This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
Chaffetz questions illicit pot use on National Mall. Utah GOP weighs litmus test for candidates. Josh Romney out for Senate race.
Happy Wednesday. On Monday — April 20, or 4/20, a holiday to some in the pot smoking community — some 60 people lit up joints on the National Mall in plain sight but faced no consequences despite such use of marijuana on federal lands being still illegal in Washington. And Rep. Jason Chaffetz wants to know why. "You can protest and petition your government," said the chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee. "But can you go out and have dozens of people smoking pot out on the Mall? No! Where were the Park Police?" [http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/28863609/congressman-questions-park-police-response-pot-protest" target="_blank">MyFoxDC]
Topping the news: Debate within the Utah GOP continues with a new proposal that would have potential Republican candidates judged based on their commitment to the party's principles. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2426900-155/utah-gop-considers-vetting-candidates-based" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Rep. Mark Madsen, who pioneered the failed medical marijuana bill in the Utah Legislature last session, has come out with a new promotion video touting legal medicinal use of the drug that cites his grandfather, former LDS Church President Ezra Taft Benson. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2425746-155/utah-senator-appeals-to-legacy-of" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Josh Romney confirmed yesterday that he won't challenge Utah's Sen. Mike Lee next year for his Senate seat but added that somebody should to make it a race. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865626952/Josh-Romney-I-wont-run-against-Sen-Mike-Lee-but-another-Republican-should.html" target="_blank">DNews]
Tweets of the day: From @https://twitter.com/jermsguy" target="_blank">jermsguy: "For the record, I have no idea what my ggg-great-grandfater, LDS Apostle Amasa M. Lyman, would think of medical marijuana."
Tune in: Former state Rep. Carl Wimmer, state Sen. Curt Bramble and Tribune investigative reporter Matt Canham join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about when and how the Mormon Church uses its political clout on Utah's Capitol Hill. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MDT on http://sltrib.com/" target="_blank">sltrib.com.
In other news: Utah's Sen. Orrin Hatch issued a scathing and sarcastic letter to the IRS last week listing ways it could have adjusted its budget to prevent service reductions, such as not spending money on a fitness stair climber in a building that already had stairs. [http://www.standard.net/Government/2015/04/21/Hatch-rips-IRS-over.html" target="_blank">StandEx]
-> Matt Canham digs into why Utah weddings are so cheap as compared to the rest of America in his latest Utah Effect blog. [http://www.sltrib.com/blogs/utaheffect/2422691-155/the-utah-effect-why-weddings-here" target="_blank">Trib]
-> After complaints from Utah's Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the TSA has agreed to add as many as 20 full-time employees to the Salt Lake City International Airport to ease wait times in security lines. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2426805-155/after-chaffetz-complaint-tsa-to-add" target="_blank">Trib]
-> A new set of plans to address Utah County growth is drawing criticism from some. The bold plans include lengthening the FrontRunner to Payson and building a bridge over Utah Lake. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2426386-155/bridge-over-utah-lake-and-new" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Costco is siding with Utah in a lawsuit over a bill that bans the price-fixing of contact lenses. [http://fox13now.com/2015/04/21/costco-sides-with-utah-in-contact-lens-price-fixing-lawsuit/" target="_blank">Fox13]
-> A transgender woman is seeking to make history by running for City Council in Midvale, which, if she is elected, would make her the first transgender person elected to office in Utah. [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/transgender-candidate-ready-to-run-for-midvale-cit/32587/3CwKcjbIhkykYXgzXBzeAA" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> The infighting in West Jordan has surged once again, with lawsuits and allegations against elected leaders for a number of issues. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2425979-155/west-jordan-ousts-city-attorney-draws" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The Utah County Commission voted yesterday to adopt a resolution outlining bond terms if the Bus Rapid Transit Project goes through. [http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/commissioners-vote—-supporting-resolution-that-outlines-brt-bond/article_ee9137f8-673d-59e7-9ccd-a70df8ab693d.html" target="_blank">Herald]
-> The Salt Lake County Council set aside over $300,000 Tuesday to fund preparation of this year's election that will determine the future of the county's unincorporated areas. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865626966/SL-County-approves-320000-for-upcoming-community-preservation-vote.html" target="_blank">DNews]
Nationally: After criticism that Drug Enforcement Administration agents allegedly had "sex parties" overseas and were not punished strictly enough, the head of the agency has announced that she will be resigning in mid-May. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/embattled-dea-chief-to-resign-following-sex-parties-scandal/2015/04/21/2f65108e-e853-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html" target="_blank">WaPost] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765672303/AP-source-DEA-chief-set-to-resign-from-agency-soon.html" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/22/us/michele-leonhart-top-dea-official-is-expected-to-resign.html?_r=0" target="_blank">NYTimes] [http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/21/politics/dea-leonhart-resigning-marijuana/" target="_blank">CNN]
-> Senate leaders have finally agreed to a compromise that will allow the long-delayed confirmation of Loretta Lynch for attorney general to move forward. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/eyeing-big-work-ahead-senators-cut-deal-on-loretta-lynch-confirmation/2015/04/21/77df685c-e860-11e4-aae1-d642717d8afa_story.html" target="_blank">WaPost] [http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/239502-senate-reaches-deal-to-vote-on-ag-nominee-loretta-lynch" target="_blank">TheHill] [http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/politicsnow/la-pn-loretta-lynch-congress-20150421-story.html" target="_blank">LATimes] [http://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-leaders-clear-way-for-vote-on-loretta-lynch-as-attorney-general-1429627789" target="_blank">WSJ]
Where are they?
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com" target="_blank">cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [http://www.sltrib.com/pages/email" target="_blank">Trib]
— Thomas Burr and Erica Palmer
https://twitter.com/thomaswburr" target="_blank">Twitter.com/thomaswburr and https://twitter.com/erica_palmer">Twitter.com/erica_palmer