Happy Wednesday! The first debate among Democratic candidates for president is tonight and President Donald Trump’s team is ready to respond. His campaign is marshaling a media offense to blast out any embarrassing moments on social media and dispatching talking points to surrogates to make sure everyone stays on message. [Politico]
Topping the news: Sen. Mitt Romney says that recent rape allegations against Trump should be “fully evaluated.” [CNN]
-> Salt Lake City mayoral candidates discussed gun control at a forum hosted by March for Our Lives on Monday night. Candidates said gun safety initiatives must come from the state and federal governments, but they promised to work with youths to help their issues get heard. [Trib]
-> The Utah County Commission voted unanimously in support of an anti-abortion resolution on Tuesday. [Trib] [DNews]
Tweets of the day: From @fski31: “I doubt all the accusations made against Bill Clinton are false. I doubt all the allegations made against Donald Trump are false. Easy really, isn’t it?”
-> From @MattRogersTho: “I personally don’t forgive my student debt. I’m still mad.”
-> From @gopTODD: “Good news everyone. The phone robot lady from ‘Visa/Mastercard Services’ told me that due to my good payment history, I have qualified for a low interest loan.”
In other news: Plant scientists are investigating the deaths of southern Utah’s juniper trees. [Trib]
-> Unintended pregnancies are declining across the country. [Trib]
-> Utans are worried that the lack of readily available, affordable housing will dampen the state’s economic growth. [Trib]
-> The Salt Lake County Council is calling on the state to ban conversion “therapy” for youths. [Trib]
-> A lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges that the luxury Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City lured immigrant workers from the Philippines and then exploited them. [APviaTrib]
-> The developer behind the controversial Olympia Hills planned community near Herriman talks about his vision for the project. [City Journals]
-> The new Riverton Police Department swore in 35 officers on Tuesday. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley reacts to Trump’s immigration record. [Trib]
-> Utans protested recent actions on immigration by the federal government, including threats of mass deportation. [DNews]
Nationally: Medical and public health groups are calling climate change the greatest health threat of this century. [The Hill]
-> Presidential candidate Joe Biden has come under fire for his tough on crime policies from his time in the Senate, policies that critics now say contributed to mass incarceration. [NYT]
-> Mark Morgan, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement acting director, will lead United States Customs and Border Protection after its director stepped down amidst outcry over the treatment of migrant children in border detention facilities. [NYT] [WSJ]
-> Last week, the the Environmental Protection Agency changed regulations on coal-power plants. The rollbacks could have far reaching implications for future regulations. [WSJ]
-> Tit for tat: The United States and Iran continue trading insults and threats. [Reuters]
-> United States judges may have contributed to the current opioid crisis by sealing evidence from cases against pharmaceutical companies. [Reuters]
-> Stephanie Grisham will serve as the new White House press secretary. Grisham is currently the first lady’s deputy chief of staff and communications director. [BBC]
-> Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., has been accused of using campaign funds to pursue extramarital affairs. [Politico]
-> Special counsel Robert S. Mueller will testify before Congress next month. [NYT] [WaPost]
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-- Thomas Burr and Sara Tabin