Democratic congressional candidates distancing themselves from Nancy Pelosi. Orrin Hatch, 12 other senators urge Jeff Sessions to end family separations. Mitt Romney says Donald Trump isn’t above the law.
Happy Wednesday. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is not winning the hearts and minds of some Democratic congressional candidates this year. At least 20 House Democratic challengers — including Utah’s Ben McAdams — have publicly rejected the minority leader on the campaign trail and said they wouldn’t vote for her to be in leadership. [Politico]
Topping the news: Sen. Orrin Hatch and 12 other Republicans in the Senate wrote a letter urging Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end the practice of separating families at the border until Congress passes legislation addressing the issue. [Trib]
-> Senate candidate and former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said President Donald Trump isn’t above the law and that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation should carry on. [Trib]
-> Romney raised $2 million for his Senate campaign in the past two months while his Republican primary opponent, state Rep. Mike Kennedy, raised $152,000 in the same time period. [APviaTrib]
Tweets of the day: From @petridishes: "heaven forfend that the United States be seen in the international community as excessively supportive of human rights”
-> From @MEPFuller: "It’s pretty cool that House Republicans exported policymaking to a guy who can’t articulate actual policy preferences.”
-> From @byrdinator: "Y’know, when you think about it, tying policy decisions to the whims of someone who is extraordinarily unconcerned with policy might be counterproductive for crafting law”
Happy birthday: To state Sen. Jerry Stevenson and former state Sen. Stephen Urquhart.
In other news: Navajo voters in San Juan County say little has been done to implement redrawn voting districts, despite a federal judge’s order meant to reverse political domination over American Indians. [Trib]
-> A 16-year-old from St. George who tried to blow up a homemade device at Pine View High School said he was influenced by Islamic State propaganda and wanted to cause fear. [APviaTrib]
-> More than 52,000 primary election ballots that were supposed to be mailed to Cache County voters have been delayed. [APviaTrib]
-> Utahns pay $3.19 on average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, higher than the $2.89 per gallon national average and making Utah the seventh most expensive state for gasoline. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley shows what is happening at the U.S.-Mexico border with the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. [Trib]
Nationally: In the past month, more than 2,300 children have been separated from their parents after crossing the border. Here is what happens next. [Politico]
-> President Donald Trump called on Republicans in Congress to reform the nation’s immigration system, but did not indicate a preference for any bills in particular. [WaPost] [Politico] [NYTimes]
-> The Trump administration announced the United States will withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council over perceived bias against Israel and willingness by the U.N. to protect human rights abusers. [WaPost] [CNN]
Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Send us a note to cornflakes@sltrib.com.
— Thomas Burr and Connor Richards
Follow @sltribpolitics