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Morning Must Reads for Wednesday, November 16, 2016

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Good Wednesday morning from Salt Lake City. Today is the 321st day of the year. There are 45 days left in 2016.

Officials are investigating the well-being of Salt Lake County Recorder Gary Ott. Most Utahns get their political news from television. Donald Trump’s transition team is reportedly in disarray.

The clock:

  • 33 days until the Electoral College meets to cast their votes for president and vice president (12/19/2016)
  • 65 days until Donald Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President (1/20/2017)
  • 68 days until the first day of the 2017 Utah Legislature (1/23/2017)
  • 113 days until the final day of the 2017 Utah Legislature (3/9/2017)
  • 356 days until the 2017 municipal elections (11/7/2017)
  • 720 days until the 2018 midterm elections (11/6/2018)

Ten talking points for Wednesday:

  1. Officials are investigating the well-being of Salt Lake County Recorder Gary Ott after a complaint of elder abuse [Utah Policy].
  2. Most Utahns get their political news from television with internet news sites in second. Social media and newspapers lag far behind [Utah Policy].
  3. A legislative audit of the University of Utah athletic program finds the school needs more controls on spending [Utah Policy, Tribune, Deseret News].
  4. Trouble in Trumpland. Donald Trump‘s transition team is wracked with controversy following what some are describing a “Stalinesque purge” of staffers close to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who left the team on Friday [NBC News]. Trump’s transition team is falling behind on many issues that should be resolved already, which is causing some panic in Washington [Huffington Post].
  5. Donald Trump is reportedly considering Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for Attorney General [Bloomberg].
  6. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi could be in trouble as House Democrats delay leadership elections, which would give rivals more time to mount a challenge [CNN]. House Republicans unanimously give Paul Ryan another term as Speaker [The Hill].
  7. Sen. Barbara Boxer is introducing legislation to get rid of the Electoral College [CNN]. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton‘s lead over Donald Trump in the popular vote has grown to over 1 million votes [Politico]. Idaho’s Secretary of State tells people who are mounting a last-ditch effort to deny Trump the White House to leave the state’s electors alone [Politico].
  8. Taylorsville Mayor Larry Johnson vetoes a proposed campaign finance ordinance that would increase reporting of campaign spending, a move which is raising some eyebrows [Deseret News].
  9. Salt Lake County may stop contributing money to the state’s economic development arm in favor of doing their own economic development work [Tribune].
  10. Utah prison populations are declining after the state changes the way they punish drug offenders [Tribune].

On this day in history:

  • 1914 – Intended to serve as a “lender of last resort,” the New York Fed opened for business.
  • 1933 – The United States and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations.
  • 1973 – President Richard Nixon authorized the construction of the Alaska Pipeline with the signing of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law.