This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ben Carson plagiarizes late Utahn. Love takes office, makes history. Hatch gets security detail.
Happy Wednesday. Dr. Ben Carson, a conservative star who has popped up in 2016 polls as a possible White House candidate, apparently plagiarized some of his book, America The Beautiful, including taking passages from a Utahn. Carson cites wholesale from a website, Socialismsucks.net, and from the late Cleon Skousen, a Utahn who wrote multiple books on conservative causes. [http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/ben-carson-book#.oqYnrKjDQ" target="_blank">Politico]
Topping the news: Former House Speaker Becky Lockhart is critically ill with an unspecified illness just a week after she left her spot as a top Utah leader. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2027919-155/family-former-speaker-lockhart-critically-ill" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Utah Rep. Mia Love is officially the first black female Republican in Congress after taking the oath of office and earning some star treatment from House leaders. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2026676-155/utahs-rep-mia-love-takes-spot" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Sen. Orrin Hatch is now third in line to the presidency as Senate president pro tempore, and he now gets a raise and a security detail. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2026696-155/hatch-now-third-in-line-for" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Sen. Mike Lee has accepted a position on the Republican leadership team under Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, though the two have often been at odds with each other in the past. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2026476-155/sen-mike-lee-joins-republican-leadership" target="_blank">Trib]
-> A new polls shows 76 percent of Utahns think immigration reform is an important issue, 78 percent cited concern for Social Security's funding, 83 percent worry about the federal debt and 74 percent want tax reform. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4439-poll-what-issues-to-utahns-want-congress-to-focus-on" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> The same poll says that Utah's members of Congress — including the three who will chair committees — should be held accountable if Washington continues to be dysfunctional. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/4434-poll-shows-utahns-want-results-from-congress" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
Tweet of the day: From @http://www.twitter.com/ryanbechwith" target="_blank">ryanbechwith "It's weirdly appropriate that swearing-in is the exact kind of glad-handing cheesy thing that Joe Biden is good at."
From @http://www.twitter.com/daveweigel" target="_blank">daveweigel "Boehner tan status: Peruvian mahogany."
From @https://twitter.com/jasoninthehouse" target="_blank">jasoninthehouse "First action as Chairman. Subpoena Eric Holder on Fast & Furious. @GOPoversight #FastandFurious"
Happy Birthday: To Karen Wiley.
Tune in: Kirk Robinson of Western Wildlife Conservancy, Tribune reporter Brett Prettyman and others join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about wolves and the state's wolf management plan. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MT on http://sltrib.com/" target="_blank">sltrib.com.
In other news: Utah Gov. Gary Herbert had a productive few days in Washington, including securing President Obama's commitment to work with him on his Healthy Utah plan. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2027341-155/obama-commits-to-compromise-on-herberts" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert says Utah has no plans to join other states in suing the state of Colorado over its legalization of marijuana. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865619056/Utah-has-no-plans-to-sue-Colorado-over-marijuana-today-Herbert-says.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Utahns may see a rise in gasoline and sales tax this year as lawmakers try to increase funding for state transportation. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2026778-155/legislators-utah-tax-hikes-coming-for" target="_blank">Trib] [http://fox13now.com/2015/01/05/cities-in-utah-hope-for-tax-increase-to-help-pay-for-road-improvements/" target="_blank">Fox13]
-> A new UDOT app will give drivers the opportunity to report road problems, such as potholes and bad signals, right on the spot. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2026974-155/want-pothole-fixed-now-theres-an" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Utah lawmakers and government agencies are looking at the possibility of making consumer complaints open to the public. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2010594-155/lawmaker-explores-making-utah-consumer-complaints?page=1" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Conservative talk radio host Glenn Beck candidly commented on Utah Rep. Chris Stewart's decision to vote House Speaker John Boehner into office: "We think you're losing your soul." [http://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2026801-155/glenn-beck-says-utahs-rep-chris" target="_blank">Trib]
-> President Obama nominated Park City resident and adjunct professor at the U. Al Landon to be a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2026955-155/obama-nominates-park-city-resident-for" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The Salt Lake City Council selected councilman Luke Garrott as chairman for 2015. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2027109-155/salt-lake-city-council-picks-garrott" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Rep. Jason Chaffetz's chief of staff, Fred Ferguson, was married in December to Nicole Rusenko. The couple held their celebration in a quaint mountain winery in Virginia. [http://www.washingtonian.com/blogs/bridalparty/real-weddings/real-wedding-nicole-rusenko-and-frederick-ferguson.php#comments" target="_blank">Washingtonian]
Nationally: For the first time in eight years, the GOP took control of both the House and the Senate yesterday. Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, kept his seat despite dissension from within his own party. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2025979-155/gop-takes-charge-as-new-congress" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/us/congress-returns-boehner.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=a-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news" target="_blank">NYTimes] [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/boehner-narrowly-reelected-house-speaker/story?id=28033081" target="_blank">ABC]
-> The new 114th Congress includes more minorities and women than ever before. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765665607/More-women-minorities-in-new-Congress.html" target="_blank">AP] According to a new Pew Research study, it's also more religiously diverse, though still overwhelmingly Christian. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865618975/This-is-what-religious-diversity-in-Congress-looks-like.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> Joe Biden had a little too much fun swearing in the new members of the Senate and getting cozy with their family members yesterday. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/01/04/swearing-in-day-joe-bidens-greatest-hits/" target="_blank">WaPost]
-> Nevada Democrat Sen. Harry Reid, who will be taking the position of the minority leader in the new Senate, missed the opening festivities today due to an injury sustained from his home workout equipment. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765665678/Injuries-force-Reid-to-skip-opening-session-of-Senate.html" target="_blank">AP]
-> A new Congress means an opportunity for the politicians and their families to schmooze and mingle over sandwiches and veggie trays and — if you're lucky enough to be invited Orrin Hatch — assorted meatballs. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/wp/2015/01/06/as-new-congress-convenes-meatballs-and-schmoozing/" target="_blank">WaPost]
-> Mexico's President Enrique Peña Nieto praised President Obama when they met on Tuesday for Obama's decision to protect millions of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. from deportation. [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/world/americas/mexicos-leader-pena-nieto-praises-obama-on-immigration.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news" target="_blank">NYTimes]
-> To the delight of many would-be spouses, Florida's same-sex marriage ban ended on Monday at midnight, making it the 36th state to allow gay marriage. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2025905-155/gay-marriage-ban-ends-as-couples" target="_blank">AP]
-> Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush announced yesterday the formation of a political action committee to get him on track for a 2016 presidential campaign. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765665629/Edging-closer-to-2016-bid-Republican-Jeb-Bush-forms-new-PAC.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/07/us/politics/jeb-bush-2016-presidential-campaign.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news" target="_blank">NYTimes]
-> The White House said yesterday Obama would veto a bill approving construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which would transport crude oil from Canada to the U.S., if the bill were to make it through Congress. [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/white-house-issues-veto-threat-keystone-xl-pipeline-28032431" target="_blank">AP]
Where are they?
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— Thomas Burr and Erica Palmer
https://twitter.com/thomaswburr" target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr and https://twitter.com/erica_palmer">Twitter.com/erica_palmer