Any time something an issue rises to the country’s attention, someone is standing by to sell them a related product. In the impeachment of President Donald Trump, it’s everything from “Impeach 45” buttons to impeach-mints on Zazzle. During America’s first impeachment in 1868, entrepreneurs also searched for ways to make money — including with a an “impeachment polka." [WaPost]
Happy Friday!
Topping the news: Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall announced the opening of a temporary emergency homeless shelter in Sugar House to fill the gap in capacity at three newly-opened resource centers. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13]
-> Sen. Mitt Romney’s approval rating among Republicans and independents is dropping at the same time the congressman has broken with the president and GOP leaders by calling for former National Security Adviser John Bolton to testify as a witness in the impeachment trial. [Trib]
-> Congressman Rob Bishop, who is retiring from the U.S. House after nine terms at year’s end, has signed on as Utah gubernatorial candidate Thomas Wright’s running mate. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13]
Tweets of the day: From @aedwardslevy: “after the trial officially begins, the senators will then have thirty days to watch free netflix.”
-> From @BenWinslow: “OH MY... I was just told by a Capitol source that the #utleg has 1,171 bill requests about a week BEFORE the 2020 session starts. In 2019, the total number of bill requests was 1,338. This is too much.”
-> From @derekkitchen: “I can only imagine that the good humor would make someone MORE LIKELY to use a condom: reducing HIV/STI transmission and unwanted pregnancies (AHEM. COUGH. Reduce #abortion) @GovHerbert these folks deserve a raise.”
-> From @ballerinaX: “I’ll vote for the first candidate for governor that will promise to release the condoms.”
Happy birthday: To former first lady Michelle Obama.
Programming note: Cornflakes will be taking the day off on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will return to your inbox Tuesday morning.
Behind the Headlines: Tribune senior managing editor Matt Canham, reporter Erin Alberty and columnist George Pyle join KCPW’s Roger McDonough to talk about the week’s top stories, including the governor’s cancellation of a program to distribute condoms with suggestive Utah-themed packaging.
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.
News quiz: Last week, 96% of you knew about an effort to help female LDS missionaries recognize their leadership skills, but only 53% of you knew that unaffiliated voters need to act quickly if they want to participate in Super Tuesday. 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]
In other news: Democratic Rep. Patrice Arent announced that she will retire at the end of her term after serving in Utah’s House of Representatives for nearly 20 years. [Trib] [DNews] [Fox13]
-> Republican Sen. Allen Christensen also said Thursday that he will not seek reelection after serving 16 years on Capitol Hill. [Trib] [KPCW]
-> Utah student William McLeod, who was forced by his teacher to clean his forehead on Ash Wednesday, joined students from across the country at the White House on Thursday in telling stories of religious discrimination. Trump promised it wouldn’t happen again. [Trib]
-> The website for an HIV awareness campaign has been taken offline after state officials recalled 100,000 Utah-themed condoms because of their provocative labels. [Trib] [DNews]
-> The largest private employer in San Juan County, Energy Fuels Inc., laid off almost a third of its workforce this week in what’s already the state’s poorest county. [Trib]
-> Public officials on both sides of the political spectrum are joining together to sign a referendum that could get overturn recent changes to the state’s tax laws. [Trib]
-> Former Congressman Chris Cannon, a Republican House manager who helped prosecute President Bill Clinton during his impeachment trial, warns against prosecuting Trump. [DNews]
-> A Bay Area city that has been a key export channel for Utah mines has banned the storage and handling of coal, potentially severing an important link to the global marketplace for coal. [Trib]
-> Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee were among the majority who voted Thursday for a revised NAFTA agreement that now goes to Trump’s desk. [DNews]
-> Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg is coming to Utah Saturday to hold a public campaign event. He will hold a roundtable with community leaders followed by a stop at Impact Hub in Salt Lake City. [Trib] [DNews]
-> About 70 people gathered outside the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building on Thursday, calling on Utah senators to fight for a “full and fair” impeachment trial. [Trib] [DNews]
-> Rep. Adam Robertson is sponsoring a bill that would block school fees for basic curriculum classes in high schools. [Fox13]
-> Salt Lake Tribune cartoonist Pat Bagley depicts an impeachment trial with a Republican-controlled Senate. [Trib]
Nationally: The chief justice of the United States was sworn in Thursday to preside over Trump’s impeachment, marking the beginning of the third such trial in U.S. history. [APviaTrib] [NYTimes] [WaPost]
-> Ukrainian authorities will examine whether U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch was under surveillance before Trump dismissed her. This comes after new documents included exchanges between Lev Parnas, a former associate of Trump’s personal attorney, and others about the need to get rid of Yovanovitch. [WaPost]
-> Trump continues to insist he doesn’t know Parnas, who says the president was aware of efforts to surface dirt on political rivals. [CNN]
-> A nonprofit government accountability office report says the Trump administration violated the law by withholding security assistance aid to Ukraine. [NYTimes] [WaPost]
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-- Taylor Stevens and Zoi Walker
Follow @sltribpolitics