Utah’s Sen. Hatch says ‘it doesn’t take any brains to realize’ Trump would be open to negotiations with Democrats. Most Utahns report fear, worry about North Korea’s nuclear program. Rep. Chris Stewart defends Trump’s call to widow of fallen soldier.
Happy Monday. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle report being hesitant to negotiate with President Donald Trump, who campaigned for office as a businessman and dealmaker. Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, though, suggests Democrats are “crazy to not try and deal with him directly. Seven years ago, he was a Democrat. It doesn’t take any brains to realize that he’d be open.” [WaPost]
Topping the news: Most Utahns are worried about North Korea’s nuclear program but are divided on how to deal with, according to a new poll. [Trib]
-> Rep. Chris Stewart defended President Donald Trump’s call to the widow of a fallen soldier. [Trib] [ABC4]
-> Lt. Gov Spencer Cox does the unexpected as a politician and member of the GOP, including criticizing Trump. [Trib]
Tweets of the weekend: From @pbump: “I am deeply, personally embarrassed for people who instantly reply to each Trump tweet with long threads of nonsense.”
-> From @SopanDeb: “If being a senator doesn’t work out for Sherrod Brown, he can totally star in the next Law and Order as the gruff prosecutor.”
Happy Birthday: To Ric Cantrell, chief of staff to Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, and the University of Utah’s Tim Chambless.
In other news: Members of the Apostolic United Brethren, a polygamous church, have found themselves in the midst of a dispute after allegations of sex abuse. [Trib]
-> The LDS Church announced a list of standardized questions that potential missionaries will answer in their preparatory interview. [Trib] [DNews] [KUTV]
-> Brigham Young University students have seen a change in the “huge culture of fear,” after the school began offering amnesty for Honor Code investigations tied to sexual assault reports. [Trib]
-> Jennifer Valencia, the latest judge appointed to the 2nd District Court, will work in the same courthouse as her father, Judge Ernie Jones. [Trib]
-> Pat Bagley takes a “wild guess” at what women really want. [Trib]
-> Robert Gehrke evaluates Utah’s secretive courtship of Amazon. [Trib]
-> Frank Pignanelli and LaVarr Webb discuss the upcoming ballot measures in the 2018 election. [DNews]
Nationally: The CIA is expanding operations in Afghanistan as part of President Donald Trump’s counterterrorism strategy. [NYTimes]
-> The Democratic National Committee is attempting to rebuild financially as it prepares for 2018 elections. [Politico]
-> Sen. John McCain subtly jabbed at Trump when discussing deferments that wealthy Americans used to avoid the Vietnam War draft. [WaPost]
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-- Courtney Tanner and Karenna Meredith