Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, with shelling in the capital city, casualties rising | | | The Utah Policy newsletter is your one-stop source for political and policy-minded news. We scour the news so you don't have to! Send news tips or feedback to Holly Richardson at editor@utahpolicy.com. | | |
Situational Analysis | February 25, 2022 It's Friday and the end of a short week that somehow feels really long. Be in the Know The Russian assault on Ukraine continues. The United Kingdomâs Defense Ministry provided an intelligence update this morning at approximately 3 a.m. Ukraine time, concluding that, due to âfierce resistanceâ from Ukrainian forces across the country, âit is unlikely that Russia has achieved its planned Day 1 military objectives.â Protestors took to the streets around the world, including in Russia where protests are illegal. Almost 2000 Russian protestors were arrested. President Zelensky confirmed that all the Ukrainian border guards stationed on Snake Island in the Black Sea died Thursday after refusing to surrender. According to a recording of the incident, a Russian warship announced itself and demanded the guards surrender âto avoid bloodshed.â The Ukrainians, after conferring among themselves for a few seconds, got on the radio: âRussian warship, go f--- yourself!â The bombing commenced shortly thereafter. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant has been captured by Russian troops. Zelensky also had words for the west this morning: "This morning, we are defending our country alone. Just like yesterday, the most powerful country in the world looked on from a distance." Kyiv residents were told to arm themselves, including with Molotov cocktails. He also said he knew that he was the #1 target for Russia and his family was #2. They are staying in Kyiv, which is being shelled this morning. At 6:45 am Utah time, the AP reports that Russia is ready to send a delegation to Belarus for talks with Ukrainian officials following invasion. The offer comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he is willing to discuss a non-aligned status for Ukraine. President Joe Biden is expected to announce Ketanji Brown Jackson as his pick for the United States Supreme Court later this morning. Jackson currently serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Her nomination is subject to Senate confirmation. | | |
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2022 Legislative Session 37 days done, 8 days to go General Poll: How Utahns want state lawmakers to spend $2B budget surplus (Deseret News) Do schools respect student-athletesâ modesty and religious freedom? Resolution encourages uniform accommodations (Deseret News) Today Committee Meetings 8:00 am: House Economic Development and Workforce Services, House Government Operations, House Political Subdivisions, House Revenue and Taxation, Senate Business and Labor, Senate Health and Human Services 8:30 am: Senate Education 4:00 pm: House Health and Human Services, House Public Utilities, Energy and Technology, Senate Judiciary, Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, Senate Transportation, Public Utilities, Energy and Technology 4:10 pm: House Education 4:25 pm: House Business and Labor 6:00 pm: Executive Appropriations Floor Time House - 10:00 - 12:00, 2:00 - 3:50 Senate - 10:00 - 11:50, 2:00 - 3:50 Monday Committee Meeting 7:00 am: Executive Appropriations Floor Time House - 10:00 - 12:00, 2:00 - 3:50 Senate - 10:00 - 11:50, 2:00 - 3:50 Education Bill on transgender student athletes in Utah may be close to compromise (Fox13) Government Operations Should Utahns have a constitutional right to privacy? House lawmakers say no. (Salt Lake Tribune) Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Utah bill to end animal gas chamber deaths stalls, frustrating director (Deseret News) Revenue and Taxation A proposed constitutional amendment to remove the earmark for education on the income tax is NOT moving forward in the Utah legislature (Fox13) Utah Headlines General Editorial Board: The heart of every freedom-loving American should be awakened. Russiaâs unprovoked attack on Ukraine is a threat to NATO and the West. It should wake Americans from their partisan pettiness. (Deseret News) Utahns in Congress call for severe sanctions â not military action â as Russia invades Ukraine (Deseret News) âItâs bullying at its rawest formâ: Honorary Consul of Ukraine in Utah denounces Russian invasion (Salt Lake Tribune) Salt Lake County councilman criticized for comments on Russian invasion (KSL) The âshockingâ invasion of Ukraine is personal to some Utahns (Deseret News) What do we do when even mental health professionals are burned out? (Deseret News) VA secretary says Salt Lake City struggles