake City School District Superintendent McKell Withers, Utah Office of Education spokesman Mark Peterson and Tribune education reporter Benjamin Wood join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about school report cards and how school performance should be evaluated.
In other news: The state House Republicans met for an all-day closed door session and emerged saying they are ready to tackle the big issues in the state including the debate over the governor's Healthy Utah plan and possibly a gas tax increase. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1957457-155/house-gop-goes-to-school-on" target="_blank">Trib][http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617874/Utah-House-GOP-ready-to-tackle-Medicaid-policy-gas-tax.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson announced that he will not run against Ralph Becker for his old seat. [http://www.sltrib.com/home/1951641-155/rocky-anderson-will-not-run-against" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Check out the fourth installment of the killer "Last Leg" series about a Utah veteran who voluntarily has his lower leg removed due to injuries sustained in the Iraq War. [http://local.sltrib.com/charts/bryantjacobs/chapterfour.html" target="_blank">Trib]
-> West Valley City's police force will now be outfitted with body cameras after the City Council unanimously approved of the purchasing of new equipment. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1957866-155/west-valley-oks-police-body-camera" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Salt Lake County Council members OK a 23-way split of nearly $10 million from the Zoo, Arts and Parks tax grants. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1955577-155/salt-lake-county-oks-nearly-10m" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Incoming House Speaker Greg Hughes appears on Trib Talk to explain why he's fine with all of the uproar over the Prison Relocation Commission. [http://www.sltrib.com/home/1952226-155/trib-talk-rallies-continue-against-prison" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Sen. Mike Lee writes an Op-Ed saying that change is coming to Congress and that means less behemoth spending bills. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617852/Change-is-coming-to-Washington.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Utah Policy is starting it's countdown of the 10 biggest stories in state politics and No. 10 is the political rehabilitation of Lee. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4293-video-the-top-10-utah-political-news-stories-of-2014-10" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> Tucked into a major military spending bill that passed Congress is legislation that allows BYU to buy Y Mountain. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865617832/Obama-signature-all-thats-left-in-BYUs-quest-to-buy-Y-Mountain.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Paul Rolly discusses how an award from a left-leaning group is seen as bad news for a Utah Republican. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/1954841-155/rolly-when-is-award-bad-news" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Pat Bagley gives his take on some un-Islamic acts. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/1956360-155/bagley-cartoon-un-islamic-acts" target="_blank">Trib]
Nationally: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has taken a step toward a presidential bid after announcing on Facebook that he will, "actively explore the possibility of running for president" in 2016. [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/us/politics/jeb-bush-takes-a-step-toward-a-presidential-run-.html?ref=politics" target="_blank">NYTimes][http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/bush-3.0-jeb-signals-hes-serious/article/2557460" target="_blank">Examiner][http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/12/16/jeb-bush-just-jump-started-the-2016-election/" target="_blank">WaPost][http://www.wsj.com/articles/jeb-bush-to-actively-explore-run-for-president-1418743577?mod=WSJ_hppMIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsSecond" target="_blank">WSJ][http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/jeb-bush-exploring-2016-run-113599.html?hp=c2_3" target="_blank">Politico][http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-jeb-bush-2016-presidential-run-20141216-story.html" target="_blank">LATimes]
-> The group of President Barack Obama's nominees who won approval from the Senate, include Sarah Saldana as director of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and Antony Blinken as the new deputy secretary of state. [http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/17/us/politics/with-the-way-eased-two-more-obama-nominees-win-approval-from-senate.html?ref=politics&_r=0" target="_blank">NYTimes][http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/senate-confirms-new-state-department-no.-2/article/2557492" target="_blank">Examiner]
-> The Senate passes a tax break package and it is headed for President Obama's desk. The package will offer a one-year extension of a series of expired tax breaks for various businesses and families. [http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/senate-passes-tax-package/article/2557496" target="_blank">Examiner][http://www.politico.com/story/2014/12/senate-approves-tax-extenders-package-113628.html?hp=r3_3" target="_blank">Politico]
-> Sen. Dianne Feinstein leaves her intelligence job amid a fight over the torture report that criticizes the CIA. [http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/la-na-feinstein-intel-20141207-story.html#page=1" target="_blank">LATimes]
Where are they?
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— Matt Canham and Mallory Jesperson
http://www.Twitter.com/mattcanham%20" target="_blank">Twitter.com/mattcanham and https://twitter.com/JespersonM" target="_blank">Twitter.com/JespersonM