Bernie Sanders says Hillary Clinton should have done more to stop Russian meddling. House advances bill to end the death penalty; Herbert says he may sign it.
Happy Thursday. President Donald Trump says there was no collusion between his team and Russia during the 2016 election and that it’s President Barack Obama’s fault for not doing enough to combat the foreign nation’s efforts to undermine America’s democracy. Now Sen. Bernie Sanders is getting into the game. Amid reports that Russian bots also tried to help him, Sanders says Hillary Clinton should have done more to stop the Russian interference. [Politico]
Topping the news: A bill to get rid of the death penalty advanced to the Utah House Wednesday after family members of murder victims testified both for and against it. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert said Wednesday he may that bill if it passes the Legislature. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> Utah lawmakers found out Wednesday they have $209 million more than they anticipated to spend as they work to finalize state budgets for the coming year. [Trib] [DNews]
Tweets of the day: @RobertGehrke: “Just a thought … If some weirdo went into a school and showed 17 kids pornography, Utah legislators would be losing their minds. Now replace the pornography with a gun …”
-> From @MEPFuller: “If we really want to arm teachers, maybe we should start with pencils.”
-> From @kumailn: “Teachers should have guns. Principals should have guns. Waiters should have guns. Tailors should have guns. Doctors should have guns. Nurses should have guns. Uber drivers should have guns. Dogs should have guns. Cats should have guns. Guns should also have other guns.”
In other news: Gov. Herbert answered questions about gun safety in his monthly KUED news conference on Wednesday. [Trib] [DNews] [ABC4] [KSL]
-> Federal tax changes gave Utah lawmakers about half a billion dollars to spend -- and they may choose to give some of it back in an election-year tax cut. [Trib]
-> The House Judiciary Committee advanced a resolution Wednesday that calls on Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes to sue opioid manufacturers. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Reyes said last Friday that his office is preparing a lawsuit against a federal law that diminishes state and local control of public lands. [Trib]
-> In the power struggle between part-time lawmakers and a full-time governor, the House voted down a bill Wednesday that would create an oversight committee for executive agencies and local governments. But a House committee endorsed a bill Wednesday that would take away the governor’s power to fill U.S. Senate vacancies. [Trib]
-> A national ethics group is calling for an investigation of Rep. Mike Noel, R-Kanab, for not disclosing land holdings around and in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. [Trib]
-> The House passed a bill that would limit noncompete clauses for television workers. [Trib] [DNews] [KUTV]
-> The Utah Senate passed a bill Wednesday that would allow businesses already selling a cannabis byproduct to do so legally. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The Senate also approved a bill Wednesday that would prevent police departments from setting ticket or arrest quotas. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The House approved a bill Wednesday that would make breastfeeding legal in public places -- after language concerning some lawmakers was amended. [Trib] [DNews]
-> A bill that would change how the Utah System of Technical Colleges selects board members made it through the House Wednesday, despite opposition from a previous sponsor. [Trib]
-> The House Transportation Committee endorsed a bill Wednesday that could make Utah the first state to legalize driverless vehicles on any state roads. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The House is set to debate two controversial water bills against the advice of experts. [Trib]
-> The House Natural Resources Committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would allow developers to create islands for thousands of inhabitants in the polluted Utah Lake. [Trib]
-> Utah lawmakers declared Wednesday “Orrin G. Hatch Day” to honor the retiring U.S. senator, who has served for 41 years. [DNews] [KUTV] [KSL]
-> In this week’s Trib Caucus Slack Chat, Tribune political reporters and columnists predict what Utahns can expect in the last two weeks of the 2018 legislative session. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley illustrates his view of the NRA’s place in the gun violence debate. [Trib]
-> Michelle Quist makes argues that being pro-life includes not only decrying abortion but also opposing capital punishment and gun violence. [Trib]
Nationally: Students, teachers and parents met with President Donald Trump in an emotional listening session Wednesday to talk about the problem of gun violence. [WaPost]
-> Right-wing media are spreading rumors through social media that victims of the Parkland, Fla. school shooting are actors in a conspiracy to undermine their arguments. [NYTimes]
-> Melania Trump’s parents have obtained green cards, raising questions about how they did so. The couple could have secured residency through “chain migration,” something Trump wants to restrict. [NYTimes]
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-- Thomas Burr and Madalyn Gunnell
Follow @sltribpolitics