First lady Melania Trump appears at White House after weekslong absence. Former intelligence officer from Utah arrested for allegedly trying to sell secrets to China. Utahns react to the Supreme Court siding with Colorado baker.
Happy Tuesday. First lady Melania Trump emerged yesterday after more than three weeks out of the public eye, ending an absence that inspired wild conspiracy theories about her health and well-being. She appeared at a White House event honoring Gold Star families. [Politico] [NYTimes]
Topping the news: A former intelligence officer from Utah was arrested before boarding a flight to China on accusations of trying to transmit U.S. defense information to China’s intelligence service. [Trib] [Fox13] [KSL] [DNews] [ABC4]
-> Utah LGBTQ groups and SLC Mayor Jackie Biskupski see the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Colorado wedding cake case as a blow, while the state’s top conservative lawmakers praise the decision. [Trib]
-> In one of his last moves as a state legislator, House Speaker Greg Hughes appointed himself to a four-year position on the board of a controversial new inland port authority. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @StephenAtHome: "Reese Witherspoon has announced they’re making ‘Legally Blonde 3.’ Please make it be about Elle Woods joining Mueller’s team.“
-> From @petridishes: "imagine feeling like you’d done nothing wrong and being able to forgive yourself”
-> From @BjaminWood: "Apparently outgoing Speaker Hughes is a fan of the old ‘If you want something done right...’ adage“
Happy Birthday: To Taylorsville City Councilman Ernest Burgess.
In other news: The remaining 158 LDS missionaries in Nicaragua are being pulled out of the country because of “escalating violence and deteriorating conditions.” [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13]
-> A Utah judge rejected the state’s argument that former AG John Swallow isn’t entitled to $1.6 million in legal fees he incurred during a lengthy criminal investigation in which he was exonerated. [DNews] [Fox13]
-> With few staffers and relations growing tense, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman is navigating how to build ties between America and its former Cold War enemy. [Trib]
-> After a five-month investigation failed to produce evidence he misused public funds, Weber County Commissioner Kerry Gibson will be appointed as the Utah Department of Natural Resources deputy director. [Trib]
-> The University of Utah selected three finalists for new senior vice president of health sciences after Vivian Lee stepped down last year following a dispute with Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO Mary Beckerle. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke says building a Facebook data center in Utah may not be a good long-term move for the state. [Trib]
Nationally: In a 7-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with a Colorado baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, while making it clear that similar cases could be decided differently. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [CNN]
-> President Donald Trump abruptly called off the Philadelphia Eagle’s visit to the White House after multiple players and coaches said they would boycott the visit in light of the NFL’s recent kneeling policy. [NYTimes] [CNN]
-> Special counsel Robert Mueller accused former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort of tampering with witnesses and trying to secure false testimony. [Politico]
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-- Thomas Burr and Connor Richards
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