Congressional investigations in store for Trump Administration if Democrats retake House. Closed-door negotiations continue on a medical marijuana bill. President Trump, a critic of the Antiquities Act, decides it’s pretty handy after all.
Happy Monday. House Republicans three years ago changed rules — over the protests of Democrats — to give committee chairs unilateral power to subpoena witnesses. (Remember then-Rep. Jason Chaffetz going after Hillary Clinton’s emails, the IRS, Secret Service and Benghazi?) That could come back to bite the GOP if Democrats regain the majority and launch investigations into the Trump Administration. {Politico]
Topping the news: Private talks are actively being conducted to tweak the medical cannabis bill, with lawmakers and advocates working together to provide further revisions to the 126-page bill released earlier this month. [Trib][ABC4]
-> Twelve of the 53 local governments that proposed tax hikes this year have backed down or backed off after public hearings required by Utah’s Truth in Taxation law. [Trib]
-> PEHP, the insurer of more than 160,000 public employees in Utah has started a new program that gives $500 rewards to people who take advantage of cheaper drug prices in Mexico, with travel expenses paid for. [Trib]
-> Rep. Chris Stewart’s books continue to sell briskly. That’s at least in part due to his own campaign’s purchases of the books — spending $32,000 since 2011 — to give away as gifts. [Trib]
Tweets of the Day: From @billyeichner: “IF YOU’RE 18 OR OVER AND YOU HAVE TIME TO DRESS UP FOR HALLOWEEN, YOU HAVE TIME TO VOTE.”
-> From @DanielTosh: “I’m encouraging all my fans to unregister to vote. you are dumb as sh*t and do not deserve a say in this country.”
-> From @McCulloughTimes: “Dave Roberts on the President’s tweet: ‘That’s one man’s opinion.’”
Happy Birthday: to Cornflakes reader E. Jean Tracy
In other news: Former U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Lt. Gov. Spencer J. Cox are leading the parade of Republican candidates mentioned as possible contenders for the open Utah governor’s seat in 2020, according to a new Tribune-Hinckley Institute poll. [Trib]
-> Ben McAdams and Mia Love’s close race has become a cacophony of attack ads so The Tribune went back to basics and spelled out their positions on some of the major policy issues. [Trib]
-> Transgender Utahns protested against the Trump Administration after it emerged last week that the Department of Health and Human Services may be changing the definition of gender as an immutable characteristic based on genitalia and anatomy. [Trib]
-> Senate candidate Mitt Romney visited the Utah Islamic Center on Friday to promote diversity and acceptance of other people in cultures in the community. Romney also said that while he supports the travel ban, he does not support making decisions about whether people can enter the country based on religion. [Trib][DNews]
-> President Donald Trump used the Antiquities Act, which he criticized almost a year ago when shrinking the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments, to create a new monument in Kentucky where there’s a close U.S. House election. [Trib]
-> Nearly 90,000 Salt Lake County residents in townships might see a property tax increase next year. The hike will be evaluated in December’s legislative session, and could also involve an additional fee. [DNews]
-> Private talks are actively being conducted to tweak the medical cannabis bill, with lawmakers and advocates working together to provide further revisions to the 126-page bill released earlier this month. [Trib][ABC4]
-> Five firefighters are suing the Unified Fire Authority and two top officials for alleged rampant nepotism under the leadership of former Fire Chief Michael Jensen. [Trib]
-> Retired Utah teachers don’t want to return to the classroom because they don’t get paid enough, questionnaire shows. [KUER]
-> Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb discussed Halloween and the midterm elections. [DNews]
-> Pat Bagley draws his view of what’s driving violence in the lead up to the midterm elections. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke argued that the toxicity of our current political climate is prompting belief-motivated violence. “We are better than this and need to do better.” [Trib]
Nationally: Pipe Bombs, shootings, and violence motivated by politics and religion have shaken voters going into November’s midterm elections. Dividing language and incitement to hatred has been cited by critics as a cause for the sudden string of attacks. [NYTimes][Fox][WSJ]
-> United States Defense Secretary Jim Mattis announced that the United States will hold Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Kashoggi’s killers responsible for the event which “undermines regional stability”. The U.S. continues to struggle with wanting to maintain relations with Saudi Arabia while pressing them for answers. [NYTimes][WSJ]
-> President Donald Trump’s attacks on news media are working, with polls revealing record lows in terms of trust in newspapers among readers. Still, even supporters of the president believe that there’s “no real need to have a war with the media.” [NYTimes][CNN][WSJ]
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-- Dan Harrie and Cara MacDonald
https://twitter.com/danattrib and Twitter.com/carammacdonald
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