Cigars, rum, an electric bike, soccer jerseys and earrings — a list of what foreign leaders, including Cuba’s Raul Castro, gifted Obama. Utah House speaker announces he will not seek re-election. A federal judge nominee for Utah faces criticism from Democratic senators.
Happy Thursday. The president can accept gifts from foreign leaders if refusing might “cause embarrassment” — but most of the time the items must be turned over to the National Archives. According to an inventory from his tenure, President Barack Obama received cigars and rum from Cuban leader Raul Castro, an electric bike and soccer jerseys signed by Lionel Messi from the president of Argentina and a brooch, gold clutch and earrings with precious gems from the king of Morocco (valued at $101,200). [AP]
Topping the news: Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election next year. There’s a possibility, Hughes said, that he’ll run for governor, Congress or work with the Trump administration in the future. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KUTV] [Fox13] [KSL]
-> Howard Nielson Jr., who has been nominated to be a federal judge for Utah, faced criticism from Democratic senators Wednesday. They disapproved of Nielson’s justification of torture for terror suspects and work for California’s Proposition 8, though Republicans praised him for representing clients’ wishes. [Trib]
-> President Donald Trump’s Monday announcement to end Temporary Protected Status for Salvardorans in the U.S will affect an estimated 1,600 immigrants living in Utah. They have a year and a half to seek citizenship or risk deportation. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @aedwardslevy: “i’d make more Issa name jokes but honestly it’d be like shooting fish in a Darrell”
-> From @atDavidHoffman: “Donald Trump calling for tougher libel laws is like Donald Trump Junior calling for a ban on hair gel.”
Happy Birthday: To SLC Mayor Jackie Biskupski and XMission founder Pete Ashdown.
In other news: A source close to Mitt Romney said that while Romney is setting himself up for a Senate race, he will not yet announce during his speech at the Utah Economic Outlook and Policy Summit on Tuesday. [DNews] [KSL]
-> A group called Keep My Voice is launching a ballot initiative that would change the way candidates are nominated for elections in Utah. [Trib] [DNews] [KUTV]
-> Senate President Wayne Niederhauser has written a bill that would create a toll road in Little Cottonwood Canyon. [Trib] [ABC4] [Fox13]
-> Prosecutor Nathan Evershed announced Tuesday that he will challenge his boss, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, in this year’s election. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> State Rep. Gage Froerer, R-Huntsville, is sponsoring a bill to accelerate state liquor store construction. The current slow pace, he said, is costing the state too much money. [Trib]
-> A new lawsuit has been filed against polygamist leader Warren Jeffs for sexual assault. The plaintiff could receive money from a land trust Jeffs used to control, though it is now being used to aid FLDS members with housing and other benefits. [Trib]
-> A Clearfield resident who has bolted a gutted Volkswagen into a tree in her yard has been ordered to take it down with police saying it violates a city ordinance. The fate of the art piece was granted a temporary reprieve by the city council on Tuesday. [Trib] [ABC4] [KSL]
-> Patrons of the Salt Lake County recorder’s office can now use credit and debit cards to pay fees. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley depicts the biggest challenge that programs that help the poor face. [Trib]
Nationally: A federal judge in California ordered a nationwide injunction Tuesday to block President Donald Trump’s administration from shutting down the DACA program for young immigrants. [NYTimes]
-> Trump said Wednesday he won’t commit to an interview — though he said he would last year — with special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election. [NYTimes]
-> Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s interview with Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn R. Simpson. Fusion GPS is behind the dossier of allegations against Trump that the FBI has been probing to investigate Russian involvement in the 2016 election. [WaPost]
-> Trump said in a meeting with his Cabinet on Wednesday that he wants stricter libel laws. [WaPost]
-> California Rep. Darrell Issa announced his retirement Wednesday. Issa is one of 31 Republicans who have recently announced their retirement from the House or Senate. [NYTimes]
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-- Courtney Tanner and Madalyn Gunnell
Follow @sltribpolitics