to help homeless vets (Deseret News) Bones discovered in West Desert mine are not Susan Powell's, father says (KUTV) COVID Corner 627 new cases, 5 new deaths CDC to loosen coronavirus mask guidelines as soon as Friday (Washington Post) New omicron subvariant has new COVID symptoms (Deseret News) Study shows over 5 million children globally have lost parent, caregiver to COVID-19 (The Hill) National Headlines General 3 officers found guilty on federal charges in George Floydâs killing (NBC News) Now is the time to remember what Foxâs own lawyers said about Tucker Carlson: no one should take him seriously (Washington Post) Politics Florida House of Representatives passes 'Don't Say Gay' bill (BBC) Trump tries to recruit Rick Scott for majority leader. The former president despises the current Senate GOP leader, Mitch McConnell, and vice versa. (Politico) The primary foreshadowing the future of the GOP. Kevin McCarthy and a rabble-rousing set of House Republicans have lined up on opposite sides of a big primary in Texas. (Politico) Ukraine I donât want to dieâ: Ukrainians fear as invasion closes in (AP) Kyiv braces as Russian forces reach city (BBC) Ukrainian Officials Report Missile Attacks in Kyiv (New York Times) Russia-Ukraine live updates: Explosions hit Kyiv as Russia continues invasion (Deseret News) Ukraine is under martial law and its capital is under attack (NPR) Putin waves nuclear sword in confrontation with the West (AP) Trump largely isolated in praise for Putin as GOP condemns Russian invasion (Washington Post) Experts weigh in: What does Putin really want? (Politico) | | |
News Releases Voices for Utah Children: A constitutional amendment wonât help if Utah keeps cutting taxes It is understandable that Utah legislators would want greater flexibility in how they can use public revenues. But there is a much larger problem that increased flexibility would do nothing about and would even delay solving: the chronic public revenue shortages that afflict our state following decades of tax cutting. This yearâs decision to pass a $164 million cut in the income tax rate from 4.95% to 4.85% (SB59 1st sub fiscal note) is an unfortunate example of this impulse toward thinking about short-term gain rather than the long-term needs of our state. This change gives a middle-class family of four a $98 tax cut, but it also means that $485 will now not be invested in that familyâs two children in school. ($164 million divided by 675,000 children in Utahâs K-12 education system multiplied by two kids). (Read More) John Curtisâ statement on Ukraine Today, Congressman John Curtis (UT-03) had the following messages to share from Brussels, Belgium on the war in Ukraine: âAs the worst of our fears unfold, all people across the globe must unite to reject the assault on our friends in Ukraine,â said Rep. Curtis. âThe US and partner countries must hold nothing back as we escalate financial pressure and sanctions on Russia. All freedom loving nations should support Ukraine in their effort to combat this violation of international law, including sharing equipment to support their self-defense. We must act swiftly and firmly to make clear that acts like this will not be tolerated. I ask the world to join with me in support of our allies and in prayer that we will have strength in the face of pure evil.â (Read/Watch More) Rep. Stewartâs statement on Russiaâs renewed invasion of Ukraine Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) released the following statement regarding Russiaâs renewed invasion of Ukraine. âThe mistake the West has made for more than a decade is to think an autocratic bully can be a reasonable geopolitical partner. Putin doesnât want to be part of the current international order. He wants to blow it up. China, Iran and North Korea are watching with similarly malevolent intentions. They must see us respond firmly to Russiaâs reprehensible aggression. âThe world is now witnessing the true evil that is Vladimir Putin. And as we witness this evil, the U.S. and our allies must stand resolute with the Ukrainian people and resolve to provide them with support to defend against this unprovoked, unforgivable attack. âThe U.S. and allies should impose the strongest possible sanctions and export controls to cripple Russiaâs ability to make war. The U.S. should also be sending small arms, explosives and communication equipment to help ensure a well-armed, well-organized Ukrainian insurgency. Putinâs barbarity must be punished swiftly and severely.