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Daily Briefing

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 319th day of the year. There are 46 days remaining in 2017.

The clock:

48 days until candidates can declare their intent to gather signatures for the 2018 election (1/2/2018)68 days until the opening day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (1/22/2018)113 days until the final day of the 2018 Utah Legislature (3/8/2018)114 days until the filing period for candidates in the 2018 election opens (3/9/2018)120 days until the filing deadline for the 2018 elections (3/15/2018)125 days until the statewide GOP caucus meetings (3/20/2018)157 days until the GOP State Convention (4/21/2018)223 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018)356 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)1,084 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

Today's political TL; DR -

Bettors in the political futures markets are bullish on the prospect of a Mitt Romney run for Senate in 2018 [Utah Policy].
A staffer for Sen. Orrin Hatch says they expect President Donald Trump to reduce the size of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument by 50%. Bears Ears could be shrunk to between 100,000 and 300,000 acres [Deseret News, Tribune].
Associates of Mitt Romney say he clearly wants to run for U.S. Senate in 2018, but his campaign is in a "holding pattern" until Sen. Orrin Hatch decides on his political future [Deseret News].
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke suggests that the Bureau of Land Management could move their headquarters to Salt Lake City [Tribune].
Some members of the Salt Lake County Council were caught off guard by Mayor Ben McAdams's decision to file suit against opioid manufacturers [Deseret News, Tribune].
The stickers given to voters by Provo mayoral write-in candidate Odell Miner are causing problems for Utah County elections officials [Daily Herald].
Damage control. Attorney General Sean Reyes pens an op-ed describing his part in a disputed legal opinion about the just completed special election in Utah's 3rd Congressional District [Deseret News].
Utah may have given more than $1 million in tax credits for renewable energy to people who did not earn them [Tribune].
A legislative audit says high turnover of staff at the Utah State Board of Education is harming educational oversight efforts [Deseret News].
An audit concludes problems at assisted living facilities and child care centers are not always remedied by the state [Tribune].
Salt Lake City's Redevelopment Agency is considering a plan to bring nearly 900 affordable housing units to the city [Tribune].

National headlines:

The Russian government sent more than 60 money transfers to embassies around the world with an accompanying note that said: "to finance election campaign of 2016" [BuzzFeed].
The revised GOP tax reform plan from the Senate now includes repealing the Affordable Care Act's requirement that most Americans have health insurance. Many tax cuts for individuals would also expire in 2025 [New York Times].
Attorney General Jeff Sessions changes his story about contacts with Russia during the 2016 campaign again but denies that he lied about those contacts during two previous hearings before Congress [New York Times].
Poll: Former Vice President Joe Biden leads President Donald Trump 46-35% in a hypothetical 2020 election matchup [Politico].
The announcement that Attorney General Jeff Sessions may appoint another special counsel to investigate the Clinton Foundation has longtime staffers worrying he is politicizing the Justice Department [Washington Post].
The jury in the corruption trial of Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez still has not reached a verdict [Politico].
Republicans are hoping President Donald Trump will help them salvage the Roy Moore situation [The Hill].
Moore says he's being "harassed" by the media over sexual allegations against him [CNN].
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell predicts that Moore could be expelled if he wins next month's election [Politico].
Former White House strategist Steve Bannon is reportedly having second thoughts about backing Roy Moore's campaign in Alabama [Daily Beast].
China is sending an envoy to North Korea following President Trump's visit [Associated Press].
A gunman in Northern California killed ten people at several locations before he was shot dead by law enforcement [New York Times].
The United States gave a $2.8 million no-bid contract to a company founded by a former KGB leader to provide security for the American embassy in Moscow [New York Times].
There's been an apparent coup in Zimbabwe. The military says they've taken custody of President Robert Mugabe [New York Times].

On this day in history:

1533 - Francisco Pizarro arrives in Cuzco, the capital of the Inca Empire.
1777 - After 16 months of debate the Continental Congress approves the Articles of Confederation.
1864 - Civil War: Union General William Tecumseh Sherman begins Sherman's March to the Sea.
1939 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt lays the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial.
1969 - More than 500,000 people demonstrated in Washington against the Vietnam War.

