It’s Election Day. What to look for in Utah and across the country. Prosecutors drop all charges against Terry Diehl. Biden says he’s unsure if he’ll run for president.
Happy Tuesday. And happy Election Day. In case you missed it, here’s a rundown on what’s at stake in Utah today. [Trib] Today will also offer an interesting answer on just how much President Donald Trump’s approval rating is affecting down-ticket races. [Politico]
Topping the news: Prosecutors have dropped all charges against ex-Utah Transit Authority board member Terry Diehl. [Trib] [DNews] [KUER] [Fox13]
-> Former Vice President Joe Biden addressed an audience in Salt Lake City on Monday night and said he’s unsure whether he’ll run for president in 2020. [Trib]
-> The LDS Church is one of two churches in Utah that oppose the idea of allowing guns in houses of worship. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @jim_newell: “jealous of the reporters snooping around Rand Paul’s neighborhood for upper-middle class gossip”
-> From @DougAndres: “First of all... I’d like to know who all these killjoys are who *wouldn’t* dump the rest of their fish food in the koi pond?”
-> From @byrdinator: “I want to live my life as unafraid of consequences as Carter Page is”
Happy Birthday: To West Valley City Mayor Ron Bigelow, state Sen. Howard Stephenson, Riverton City Council candidate Tawnee McCay and Libertas Institute President Connor Boyack.
In other news: Utah Valley University president Matt Holland plans to step down from his position to serve as an LDS mission president. [Trib] [DNews] [KUER] [KUTV] [Fox13]
-> Newly leaked documents show that former Utah governor and current U.S. ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman, directed an offshore company in Barbados. [Trib]
-> The Children’s Health Insurance Program in Utah will run out of money in January if Congress doesn’t reauthorize it. [DNews]
-> American families face more challenges when trying to adopt internationally, especially in Utah where one agency lost its certification and closed down. [Trib]
-> The Capitol Preservation Board requested further study after state Rep. Bruce Cutler requested an official ban of tobacco use at the Utah Capitol. [Trib]
-> The Utah Transit Authority’s executive board nominated former Utah Lt. Gov. Greg Bell to become its next chairman. Bell said his first priority is to “reestablish trust in the community.” [Trib]
-> The UTA’s conflict-of-interest forms may become available to the public at the recommendation of its executive board. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley provides his take on how the NRA treats the concept of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. [Trib]
-> Paul Rolly evaluates why being Salt Lake County officials may harm the political aspirations of Jenny Wilson and Ben McAdams. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke praises Gov. Gary Herbert’s judicial picks. [Trib]
Nationally: After the tragic Texas shooting, the Air Force revealed Monday that the gunman’s domestic violence court-martial should have kept him from legally purchasing guns, but the information was never entered into the federal database. [NYTimes]
-> Foreign policy adviser to President Donald Trump, Carter Page, met with the House Intelligence Committee last week. The newly released transcript of the meeting revealed he sent an email to fellow aides regarding a “private conversation” he had with a senior Russian official. [WaPost]
-> Lobbyists are hurrying to sway the House after the release of the Republican’s tax bill. [Politico]
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— Thomas Burr and Karenna Meredith Twitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/meredithkarenna
Follow @sltribpolitics