Kavanaugh urged to keep up the aggressive reaction to the allegations against him. Hatch wants FBI to say if anyone attempts to delay the Kavanaugh probe. Kem Gardner donates $100k to anti-Prop 2 effort.
Happy Monday. Judge Brett Kavanaugh is being advised to mount an aggressive and proactive campaign to win over the swing-vote senators who will determine whether he is confirmed to the Supreme Court. There’s no holding back now and keeping up the attitude Kavanaugh brought to the Judiciary Committee last week may be his best path to the high court, allies say. [Politico]
Topping the news: Utah developer and philanthropist Kem Gardner cut a $100,000 check to help defeat the Proposition 2 medical marijuana ballot initiative to be voted on this November. [Trib][Fox13]
> Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Mike Lee are backing Judge Brett Kavanaugh but his confirmation vote to the Supreme Court has been delayed up to a week pending an FBI investigation of sexual assault allegations. [Trib][DNews][KUER]
-> Hatch requested that the FBI report immediately if anyone attempts to delay the investigation into Kavanaugh’s sexual misconduct case. He said he would like to vote on Kavanaugh’s confirmation as soon as possible. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @byrdinator: “so glad it’s finally October and we can listen to Christmas music now.”
-> From @LouiseMensch: “Has anybody heard from @IvankaTrump since this whole #Kavanaugh thing blew up?”
Happy Birthday: To former state Rep. Trisha Beck, state Sen. Wayne Niederhauser, and Bill Keshlear.
In other news: With 39.4% of Utah declared as being in an “extreme” state of drought, it is likely that once numbers are finalized Utah Gov. Gary Herbert is expected to declare there to be a state of emergency. [DNews]
-> Utah’s Third Congressional District candidates vary widely on contentious issues -- read about where they stand on concepts ranging from abortion to public lands. [Trib]
-> Construction prices and raised steel tariffs have driven up the cost of construction of a new wastewater treatment plant by $25 million. [DNews]
-> Pat Bagley offers his take on Christine Blasey Ford’s accusations against Brett Kavanaugh. [Trib]
-> Tribune columnist Robert Gehrke offers ideas to make electric scooter use in Salt Lake City safer for riders and pedestrians alike. [Trib]
-> Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb discuss Utah’s medical marijuana election battle. [DNews]
Nationally: The United States and Canada made a last-second decision to keep the North American Free Trade Agreement intact. Canada agreed to ease protections on its dairy market and provide greater trade access, while the United States conceded to not eliminating an independent tariff dispute settlement system. [NYTimes][Politico][CNN][BBC][WSJ]
-> The FBI jumped into an “abbreviated investigation” of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s sexual misconduct case on Sunday, stating that the investigation could potentially be concluded by Monday morning. Democrats demanded more information about the inquiry, as they believe that apparent constraints on the inquiry could make it a “farce." [NYTimes][Politico][BBC][WSJ]
-> China cancelled an important security meeting with the United States on Sunday, with officials stating that a top Chinese military officer would not be able to meet with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in Beijing at the pre-planned time in mid-October. This is the latest move in the chilly relationship forming between the two countries. [NYTimes]
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-- Thomas Burr and Cara MacDonald
https://twitter.com/thomaswburr and Twitter.com/carammacdonald