Happy Friday! President Trump chalks another one up to Fake News! — insisting that it was he who was kept cooling his heels to greet Queen Elizabeth II during their recent visit. Sen. Orrin Hatch gripes of “dumbass” opposition to the latest Supreme Court nominee and Rep. Chris Stewart says no one’s tougher on Russia than President Trump.
President Trump has stirred yet another controversy involving his visit last month with Queen Elizabeth II. Despite video footage showing the 92-year-old queen waiting for 12 minutes for the president and his entourage to arrive — even glancing at her watch — Trump now claims that it was he that was kept waiting. Still, the president says he’s not complaining, “Hey, it’s the queen, right?” [Politico]
Topping the news: Sen. Orrin Hatch had words for Democratic senators demanding to see tens of thousands of documents that U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh dealt with as President George W. Bush’s staff secretary. “We can’t keep going down this partisan, picky, stupid, dumbass road that has happened around here for so long,” Hatch said. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Despite President Donald Trump’s highly criticized performance at a summit meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, Rep. Chris Stewart insists the administration is tough on Russia and willing to stand up to it. [Trib]
-> Utah County commissioners has rejected the establishment of any sort of needle exchange program intended to address opioid addiction but the resolution may be little a feel-good moment for opponents. State law authorizes such programs. [Trib] [DailyHerald]
-> A mysterious “sewer type smell” in West Valley City has city officials telling residents if they “smell something, say something.” [Fox13]
Tweets of the day: From @Mrfilmkritik: “Orrin Hatch on Democrats opposing Kavanaugh’s confirmation: ‘We didn’t treat their candidates for these positions the way they’re treating ours.’ Two words: MERRICK. GARLAND.”
-> From @MEPFuller: “I, for one, will always remember Orrin Hatch sticking up for Merrick Garland.”
-> From @thomaswburr: “I’m running late to a meeting with a Cabinet secretary because the president’s motorcade tied up traffic. #onlyindc”
-> From @JayPhillips1075: “I don’t care who or what you believe in politically in America today but the notion that the media is the enemy of the American people is frightening and borders on fascism.”
Behind the Headlines: Tribune reporter Benjamin Wood, senior managing editor Matt Canham and columnist Robert Gehrke join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories, including the first official Inland Port Board meeting and what Sen. Mike Lee thinks about 3D-printed guns.
Every Friday at 9 a.m., stream “Behind the Headlines” online at kcpw.org or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast.
In other news: The Libertas Institute, a libertarian-leaning Utah think tank, filed a lawsuit claiming Pleasant Grove’s utility fee for transportation and roads is an unconstitutional “tax disguised as a fee" and asked a judge to suspend it. [Trib] [DailyHerald]
-> Former East High School students who successfully sued the Salt Lake City School Board in 1998 to establish a gay-straight alliance club reunited to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the landmark LGBTQ-rights case. [Fox13]
-> Following the lead of the Utah Jazz, the University of Utah is cutting ties with Papa John’s Pizza after the company’s founder, John Schnatter, used a racial slur during a conference call. [Trib] [ABC4]
-> Zion National Park officials are warning visitors to be careful and heed expert advice after two separate groups of hikers had to be rescued after setting out without proper equipment. One hiker even mocked a ranger’s warning to use ropes and harness for the “subway” trail. [TribviaAP]
-> Utah firefighters from seven different agencies are heading to California to fight “devastating” wildfires, one of which, the Carr Fire, killed at least six people and destroyed more than 1,000 homes. [Trib] [Fox13]
-> Salt Lake City has installed a number of new traffic light signals sensitive enough to be triggered by bicycles, giving cyclists hope that they will be able to move through the streets more safely and easily. [Trib]
-> As more brands say they are going to stop making 3.2 percent beer, Utah lawmakers may be forced to act or face a ballot initiative come November. [Fox13]
-> Pat Bagley thinks Trump decrying the press as the “enemy of the people” reveals that he is the “enemy of truth.” [Trib]
Nationally: The Trump administration has unveiled new environmental rules that was significantly roll back tailpipe pollution standards established by President Obama. In addition to lowering the national standards, the rules would ban states from setting stricter vehicle emission standards. [NYTimes] test test
-> The Associated Press projected that Rep. Marsha Blackburn, who is backed by President Donald Trump, will be the Republican nominee in the Tennessee race for an open U.S. Senate seat. Blackburn will face Democrat Phil Bredesen in the general election. [NYTimes] [WaPost] [CBS]
-> Apple is dominating the economy. On Thursday, the company reached a market value of more than $1 trillion, becoming the first U.S. public company to achieve such a milestone. [NYTimes] [CNN] [TheAtlantic]
-> On the third day of Paul Manafort’s trial, his bookkeeper, Heather Washkuhn, testified that she was unaware of the existence of more than a dozen offshore accounts controlled by President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman. [Politico] [CNN]
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— Dan Harrie and Connor Richards
Follow @sltribpolitics