Columnist: America is sliding toward autocracy. Medical marijuana opponents sought Herbert’s help in fighting the initiative; he said no. Federal judge says UTA wrongfully fired whistleblower.
Happy Tuesday. Is America sliding toward autocracy? Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne Jr. thinks so. He argues that President Donald Trump’s actions and rhetoric as president -- and the lack of a check and balance from Congress -- is hurting the very underpinnings of a democracy. “This is not business as usual. Yet our politics proceeds as if it is. Slowly, Trump has accustomed us to behavior that, at any other recent time and with just about any other politician, would in all probability have been career-ending,” Dionne writes. [WaPost]
Topping the news: Following Gov. Gary Herbert’s opposition to medical marijuana legality in Utah, a group who opposes the ballot measure sought support from the governor and requested access to his emailing list. Their request, however, was denied. [Trib][Fox13]
-> A new federal ruling says the Utah Transit Authority illegally fired transit planner and whistleblower J. Michael Clara in 2015 when he revealed the agency was violating safety rules. [Trib]
-> The three subcommittees created by the board of the controversial Utah Inland Port met in private this month after arguing that state law does not require them to hold public meetings. [Trib] [KSL]
Tweets of the day: From @Turnip2020: “Has anyone tried unplugging the country and plugging it back in?”
-> From @CillizzaCNN: “I can’t decide if Melania’s cyber-bullying campaign is just a massive troll on her husband or if she is truly unaware of all of the context here”
Happy Birthday: To state Rep. Lowry Snow, former state Rep. Michael Morley and Kat Boden Dayton.
In other news: The major party candidates in Utah’s 4th Congressional District race, Republican Rep. Mia Love and Democratic SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams, are both utilizing vivid orange colors in their campaigns, steering away from red and blue color schemes traditionally used in political races. [Trib]
-> In the next legislative session, Rep. Ray Ward of Bountiful will push for a school safety commission that would focus on mental health in hopes of decreasing the risk of school shootings in Utah schools. [DNews]
-> The dream of citizenship for immigrants to obtain legal residency through joining the U.S. military is in jeopardy. Around 40 immigrants, including a man from Lehi, have allegedly been discharged under unknown causes, putting their legal status on the line. [DNews]
-> Salt Lake City’s Catholic Diocese is urging voters to approve a full medicaid expansion ballot initiative known as Proposition 3 that would potentially provide life saving medical care for some 150,000 Utahns and have an overall positive economic impact on the state. [Fox13]
-> The Sandy City Council will vote this next week whether to lift a ban on short-term rentals like Airbnb despite pushback from the hotel industry. Those who support lifting the ban argue it will help middle-class families make ends-meet. [Fox13]
-> A Mountain View High School senior was arrested on suspicions of terrorism after posting a photo on Instagram holding a handgun with the caption “Welcome to your first and last day of school.” [APviaTrib] [DailyHerald]
-> Jenn Hein is just one Utahn who has taken to the craze of collecting and charging e-scooters in Salt Lake City at night, a side job she describes as “kind of addicting.” [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley says marijuana can make you paranoid even if you don’t use it. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke writes that because it was President Donald Trump who dreamed up creating a U.S. Space Force, he should be the first one launched into space. [Trib]
Nationally: Nearly 250 bipartisan former intelligence officials have spoken out against President Donald Trump for revoking former C.I.A. director John Brennan’s security clearance. [WaPost]
-> A report from Microsoft Corporation says that Russia appears to be targeting conservative American think tanks that have pushed for continued sanctions against Moscow. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [CNN]
-> While honoring Adrian Anzaldua, a Hispanic-American border patrol agent from Texas, and other immigration agents at the White House, President Donald Trump told the audience that Anzaldua “speaks perfect English.” [NYTimes] [Politico] [WaPost]
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-- Thomas Burr, Cara MacDonald and Connor Richards
Follow @sltribpolitics