Happy Thursday! President Donald Trump may have boxed himself into a corner with the partial government shutdown and there may be only one option left: calling a national emergency and trying to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall without Congress' help. Trump isn’t backing down on wanting wall funding and Democrats see no reason to give. Of course, the courts might strike down a national emergency order, but Trump could claim a temporary win and the government re-opens. [Politico]
Topping the news: The government shutdown is now in its 20th day and while Utah’s members of Congress are concerned over the standstill, they’re not budging on their positions. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Sen. Mitt Romney has been in office a week now but his staff is still working with Senate techs to get phone lines and emails working. [Trib]
-> In a legal but controversial move, Paul Cozzens has decided not to resign his seat on the Cedar City Council after being elected as an Iron county commissioner. The controversy has sparked Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, to introduce a bill that if passed would make this type of move illegal. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @coolghost101 “Remember the days when a Tan Suit was the biggest controversy in Politics?”
-> From @BetteMidler “#Shutdown negotiations are stalled, so Individual #1 is heading to the border to make his case live on TV, the same week the Mueller investigation got an extension. PEOPLE, I think he’s gonna make a run for it!”
-> From @itsJeffTiedrich “I don’t know who this guy Forrest Management is but boy is Trump pissed at him this morning. maybe he’s the guy who brings Trump his Adderall and he’s late.”
Happy Birthday: to author Bobby Harrington
In other news: In an op-ed, Jill McCluskey, mother of slain University of Utah student, outlines the ways in which the university missed opportunities to keep her daughter safe and calls for more accountability and consequences for responsible officials. [Trib]
-> University of Utah responds to McCluskey’s op-ed stating that they are sticking with the plan to implement safety changes and that no disciplinary action is foreseeable for individuals associated with handling the case. [Trib][Fox13] [KUTV] [ABC4]
-> Utah refugees speak out about the increasing difficulties they have been facing as a result of the political climate since the Trump administration took office. [Trib]
-> Columnist Robert Gehrke questions Sen Mike Lee’s motives in going after Gov. Gary Herbert and Lt. Gov Spencer Cox on Facebook over their defense of Senate Bill 54. [Trib]
-> New salary ranges have been set for UTA employees during a restructuring of the agency set forth by board. The new structure would raise the cap on employees’ annual salaries. [Trib]
-> Utah lawmakers respond to Trump’s primetime speech. [DNews]
-> Rep. Chris Stewart, a member of the House Intelligence Committee, has stated that he will not oppose an investigation of Trump that will likely be requested by the new Democratic House majority. [KUER]
Nationally: Robert Becker, a top Bernie Sanders advisor during the former presidential candidate’s 2016 campaign, is accused of sexually harassing and forcibly kissing a staffer against her will on the night the campaign ended. Becker has denied the allegations. [Politico]
-> One day after primetime address to the nation, Trump renews threat to declare state of national emergency if a compromise on the border wall does not occur. The president stated that it was within his “absolute right” to do so. [NYTimes] [Politico]
-> Trump abruptly leaves meeting with congressional leaders after Democrats again refuse to approve the border wall budget. After meeting with GOP leaders the president stated that Republicans remain united. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [Politico]
-> Without pay large numbers of federal employees in Washington are unable to keep the -- normally vibrant -- economy in the city afloat. [NYTimes]
-> Coast Guard employees are advised to pick up menial job such as dog walking or hold garage sales to make up for their loss of pay during the shutdown. [WaPost]
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Thomas Burr and Christina Giardinelli