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Holder responds to Rand Paul filibuster. Bin Laden's son-in-law is in NYC. The Interior nominee promises balance.
Happy Friday. Attorney General Eric Holder responded to Sen. Rand Paul's 13-hour anti-drone filibuster, with a terse letter Thursday. Here it is in its entirety: "It has come to my attention that you have now asked an additional question: 'Does the President have the authority to use a weaponized drone to kill an American not engaged in combat on American soil?' The answer to that question is no."
Paul said he is satisfied with the response. [CNN] [TPM] [Politico]
Topping the news: For the first time, a legislative committee approved legislation banning discrimination in housing and employment based on sexual orientation. though the bill faces a tough road forward. [Trib] [UtahPolicy] [DNews]
-> Osama bin Laden's son-in-law has been captured and secretly taken to New York, where he is expected to stand trial on a charge of conspiring to kill Americans. [WaPost] [ABCNews] [FoxNews]
Tweet of the day: From @JeffFlake: "So what gives, CSPAN? I guess all mormons look alike? pic.twitter.com/775c1eC5Wr"
Happy birthday: To Taylorsville police chief Del Craig, and belated wishes to Jared Whitley, Scott Burns and Taylorsville chief financial officer Scott Harrington, who celebrated yesterday. On Sunday, happy birthday to Trib managing editor Terry Orme.
In other news: Interior nominee Sally Jewell was peppered with parochial questions about sage grouse, rural roads and national park funding at a Senate committee hearing Thursday. Both of Utah's senators remain undecided. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Alliance for a Better UTAH is calling on Lt. Gov. Greg Bell to appoint special counsel to investigate embattled Utah Attorney General John Swallow — and ultimately, if he's found guilty of violating campaign laws, to remove him from office. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Utah's universities are hunting for more out of state students to fill a budget gap by the new wave of Mormon missionaries leaving school. [Trib]
-> Sen. Mike Lee showed the winners of the Constitution Bowl a good time in the nation's capital. [Trib]
-> Paul Rolly questions Sen. Howard Stephenson's power over public education priorities. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley gives his take on guns in schools, and a bill the Legislature rejected that would let parents know where their child's teacher was packing. [Trib]
Heard on the Hill: "I just want to know why she hates my grandkids and kids down there so they can't get any jobs down there." — Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, explaining his repeated questioning of a committee witness about environmental lawsuits.
From the Hill: Here's your daily legislative schedule. [Trib]
-> House lawmakers shot down a bill that would have earmarked one quarter of liquor sales growth to go towards public schools, with opponents saying it could send the wrong message to youngsters. [Trib] [DNews] [UtahPolicy]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert is urging lawmakers to weigh all options and outcomes before jumping to a decision on expanding Medicaid. [Trib] [DNews]
-> A compromise bill would tweak the role of Utah's Medicaid watchdog. [Trib]
-> Lawmakers negotiated a budget agreement that will fund growth in schools by upping the per-pupil funding rate and gives a little raise to state employees. [Trib] [UtahPolicy]
-> A House committee voted down a bill that would require parents to be notified if their child's teacher is packing a gun in class before it was even brought up for discussion. [Trib]
-> Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick discuss the number of potentially unconstitutional bills before the Legislature and the effort to move the prison. [UtahPolicy]
-> Strip clubs, casions and liquor stores would be off-limits areas for spending welfare money under a bill that made a nearly clean sweep through the Senate. [Trib] [Herald]
-> A bill that would stop public employees from transferring sick time to a retirement benefit passed the Senate nearly unanimously, taking the state off the hook for a $10.5 million commitment. [Trib]
-> All Utah Scouts — both Boys and Girls — will receive check-off boxes on tax forms, after a public outcry that only allowing the Boy Scouts to have a box was unequal. [Trib]
-> Lawmakers are requesting $300,000 to lobby the federal government against introducing the gray wolf to Utah. Opponents say the money could be better spent on education programs. [Trib]
-> A House committee unanimously passed a bill that would bolster resources for law enforcement who are fighting human trafficking, and would beef up penalties for using children in prostitution. [Trib]
-> Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder endorsed a bill that would crack down on for-profit websites that publish mug shots — and then charge the accused $500 to remove the photo. [Trib] [DNews]
Nationally: Despite the filibuster fuss, John Brennan was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 63-34. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [APviaTrib] While Sen. Mike Lee voted against Brennan, Sen. Orrin Hatch voted in favor of him, joining 11 other Republicans who did so. [Trib]
-> In case you missed it, here are the best moments of Rand's filibuster — complete with references to Jane Fonda, Jay-Z and Sen. Ted Cruz's read-out of #standwithrand tweets. [WaPost]
-> Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee both voted against a small-measure gun control bill that would make it a felony to buy a gun for someone else. The legislation was brought before the Senate Judiciary Committee — on which both of Utah's senators sit — where it received little bipartisan support. [NYTimes]
-> On the heels of the House approving a funding bill that will keep the federal government running through the end of the fiscal year, President Barack Obama has begun a rare string of meetings with Republican lawmakers to figure out a "grand bargain." [WaPost]
Where are they?
Rep. Rob Bishop is briefed on the F-35 at a Lockheed Martin facility in Texas.
Gov. Gary Herbert hits Rural Day at the Capitol, holds a Cabinet meeting, interviews contenders for the Corrections appointment and hits an event with Nick Vujicic at Utah Valley University.
Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams speaks at the Health Department's annual meeting and is briefed on legislative issues.
SLC Mayor Ralph Becker has a Sugar House streetcar meeting and a Green Team meeting.
President Barack Obama meets with senior advisers and then meets with faith leaders to discuss immigration reform.
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]
— Matt Canham and Emily Andrews Twitter.com/mattcanham and Twitter.com/emilytandrews