â Mountain West states sign MOU to develop clean hydrogen hub Today the states of Utah, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to coordinate and develop a regional clean hydrogen hub. Together, the states will work to compete for a portion of the $8 billion allocated in the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act towards four or more regional hydrogen hubs. âUtahâs unique geography and innovative spirit position us as the best place in the nation for energy development projects, including clean hydrogen,â said Utahâs Governor, Spencer J. Cox. âIn Utah, we keep energy prices low to keep quality of life high. Our natural resources and existing infrastructure, along with our talented workforce, enable us to maintain this commitment to our citizens. With Utahâs resources and expertise in the development of a clean hydrogen hub, the possibility of affordable, reliable and clean hydrogen is not just a possibility, itâs inevitable.â (Read More) Utah Senate requests public comment on judicial nominees The Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee is seeking public comment on two judicial appointments made by Governor Spencer J. Cox â attorney David Johnson as a judge for the 3rd District Juvenile Court and attorney Mandy Larsen as a judge for the 6th Judicial District. Those who desire to comment should contact Utah Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee staff, Jerry Howe at the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel, by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at the Utah State Capitol, House Building, Suite W210, PO Box 145210, Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-5210. All statements should include the respondentâs name, telephone number and mailing address. (Read More) | | |
Upcoming Campaign filing period: Feb 28-March 4 (early this year!) State of the Union address â Mar 1, 7 pm MST Utah legislative session ends â Mar 4, 2022, midnight Fireside chat with Justice Clarence Thomas hosted by the Hatch Foundation â Mar 11, 2022, 7 pm. Register here. Campaign Management Training with Utah Farm Bureau â Mar 24-25, registration deadline March 1. Register here Last day for a registered voter to change voter affiliation before the regular primary election. - Mar 31 Ballots are mailed - June 7 Primary election day - June 28 General election - Nov 8 | | |
On This Day In History 1793 - First US cabinet meeting is held at George Washingtonâs home. 1828 - John Quincy Adamâs son, John Adams, marries his first cousin, Mary Catherine Hellen in a private ceremony at the White House. 1836 - Samuel Colt patents first multi-shot revolving-cylinder revolver, enabling the firearm to be fired multiple times without reloading. 1836 - Showman P. T. Barnum exhibits African American slave Joice Heth, claiming she was the 161 year-old nursemaid to George Washington. (She wasnât.) 1842 - Idawelly Lewis, lighthouse keeper, is born. Ida began rescuing people from the waters off the shores of Newport, Rhode Island when she was 12. She became the lighthouse keeper after her parents passed away and served for 32 years in that official capacity. She was called "the bravest woman in America" for her heroic rescues. 1862 - Legal Tender Act passed to help finance the Civil War. 1870 - First Black Congressman, Hiram Rhodes Revels, sworn in to the U.S. Senate. 1910 - Millicent Fenwick is born. As a member of the New Jersey General Assembly (1969-73), she earned the nickname âOuthouse Millieâ for her fight for better working conditions for migrant workers (including portable toilets). She won a seat in Congress in 1974 and served three terms, turning up in the comic strip âDoonesburyâ as âLucy Davenport,â champion of gun control, campaign spending limits, and the ERA. 1928 - Bryce Canyon National Park is established. 1930 - George Lewis McCarthyâs invention the Checkograph, banks made photographic records of checks before returning them to their customers. Kodak would later purchase McCarthyâs patent and apply the product to other archival systems such as libraries and newspapers, beginning with the New York Times. And so began the era of microfilm. 1932 - Austrian immigrant Adolf Hitler gets German citizenship 1948 - Martin Luther King, Jr. ordained as a Baptist minister. 1971 - President Nixon met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus. 1986 - Corazon Aquino becomes the first female president of the Philippines, while Marcos fled the country. 1991 - Adrienne Mitchell is killed in her military barracks in Saudi Arabia, becoming the first Black woman to die in combat in the Persian Gulf War. Wise Words "In my opinion it is a grave error for women to feel that they must move only in womenâs interest." â Millicent Fenwick Lighter Side âOver the last five years, weâve seen democracy repeatedly undermined, tragic, unprecedented firestorms, a global pandemic. Well this morning, Vladimir Putin looked at all of that and said, âHold my vodka.ââ â STEPHEN COLBERT | | |
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