Russian-linked social media ads declare “Hillary Clinton is a Satan” and urge residents to “STOP TRUMP!” Feds approve Utah‘s Medicaid waiver. Arches National Park may require visitors to have a reservation.
Happy Thursday. Members of the House Intelligence panel released a batch of social media ads Wednesday purchased by Russian-linked accounts. “Hillary Clinton is a Satan,” reads one. “The establishment thinks they can treat us like stupid sheep but they are wrong,” says another. “STOP TRUMP! STOP RACISM,” declares a third. [Politico]
Topping the news: Gov. Gary Herbert announced Wednesday that Utah’s Medicaid waiver, which will boost Operation Rio Grande, was approved by the federal government. [Trib] [ABC4] [Fox13] [KUTV] [KUER]
-> Arches National Park may require reservations during its peak season starting in 2019. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> Utah GOP Chairman Rob Anderson announced that the party would end a lawsuit challenging SB54, the state’s new election law, to the dismay of right-wing members. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13] [KUTV]
Tweets of the day: From @petridishes: “Trump is just trying to raise test scores in our future by making ‘the cut cut cut act‘ an actual correct response to a history question”
-> From @aedwardslevy: “I repeat myself, at the risk of being cruel there must be fifty ways to misspell Papadopoulos”
Heads up: The Salt Lake Tribune team that produced the Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of sexual assault on Utah’s college campuses will speak at Utah Valley University (Sorenson Student Center) on Friday at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
In other news: Utah ballot initiatives for 2018 — including Our Schools Now, Better Boundaries and Count My Vote — raised more than $500,000 in October and $1.34 million this year. [Trib]
-> Hildale, Utah, is having a municipal election next week and everyone is “hopeful it’s going to be fair.” [Trib]
-> A new state audit says a special district in Uintah County violated the Utah Open and Public Meetings Act. [Trib] [DNews]
-> A majority of Utahns believe a baker should be legally allowed to refuse service to a same-sex couple on the basis of religious beliefs, according to a new poll. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke reflects on former House Speaker John Boehner’s comments about retired Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz and how lawmakers seem to “find their spines” only once they’re out of office. [Trib]
Nationally: President Donald Trump tweeted that the suspect in the terrorist attack in New York should get the death penalty. [NYTimes]
-> Trump said he is not “angry at anybody” after the indictments this week against members of his campaign team. [NYTimes]
-> The Affordable Care Act insurance exchange opened Wednesday for enrollment. [WaPost]
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— Courtney Tanner and Karenna Meredith
Follow @sltribpolitics