Today At Utah Policy

Political futures market bullish on a Romney run for Senate in 2018 By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Even though he hasn't said whether he's going to run or not in 2018, bettors in the political futures market are sure he's going to jump in the race....

Utah Thrives podcast: Voter participation By Utah Foundation Utah once had one of the highest rates of voter participation in the country, but today it's dropped to 39th among the states....

Weekly survey: Should Roy Moore drop out? By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor There are growing calls for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore to drop out of December's special election amid mounting allegations he had inappropriate sexual contact with teenaged girls. Do you think he should remain the race? If he wins, should the U.S. Senate expel him a...

Policy News

Final version of the National Defense Authorization Act passes the House The final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed the House of Representatives, with Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) serving as a conferee....

Bishop votes to pass 2018 Defense Spending Bill Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) released the following statement after the House passed the Conference Report of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018:...

Hatch opening statement at Finance Committee markup of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) delivered the following remarks at the committee markup of the Senate tax overhaul package, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act:...

Wade Garrett named Director of Public Policy at Utah Farm Bureau The Utah Farm Bureau is pleased to announce the hiring of Wade Garrett of Nephi as Director of Public Policy. Garrett is the former State Director for Congressman Jason Chaffetz....

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Op-ed: Tax reform should invest in our future, our kids

State trust land managers will auction 1,550 coveted acres in southern Utah Wednesday

After 2 months without rain in southern Utah, emergency declared as farmers expect poor harvests next year

Utah gave at least $1 million in renewable energy tax credits to people who may not have qualified for them

Severe violations at Utah child care centers, assisted living facilities and Baby Watch program are not being dealt with, auditor says

Grand Staircase-Escalante monument will be pruned by half, Hatch official says

Trump's team may move the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Salt Lake City

In final count, Donia Jessop prevails as Hildale's first woman and non-FLDS mayor

Council caught 'flatfooted' by McAdams' plan to sue drug companies over the opioid crisis

New Salt Lake City housing plan envisions 864 affordable units

Deseret News

Orrin Hatch: Why the appointment of federal judges is so important

Sean Reyes: The disputed special election letter and the ethical path forward

Editorial: The sports arena tax exemption hurts communities

Utah U.S. attorney named to Department of Justice advisory panel

Sen. Hatch staffer offers predictions on Utah monument reductions

Salt Lake wants 27 more officers, but some council members want more

Council caught off guard by county plan to sue drug companies

Auditors find room for improvement in energy incentive efforts

Romney Senate bid in 'holding pattern' until Hatch decides whether he's retiring

Audit notes turnover, workload hindering State School Board

Audit: Kids at risk while child care providers appeal violations

Other

Utah County joins movement to pursue legal action against opioid distributors (Daily Herald)

National Headlines

Now that the Clinton brand is mostly useless, second thoughts about Bill's sexual assault allegations (Washington Examiner)

Arianna Huffington Ignored Sexual Misconduct at The Huffington Post (Gizmodo)

Appointing a second special counsel could rattle Justice Department (Washington Post)

Senate Plans to End Obamacare Mandate in Revised Tax Proposal (New York Times)

McConnell Talks Up Sessions As Write-In Candidate To Replace Roy Moore (NPR)

Sessions Says He Did Not Lie to Congress on Contacts With Russia (New York Times)

Donald Trump Jr.: 'Here is the entire chain of messages with @wikileaks (with my whopping 3 responses)' (Twitter)

ICE agents rebel, say Trump 'betrayed' them by retaining Obama's people (Washington Times)

McCain blasts Army for considering recruits with history of self-mutilation, vows action (USA Today)

Richest 1% now owns half the world's wealth (USA Today)

President Maduro brings Venezuela to brink of bankruptcy (The Times)

Wise Words

Anger

"Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured." Mark Twain

Lighter Side

No Questions

"President Trump declined to take questions from reporters following his joint statement today with Chinese President Xi, making him the first president to do so in decades. I guess he was afraid someone would ask the dreaded question, "Can you name that person standing next to you?" Seth Meyers

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