Morning Must Reads for Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 265th day of the year. There are 101 days left in 2016.

Lawmakers voice concern about the homeless situation in Salt Lake City. Mia Love has a big lead over Doug Owens. Donald Trump used money from his foundation to settle lawsuits against his business.

The clock:

  • The Utah Attorney General debate at Dixie State University is tonight (9/21/2016)
  • Five days to the Utah Gubernatorial debate at Utah State University (9/26/2016)
  • Five days to the first presidential debate at Hofstra University (9/26/2016)
  • 13 days to the 2nd Congressional District debate at the University of Utah (10/4/2016)
  • 13 days to the vice presidential debate at Longwood University (10/4/2016)
  • 18 days to the second presidential debate at Washington University (10/9/2016)
  • 19 days to the 4th Congressional District debate at Salt Lake Community College (10/10/2016)
  • 21 days to the U.S. Senate debate at Brigham Young University (10/12/2016)
  • 26 days to the 1st Congressional District debate at Weber State University (10/17/2016)
  • 28 days to the 3rd Congressional District debate at Utah Valley University (10/19/2016)
  • 28 days to the third presidential debate at UNLV (10/19/2016)
  • 48 days until the 2016 presidential election – (11/8/2016)
  • 124 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature – (1/23/2017)
  • 169 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature – (3/9/2017)

Ten talking points for Wednesday:

  1. Legislative leaders are growing impatient with the homeless situation on the west side of Salt Lake City [Utah Policy].
  2. Ahead of Wednesday night’s Utah Attorney General debate, a new poll shows Sean Reyes has a massive 43-point lead over his Democratic opponent [Utah Policy].
  3. Mia Love has a 19-point lead over Democrat Doug Owens in a new survey [Tribune].
  4. Donald Trump used money from his extremely shady foundation to settle about $250,000 lawsuits against his business [New York Times].
  5. Hillary Clinton raised $42 million more than Donald Trump last month [Politico]. Clinton’s campaign also spent an astonishing $50 million in August [Associated Press]. Trump ramped up his campaign spending as well, shelling out about $30 million in August, mostly for online advertising [Washington Post].
  6. The chances for Democrats to take control of the Senate are slipping away. One Senate forecast gives Republicans a 52% chance of retaining control after November’s elections [New York Times].
  7. When Donald Trump, Jr. makes a fundraising trip to Utah on Wednesday, the controversy over a tweet comparing Syrian refugees to Skittles will follow him [Deseret News].
  8. Utah lawmakers will consider doing away with SAGE testing for students and replacing it with the ACT college test [Deseret News, Tribune].
  9. Utah Democrats blast Republican legislators for refusing to expand Medicaid [Tribune].
  10. Salt Lake County Councilman Richard Snelgrove wants to block sales tax money to the Utah Transit Authority to force the agency to be more transparent [Tribune].

On this day in history:

  • 1780 – American General Benedict Arnold gave plans to the British for the surrender of West Point, New York.
  • 1792 – The Legislative Assembly of revolutionary France voted to abolish the monarchy and establish the First Republic, stripping King Louis XVI of most of his power.
  • 1981 – Sandra Day O’Connor received a unanimous vote in the Senate to become the first female member of the Supreme Court.