- POLL: Half of Utahns say they don’t believe that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 election, but big numbers of moderates and liberals think there was cooperation between the two entities [Utah Policy].
- A bombshell report says Sen. Orrin Hatch played a key role in weakening the DEA’s ability to combat the opioid crisis while pulling in $177,000 in campaign contributions from the companies producing the drugs [Washington Post]. Hatch’s office responded to the article, calling it “flawed” [Hatch press release].
- John Curtis, the GOP nominee in the 3rd CD special election, raised about 3-times as much money as Democrat Kathie Allen during the latest financial reporting period. Allen, who had posted spectacular fundraising numbers earlier this year, saw her cash haul drop dramatically over the last two quarters [Utah Policy].
- The Cook Political Report takes note of the possibility that Ben McAdams could challenge Rep. Mia Love in 2018. They’ve shifted their rating of the district slightly toward the Democrats, changing it from “solid Republican” to “likely Republican” [Utah Policy].
- PODCAST: John Curtis is the guest on the latest “Beg to Differ” podcast with Bryan Schott and Mike Winder [Utah Policy].
- Our “Political Insiders” say they don’t expect Congress or the Utah Legislature to take action on gun legislation following the mass shooting in Las Vegas [Utah Policy].
- The four leading candidates in the 3rd CD special election took to the debate stage on Friday. Republican John Curtis shrugged off attempts by his opponents to tie him to President Donald Trump [Associated Press, Deseret News, Tribune].
- The final day of testimony in the hearing over who will care for former County Recorder Gary Ott featured testimony that Ott’s finances were in “shambles” after he began living with his former secretary and girlfriend Karmen Sanone [Deseret News, Tribune].
- Provo officials have decided to no longer prosecute class A misdemeanor cases, instead, those cases will be sent to the Utah County Attorney. The move is a response to legal issues between Provo and Utah County that has increased the workload in the Provo City Attorney’s office [Daily Herald].
- Gov. Gary Herbert‘s office wants to appeal a decision by the State Records Committee that ordered the Attorney General’s office to release a legal opinion prepared for the Legislature on the rules Herbert’s office set for next month’s special Congressional election. Previously, the governor’s office blocked the release of the opinion claiming attorney-client privilege [Tribune].
- Salt Lake City’s longshot bid to possibly host the 2026 Winter Olympics got a boost after Innsbruck, Austria pulled out of the running [Deseret News].
