Happy Friday! Sen. Mitt Romney may be the most vocal GOP critic of President Donald Trump but he doesn’t consider himself anti-Trump, or a Never-Trumper or any of those labels. He’s the target of conservative ire in some circles and the hero to some Republicans who have waited for someone in power to speak out. Romney, though, says he’s not trying to create a movement. “I don’t believe I’m leading a wing of the party. Because there’s no wing that’s very large that is aligned with me,” Romney says. [Politico]
Topping the news: Sen. Romney offered a strong rebuke of President Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, a move that Romney says will be a “bloodstain in the annals of American history." [Trib]
-> Former state Sen. Jim Dabakis isn’t voting for City Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall for Salt Lake City mayor, but he also isn’t going so far as to endorse Mendenhall’s opponent, Sen. Luz Escamilla. [Trib]
-> The Inland Port Authority board met for the first time in four months and faced some protesters but fewer than in past occasions when meetings were halted. [Trib]
Tweets of the day: From @AnaCabrera: "Statement from Congressman Cummings’ wife, Maya, on his passing: “He worked until his last breath because he believed our democracy was the highest and best expression of our collective humanity and that our nation’s diversity was our promise, not out problem.'”
-> From @BlakeHounshell: “You’re damn right I ordered the code red!”
Happy Birthday: Today to state Rep. Sue Duckworth and Sens. Curt Bramble and David Hinkins, on Saturday to former state Rep. Douglas Aagard and on Sunday to BYU’s Dave Magleby.
Behind the Headlines: Tribune senior managing editor Matt Canham, reporter Taylor Stevens and columnist George Pyle join KCPW to talk about the week’s top stories, including LDS Church opposition to a proposed ban on “conversion therapy.” Every Friday at 9 a.m., stream “Behind the Headlines” at kcpw.org, or tune in to KCPW 88.3 FM or Utah Public Radio for the broadcast. Join the live conversation by calling (801) 355-TALK.
Weekly quiz: Last week, 90% of you knew about Kanye West’s “Sunday Service” performance, but only 24% of you knew that Salt Lake City TSA agents had found six loaded guns in carry-on luggage the previous week. Think you kept up with the news this week? Take our quiz to find out. If you’re using The Salt Lake Tribune mobile app, click here. [Trib]
Also in the news: Following the death of Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings, former Utah GOP Rep. Jason Chaffetz reflects on his time working with the Maryland congressman. [DNews] [Trib]
-> The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nomination of David Barlow to serve as a federal judge in Utah and the full Senate is expected to take up the confirmation vote this year. [Trib]
-> Columnist Robert Gehrke urges the public to stay away from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ advice when it comes to recent discussions of “conversion therapy.” [Trib]
-> Aimee Winder Newton, a Salt Lake County councilwoman, is entering the race for Utah governor, but “it hasn’t been made official yet.” [Fox13]
-> UTA has amassed a huge amount of debt, totaling $2.1 billion, which made some lawmakers worry that debt would belong to the state following transit reforms. But, most say it won’t. [Trib]
-> More than half of Utahns approve of the job that Rep. Ben McAdams is doing in Congress, a higher percentage than his GOP counterparts, a new poll shows. [DNews]
-> For the first time since 1929, St. George has broken the record number of days - 122 total - the city has gone without rain. [Trib]
Nationally: Rep. Elijah Cummings, a key figure in the Trump investigations, has died at 68 years of age. The Maryland Democrat served as the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. [CNN] [AP] [NYTimes]
-> Vice President Mike Pence said that he and Turkish President Erdogan came to a ceasefire agreement on Turkey’s attacks in northern Syria. [CNN] [AP] [NYTimes]
-> In Gordon Sondland’s closed-door testimony to House impeachment investigators, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union said the president directed him and other envoys to work with Trump’s private attorney Rudy Giuliani on Ukraine policy. [AP] [NYTimes] [CNN]
-> President Donald Trump will host next year’s G7 summit at Trump Doral, his luxury resort near Miami. [NYTimes] [AP] [CNN]
-> Military aid to Ukraine from the United States is on hold due to election probe. [AP]
-> In the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson celebrates a Brexit deal with the European Union before taking on Parliament in the next steps. [AP]
-> In an address at Georgetown University, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says his company will not police political speech, despite concerns for allowing lies and falsehoods to run on Facebook feeds. [NYTimes]
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-- Thomas Burr and Clara Hatcher
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