Democrats in turmoil. Tax hikes. Republicans resurgent. Wednesday morning's political news briefing from UtahPolicy.com

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Situational awareness - May 23, 2018

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake County Democrats in turmoil. No talk of tax hikes on Utah's Capitol Hill for the next few years. November's "blue wave" looks like it may be sputtering out.

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  TICK TOCK  

6 days until the last day to register to vote by mail for the 2018 primary election (5/29/2018) 7 days until the last day to change your party affiliation before the primary election (5/30/2018) 13 days until primary election mail-in ballots are sent to voters (6/5/2018) 20 days until in-person early primary voting begins (6/12/2018) 27 days until the final day to register to vote online or in person before the primary election (6/19/2018) 30 days until in-person early primary voting ends (6/22/2018) 34 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018) 167 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018) 250 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019) 895 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

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Subscribe to the award-winning "Bernick and Schott on politics" podcast, Utah's longest-running political podcast. Hosts Bryan Schott and Bob Bernick have more than 60 years of combined experience covering Utah politics. Plus, you'll get long-form interviews with Utah newsmakers. Subscribe (and leave a review) using iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher.

  HERE ARE THE STORIES WE'RE WATCHING TODAY  

Chaos in the Salt Lake County Democratic Party

Salt Lake County Democrats attempted to impeach the party secretary on Saturday but failed because of a technicality. The party also sanctioned a member under their new anti-harassment policy for an incident that happened four years ago. Several party members are frustrated and upset by the shenanigans and say they are hurting the ability to elect Democrats [Utah Policy].

No tax hikes

House Majority Leader Brad Wilson, the odds-on favorite to be the next House Speaker, says he does not expect lawmakers to discuss tax hikes for the next few years, even though Utah is facing incredible population growth [Utah Policy].

Candidate shuffle

Abbey Wright, the Democratic nominee to replace retiring Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, withdraws from the race. Democrats probably won't be able to replace her on the ballot [Utah Policy].

  OTHER UTAH HEADLINES  

Mitt Romney's campaign rivals, Republican Mike Kennedy and Democrat Jenny Wilson, are crying foul after Romney was invited to keynote an event for a state agency, but they were not invited to speak [Tribune].
Rosan Mitchell, who is elections director for Salt Lake County, is taking a leave of absence to challenge her boss, County Clerk Sherrie Swensen, in November's election [Tribune].
State tax officials want the legislature to go into a special session to fix the state's tax code to help Utah families who will be paying higher state taxes due to tax changes on the federal level [Tribune].
Sen. Orrin Hatch proposes ending caps on employment-based green cards [Deseret News].
The Utah County Commission approved a tax break for a mystery company hoping to build a data center in Eagle Mountain [Daily Herald].
The LDS Church pulls more than half of their missionaries out of Nicaragua due to unrest in that country [Deseret News].

  NATIONAL HEADLINES  

The Democratic advantage in the Reuters rolling generic poll has disappeared, giving Republicans hope they'll avoid a "blue wave" in November [Reuters].
Michael Cohen's business partner flips, agreeing to cooperate with the government. The move could be used to force Cohen to cooperate with the special counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election [New York Times].
Doubts continue to grow that President Trump will meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump said during an Oval Office meeting there's a "substantial chance" the meeting won't take place [CNN].
Just 36% of Americans say they would vote to re-elect President Trump in 2020 according to a new poll. 44% say they would vote for an unnamed Democratic candidate [Politico].
Democrats nominate the first black woman gubernatorial candidate in Georgia during Tuesday's primary elections [Washington Post].
Republicans in the Senate say President Trump is losing the trade negotiations with China [The Hill]. Lawmakers in Congress are taking steps to block President Trump's move to ease sanctions on Chinese phone maker ZTE [CNN Money].
The Trump administration moves to deny federal funding tor family-planning clinics that refer patients to abortion providers [The Hill].
A federal judge in Virginia ruled a transgender teenager can use the boy's bathroom at school, saying school officials violated his constitutional rights [Washington Post].
Banks in the U.S. posted record profits in the first quarter of 2018 [Wall Street Journal].
Privacy advocates are urging Amazon not to sell their powerful facial recognition tool to police departments [ABC News].
40% of Americans say they are unable to afford a $400 emergency expense [CNN Money].

  ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY  

1701 - After being convicted of piracy and of murdering William Moore, Captain William Kidd is hanged in London.
1788 - South Carolina ratifies the Constitution as the eighth U.S. State.
1911 - The New York Public Library is dedicated.
1934 - Infamous American bank robbers Bonnie and Clyde are ambushed by police and killed in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.
1945 - Heinrich Himmler, head of the Schutzstaffel, commits suicide while in Allied custody.

Today At Utah Policy

Anger and frustration after Salt Lake County Democrats try, and fail, to remove a party officer By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor The Salt Lake County Democratic Party is in turmoil following a failed attempt to impeach the party secretary at Saturday's Central Committee meeting. ...

Democratic candidate in SD9 withdraws; Democrats likely won't get to name a replacement By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor The Democratic candidate in the race to replace retiring Senate President Wayne Niederhauser has withdrawn from the race, and it's unlikely that the Democratic Party will get to replace her on the ballot. ...

Tax hikes are probably off the table for the next few years on Capitol Hill By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Don't expect lawmakers to consider any sort of significant tax hike in the next few years. ...

Policy News

Sens. Lee, Tester introduce Pay for Printing Act  Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced the Pay for Printing Act Tuesday, a bill that would require any sponsor of a commemorative Senate resolution to reimburse the Government Publishing Office for the cost of printing the resolution. ...

Area high school students get first look at SLCC's new, state-of-the-industry Westpointe Center Around 70 high school students and 40 counselors from the Canyons, Granite, Jordan, Murray, Salt Lake and Tooele school districts were among the first public visitors at Salt Lake Community College's new Westpointe Workforce Training & Education Center. ...

Sen. Lee commends HUD elimination of costly zoning regulation Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) issued the following statement responding to news that the Department of Housing and Urban Development has withdrawn a computer assessment database that HUD was planning to use to perpetuate national zoning standards....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Michelle Quist: I hate initiatives, but I signed the medical marijuana petition

Editorial: Is your city council afraid of the sun?

Why is Utah's Alta Ski Area pushing for a tram up iconic Mount Baldy?

Campaign rivals cry foul after state agency invites Mitt Romney to speak at its tech summit

Low-profile clerk's race marred by high-level friction in Salt Lake County. Could it cause hiccups in the election?

Mike Kennedy now says he did apologize - but not 'on behalf of the state of Utah' - for rival Mitt Romney calling a controversial pastor a 'religious bigot'

Utah tax chief: Lawmakers should come back into session and deal with tax breaks for people with dependents

Utah County signs off on plan to lure a major data center - like Facebook? - to Eagle Mountain through tax breaks

Deseret News

Op-ed: Bureaucracy devours funds that could support teaching

Editorial: Scuttling NAFTA is not in America's best interest

Hatch looking forward to life of retiree, not rumored Australian ambassadorship

Sen. Orrin Hatch aims to eliminate caps on employment-based green cards

A tale of tortoises and transportation in Washington County

Utah County approves deal to lure mystery data center to Eagle Mountain

Democrats introduce bill to counter Sen. Orrin Hatch's religious freedom law

Other

Utah County Commission approves tax break for mystery Eagle Mountain data center (Daily Herald)

National Headlines

NYT Columnist Worries Mueller Investigation Actually Helping Trump (Daily Caller)

Clapper Was 'Thinking Of Something Else' When He Lied To Congress (Daily Caller)

Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe Warns Dems Pushing Trump Impeachment: 'You Have to Shoot to Kill' (Mediaite)

Judge orders firm of Stormy Daniels' attorney to pay $10 million judgment (CNN)

Trump emphasizes importance of 2018 victories to abortion-opposing group (CBS News)

'We just have to heal a different way': Santa Fe, Parkland diverge after school shootings (NBC News)

WH Brokers, But Will Not Attend, Meeting About Secret Russia Probe Documents (NPR)

Democrats settle family feuds in Georgia, Kentucky and Texas (CNN)

Fed survey shows 40 percent of adults still can't cover $400 emergency expense (CNBC)

House sends bill loosening banking regulations to Trump's desk (CNN)

Police use of Amazon's face-recognition service draws privacy warnings (Ars Technica)

Wise Words

Career Choices

"Pursue some path, however narrow and crooked, in which you can walk with love and reverence." Henry David Thoreau

Lighter Side

Veteran Affairs

"The White House announced. . . . that President Trump would donate his first quarter's salary to the Department of Veterans Affairs. It's just a little less money than he's given to veterans of his affairs." Seth Meyers

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