Mike Lee, Gary Ott and Donald Trump. Your Friday morning political briefing from UtahPolicy.com

Local News Highlights: Daily Briefing

Morning must reads for Friday, July 21, 2017

Good Friday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 202nd day of the year. There are 163 days remaining in 2017.

Sen. Mike Lee is pushing back against conservatives who blame him for the GOP health care bill's failure. Gary Ott's family reaches a deal for him to retire from office in August. Donald Trump's legal team is looking for ways to undercut the special counsel investigation into Russia's involvement in the 2016 election.

The clock:

• 4 days until ballots for the August primary are mailed to voters (7/25/2017)
• 25 days until the 2017 Utah primary election (8/15/2017)
• 109 days until the 2017 election (11/7/2017)
• 185 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)
• 230 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)
• 473 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)
• 1,201 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

• Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott help you understand what happened this week in Utah politics and why with our video week-in-review [Utah Policy]. Here's a podcast version of the discussion [Utah Policy].
   
• Bob Bernick argues the unprecedented number of ballot initiatives Utahns will vote on in 2018 is a good sign for the state [Utah Policy].
   
• Sen. Mike Lee is fighting back against those who say his abandonment of the Senate GOP health care bill essentially "saved Obamacare" [Utah Policy].
   
• Sen. Mike Lee says he would be able to support the GOP health care bill if it included his amendment allowing insurance companies to sell policies that don't comply with federal guidelines as long as they sell plans that do [Utah Policy].
   
• The family of Gary Ott has reached a deal with Salt Lake County to have him step down as Recorder on August 1st. Ott will receive a cash payout to help with his care as part of the deal [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• The group pushing to create an independent redistricting commission officially launch their effort to bring the issue to voters on the 2018 ballot [Deseret News, Tribune].
   
• Sen. Mike Lee is pushing back against a renewed effort by the Trump Justice Department to seize cash and personal property from people suspected of committing crimes [Tribune].
   
• Sen. Jim Dabakis says the state should reconsider Medicaid expansion following the failure of the GOP health care plan [Deseret News].
   
• You're not imagining things. The number of fires in Utah increased after aerial fireworks became legal in July [KSL].
   
• Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams' informal survey finds about 66% of residents support banning fireworks [Fox 13].
   
• Experts warn development at the Point of the Mountain area could get out of hand without careful planning [Deseret News, Tribune, Daily Herald].
   
• The Ute tribe pulls out of Gov. Gary Herbert's Native American summit until the state treats them as a sovereign government [Tribune].

National headlines:

• President Donald Trump's legal team is looking at ways to undercut special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Mueller has reportedly expanded his probe to include Trump's financial involvement with Russia [New York Times].
   
• President Donald Trump has reportedly asked his advisers and legal team about his power to pardon associates, members of his family and even himself as Mueller's investigation is expanding to include Trump's business dealings [Washington Post].
   
• Special counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly investigating former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort is under investigation for possible money laundering involving Russia [Wall Street Journal].
   
• Two members of Trump's legal team, Marc Kasowitz, and Kasowitz's spokesperson Mark Corallo have resigned [CBS News].
   
• Conservatives are warning Republicans that their base could abandon the party in the 2018 midterm elections because of their failure to repeal Obamacare [Roll Call].
   
• Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci is reportedly under consideration to head up the White House communications team [Politico].
   
• A new poll shows 68% of Americans are worried about a possible war with North Korea [Fox News].
   
• Tour operators say the Trump administration is set to ban U.S. citizens from traveling to North Korea [Reuters].

On this day in history:

• 1861 - The first Battle of Bull Run was fought at Manassas, Va. during the Civil War, resulting in a Confederate victory.
   
• 1925 - The Scopes "monkey trial" ended in Dayton, Tenn., with John T. Scopes convicted of violating state law for teaching Darwin's theory of evolution. (The conviction was later overturned.)
   
• 1949 - The U.S. Senate ratified the North Atlantic Treaty.
   
• 1961 - Capt. Virgin "Gus" Grissom became the second American to rocket into a sub-orbital pattern around the Earth, flying on the Liberty Bell 7.

Today At Utah Policy

Lee fighting back against those who say he 'saved Obamacare'
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Sen. Mike Lee is taking fire from fellow Republicans for helping to stop the Senate GOP bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. Utah's junior Senator is standing his ground because he says the bill did not do enough to get rid of Obamacare....

