More than two years after hackers linked to the Russian military looted the Democratic National Committee’s computer networks ahead of the 2016 election, the committee has put an increased focus on cybersecurity. But cyber experts and researchers say many candidates and campaigns are still easy prey as they head into upcoming elections. Many have yet to implement standard safeguards to prevent breaches of their computer networks, websites and emails, even though a former FBI official says “campaigns are being targeted.” [Politico]
Happy Monday.
Topping the news: One year after the launch of Operation Rio Grande — a crackdown on homelessness, open drug use and crime in Salt Lake City — a number of challenges still lie ahead for city and state officials, including the need to build three new homeless shelters and tens of thousands of low-income housing units. [Trib]
-> Shortly before the one-year anniversary of the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va., U.S. Senate candidate Mitt Romney wrote in an essay that “it must be electorally disqualifying to equivocate on racism.” [Trib] [KSL]
-> The San Juan County clerk who allegedly falsified an official document in an effort to kick democratic County Commission candidate Willie Grayeyes, a Navajo, off the ballot may be investigated, according to a federal judge’s written ruling. [Trib]
Tweets of the weekend: From @ilangoldenberg: “As someone who spent a fair amount of time in the Situation Room, I can’t even begin to wrap my head around how insane this is”
-> From @danpfeiffer: “For a guy whose fame is based in part on a TV show about hiring the right person, Trump seems to have hired a lot of the wrong people to work on his campaign and in his Administration.”
-> From @adamcbest: "Space Force is simply a big mixup. Trump got confused after a Fox & Friends segment on “illegal aliens.”
Happy Birthday: To former state Rep. Ryan Wilcox and Mitt Romney’s son, Josh Romney.
In other news: The nonprofit that has sponsored the annual Taste of the Wasatch food and wine celebration is shutting down after board members resigned amid news reports that it failed to give a promised $50,000 donation to Utahns Against Hunger. [Trib]
-> Wildfires throughout Utah and in California have impacted the state’s air quality and filled the sky with smoke, affecting everyone from recreational hikers and bikers to world-class athletes. [Trib]
-> Bill Wyatt, who was selected as director of Salt Lake City International Airport, has been described as “a nice guy” and the right person to oversee the construction of a new $3.6 billion airport. [Trib]
-> Weber School District says it can no longer afford its recycling efforts and will cut back on programming at all 50 of its schools and office buildings. [Trib]
-> Two brothers who accused their father of sexually abusing them 12 years ago now say they lied about it and are trying to clear his name, saying their dad deserves a “clean slate in life.” [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley gives his take on President Donald Trump’s proposed U.S. Space Force. [Trib]
Nationally: Omarosa Manigault Newman, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, secretly taped her firing in the Situation Room, breaching security and revealing that White House Chief of Staff John Kelly suggested her reputation would be damaged if she did not leave quietly. [NYTimes] [CNN] [CBS]
-> White supremacists held a “Unite the Right” rally in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, that drew less than 40 attendees but thousands of protesters. [WaPost] [Politico] [CNN]
-> Donald Trump Jr. has emerged as a celebrity on the campaign trail ahead of November’s midterm elections, despite scrutiny of his role in a Trump Tower meeting ahead of the 2016 election with a lawyer who has links to Russia. [WaPost]
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-- Taylor Stevens and Connor Richards
Follow @sltribpolitics