Count My Vote. Federal money. Homeless audit. Donald Trump. North Korea. Wednesday morning's political briefing from UtahPolicy.com

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Situational awareness - May 16, 2018

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City.

Will Count My Vote make November's ballot? Utah is becoming more reliant on federal funds. A state audit details troubling conditions inside the Road Home shelters. North Korea threatens to cancel the scheduled summit meeting with President Trump.

It's the first day of Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslim calendar. Here's an etiquette guide to the holiday for non-Muslims.

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  TICK TOCK  

13 days until the last day to register to vote by mail for the 2018 primary election (5/29/2018) 14 days until the last day to change your party affiliation before the primary election (5/30/2018) 20 days until primary election mail-in ballots are sent to voters (6/5/2018) 27 days until in-person early primary voting begins (6/12/2018) 34 days until the final day to register to vote online or in person before the primary election (6/19/2018) 37 days until in-person early primary voting ends (6/22/2018) 41 days until the 2018 Primary Election (6/26/2018) 174 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018) 257 days until the first day of the 2019 Utah Legislature (1/28/2019) 902 days until the 2020 presidential election (11/3/2020)

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  HERE ARE THE STORIES DRIVING WEDNESDAY  

Ballot battle

Both Count My Vote organizers and opponents say they'll prevail when the state certifies which proposals get on November's ballot. CMV backers say there are still thousands of signatures still outstanding, but clerks had until Tuesday evening to verify them. Additionally, a review found many of those asking to remove their signatures from the CMV initiative may not have signed the petition in the first place [Utah Policy].

Federal funds

A review of Utah's budget shows the largest single source of funds in Utah's budget comes from the federal government [Utah Policy].

  OTHER UTAH HEADLINES  

A legislative audit found serious drug issues and "lax enforcement" inside the Road Home shelter in downtown Salt Lake City [Deseret News, Fox 13, Tribune].
A federal judge struck down Oakland's ban on coal shipments at a terminal a developer wants to use to ship coal from Utah to Asia [Deseret News, Tribune].
Utah lawmakers are expected to announce a delay in the name change for the Utah Transit Authority [Deseret News].
Proponents of the medical marijuana ballot initiative allege opponents are trying to turn in signature removal forms after hours [Fox 13].
Rep. Angela Romero wants to ban marriage in Utah for anyone under the age of 18 [Fox 13].
Gov. Gary Herbert unveils his Utah "Energy Action Plan," which emphasizes infrastructure development and developing alternative sources [Deseret News].

  NATIONAL HEADLINES  

North Korea is threatening to call off the planned summit meeting with President Trump if the U.S. insists they give up their nuclear program [New York Times]. 
President Trump plans to use Thursday's one-year anniversary of the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to call for an end to his investigation [Bloomberg].
A federal judge refused to dismiss criminal charges brought by Mueller against former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Manafort claimed Mueller's investigation has run amok and he is exceeding his mandate as the special prosecutor [Reuters].
The FBI is investigating Cambridge Analytica, the political data firm used by the Trump campaign in 2016 [New York Times].
Women candidates made big gains in primary elections in four states on Tuesday night [Politico].
The Trump administration is planning to hold the children of immigrants who are detained trying to cross the border illegally at military bases [Washington Post]. 
The UK government wants an independent investigation into Monday's violence in Gaza that saw at least 60 Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers [BuzzFeed].
Support from Democrat Mark Warner means Trump's CIA nominee Gina Haspel is on the road to confirmation by the full Senate [The Hill].
The Trump administration has eliminated the White House's top cyber policy position, which was tasked with coordinating the government's approach to cybersecurity policy [Politico].
Former Texas congressman Blake Farenthold says he will not repay the $84,000 in taxpayer money he used to settle sexual harassment claims against him [ABC News].
An Arkansas arms company that sells guns to the CIA is trying to buy large quantities of Napalm, but nobody knows why [BuzzFeed].
North Carolina may be the next state to see walkouts by public school teachers over poor funding for education [CNN].
Twitter is implementing new rules designed to crack down on trolls [The Hill].
Facebook disabled one billion fake accounts in the last year [The Wrap].

  ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY  

1804 - The French Senate declared Napoleon Bonaparte emperor.
1843 - The first major wagon train heading for the Pacific Northwest sets out on the Oregon Trail with one thousand pioneers from Elm Grove, Missouri.
1866 - Congress establishes the nickel.
1868 - President Andrew Johnson is acquitted in his impeachment trial by one vote in the Senate.
1918 - The Sedition Act of 1918 is passed by Congress, making criticism of the government during wartime an imprisonable offense. It will be repealed less than two years later.
1988 - A report by the Surgeon General C. Everett Koop states that the addictive properties of nicotine are similar to those of heroin and cocaine.

Today At Utah Policy

Both sides sure of victory in Count My Vote ballot battle By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor Even though the deadline to verify and remove signatures from the "Count My Vote" ballot initiative has passed, the fight will likely continue to rage on at least until June 1. ...

Utah's budget is becoming more reliant on federal money By Bryan Schott, Managing Editor For the first time in recent memory, the biggest source of income for Utah's budget comes from the federal government. ...

Policy News

WTC Utah invites you to attend Gov. Herbert's trade mission to Taiwan and South Korea World Trade Center Utah and the Governor's Office of Economic Development invite you to join us on a trade mission to Taiwan and South Korea led by Governor Gary R. Herbert. ...

40 Utah businesses commit to challenge to elevate women in the workplace On Thursday, 40 businesses and organizations accepted the ElevateHer challenge to elevate women in business, bringing the total number of business taking the challenge to 200 since the Women's Leadership Institute (WLI) first created the challenge in 2015.  ...

USTAR announces new round of TAP award recipients The Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative announced the selection of its latest round of Technology Acceleration Program (TAP) grant awards. ...

Local Headlines

Salt Lake Tribune

Editorial: Utah attacking another state's rules? That's rich.

In a potential boon to rural Utah, judge overturns Oakland's ban on coal shipments through its port

After nearly losing his house last July 4, a Cottonwood Heights resident wants Utah to ban aerial fireworks

Ambassador Huntsman to appear at forum with Russian oligarch under U.S. sanctions

It's not just outside the shelter. People have been shooting heroin and smoking spice inside The Road Home, auditors say

Opponents claim they have blocked Count My Vote initiative from ballot; shenanigans abound in battle over medical marijuana plan

Deseret News

Editorial: Betting on sports gambling is a bad wager

Utah Sen. Mike Lee calls mood at Jerusalem ceremony 'optimistic,' 'upbeat'

Lawsuit against ex-judge tests Utah law on sex abuse cases

Gov. Gary Herbert unveils 10 goals in Utah 'Energy Action Plan'

Confusion over signature removal deadline frustrates initiative opponents

Utah lawmakers expected to delay controversial UTA name change

California judge overturns Oakland City anti-coal ordinance

Audit says drug use, 'lax enforcement' of rules are big safety concerns at Road Home shelters

Smokey Robinson thanks 'fellow songwriter' Orrin Hatch at hearing on music reform bill

National Headlines

Look at What's Going to Happen to Sweden's Fabled Welfare State (Bloomberg)

Why Trump Is a President Like No Other (American Greatness)

New York Daily News slammed for mocking 'deplorable' Ivanka Trump as 'Daddy's Little Ghoul' (FOX News)

Rand Paul asks Haspel if she knows of any CIA surveillance of Trump (Politico)

CNN analyst Chris Cillizza deletes tweet showing Trump in crosshairs (Washington Examiner)

ABC set to dial back political humor from pro-Trump 'Roseanne' next season (FOX News)

Democrats are running hard -- away from the Trump circus (CNN)

Riverside judge overturns California's doctor-assisted suicide law (Los Angeles Times)

What we know -- and don't know -- about Melania Trump's procedure (CNN)

Abortion rights groups ask Iowa court to block 'heartbeat bill,' calling it 'beyond extreme' (Washington Post)

Trump supporter attacked at Cheesecake Factory over MAGA hat: report (FOX News)

Wise Words

Laws

"Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught." Honore de Balzac

Lighter Side

Allowance

"It's pretty crazy that Stormy Daniels' money could be traced all the way back to Vladimir Putin. In response, Putin said, "Donald can spend allowance however he wants." Jimmy Fallon

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