37% might be enough to win - Bernick and Schott on politics #335
By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick
Ballots go out in the GOP primary in Utah's 3rd CD next week. What do the three Republicans vying for the nomination need to do to win the support of undecided voters?...

Bob Bernick's notebook: Taking the initiative
By Bob Bernick, Contributing Editor
Over the next several months there's a real possibility you could be asked to sign one or more citizen initiative petitions....

Weekly survey: What will happen to Obamacare?
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
This week the GOP effort to repeal and replace Obamacare collapsed because the Senate did not have enough votes. What do you think Congress will ultimately do with the health care law?...

Lee says he would support health care bill if his amendment is included (with video)
By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor
Sen. Mike Lee, who helped to derail the Senate GOP health care bill, says he would support the measure if his amendment is added to the legislation....

Podcast: Bernick and Schott on politics #335
By Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick
Bob Bernick and Bryan Schott dissect all of the big stories from the past week in Utah politics....

Policy News

Casual Friday: Weekend Events & Outdoors Report
Outdoor Notes--Tribune: Utah Hike of the Week: Ruth Lake in the Uintas--Tribune: Wildflower Festival taking place this weekend in Big Cottonwood Canyon--Tribune: To see the best Utah has to offer, look no further than Navajo Lake --Tribune:Cougar hunt permits in Utah expecte...

Sen. Lee responds to new DOJ Asset Forfeiture policy
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement Wednesday regarding the Department of Justice's new asset forfeiture policy:...

Point of the Mountain Development Commission presents baseline scenario
The Utah Legislature's Point of the Mountain Development Commission today released a baseline scenario prepared by Envision Utah....

Utah Fishing Alexa skill helps find hot fishing spots
Nothing beats good advice when you're looking for a great day of fishing. Now, Utahns can simply ask a personal digital assistant for some of the best advice from the state's best experts....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: The obvious, and only, solution to our health care dilemma

Op-ed: Tongue-in-cheek ad shows just how unreasonable .05 law is

Amazon expansion includes West Valley site

Koch brother and Eccles family to give $20M for a University of Utah economics institute

Reform group hopes to create independent commission in wake of allegations of Utah gerrymandering

Senate Judiciary approves Huber as U.S. attorney for Utah

Leaders warn that the Point of Mountain is destined to become a congested mess without careful planning

County strikes deal with family for Salt Lake County Recorder Gary Ott's resignation

Rolly: Mormon church, Alta Club swap land. Result: Historic South Temple will gain a parking structure

Utes pull out of Utah governor's Native American Summit, citing frustration over unequal treatment

Utah's Mike Lee splits from Sessions on police asset seizures, warns of civil rights violations

Deseret News

Editorial: Why the University of Utah's new economics institute is a win for the state

U. to launch new 'quantitative analysis' institute using $20M from Eccles, Koch organizations

Dabakis: Time right to reconsider Medicaid expansion after ACA replacement sputters

Better Boundaries launches initiative to create independent redistricting commission

Without thoughtful planning, Point of the Mountain could be a grim scene in 2050

County, family reach resignation deal for Recorder Gary Ott

Other

Point of the Mountain Development Commission releases scenario depicting congested area in 2050 (Daily Herald)

Fresh face in Utah politics, Tanner Ainge hopes to focus on national debt, economic growth (Daily Herald)

Pleasant Grove residents host Meet the Candidates night (Daily Herald)

National Headlines

Voter Fraud Database Tops 1,000 Proven Cases (Daily Signal)

Senior Obama Admin Official: The Media Colluded With Russia (NTK Network)

Trump aides investigate Mueller's investigators (New York Times)

Sessions won't resign for now, but gets Trump's message (Politico)

McCain's absence leaves big hole in Senate (Politico)

Trump administration cancels hundreds of Obama-era regulations (Washington Post)

Ban on laptops in airplane cabins lifted, federal officials say (CBS News)

Ryan says U.S. tax reform consensus nears, does not mention border tax (Reuters)

Ryan: CBO's healthcare estimate is 'bogus' (The Hill)

Nearly half of liberals don't even like to be around Trump supporters (Washington Post)

Corning 'immediately' creating 1000 new jobs in US, CEO says (CNBC)

Wise Words

Future

"I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." Thomas Jefferson

Lighter Side

Too Much TV

"It's being reported that President Trump is bothered that people think he watches too much television. Trump claims he saw it mentioned today on "The View," "The Today Show," CNN, "Live with Kelly and Ryan," and "Clifford the Big Red Dog." Conan O'Brien