This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah's Mike Lee open to Supreme Court nomination. Utah GOP chair says party will try to comply with SB54. Holyfield to Romney: 'I can take a punch'
Happy Wednesday. Sen. Mike Lee, a former Supreme Court clerk, says he would be open to an appointment to the high court if any one of his buddies — Sens. Rand Paul, Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz — wins the White House and comes knocking. "If one of my friends running for president got elected president, and asked me to consider that, if the question is would I consider it, the answer is yes," Lee says. [http://www.msnbc.com/the-cycle/senator-mike-lee-open-supreme-court-appointment" target="_blank">MSNBC]
Topping the news: Utah Republican Party Chairman James Evans conceded Tuesday that the party needs to work toward complying with SB54 to give candidates another route to the primary ballot. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2506277-155/utah-gop-plans-to-move-toward" target="_blank">Trib] Meanwhile, the first results from a survey of delegates shows most want to comply with the law. [http://utahpolicy.com/index.php/features/today-at-utah-policy/5644-first-results-of-gop-survey-show-republicans-want-to-comply-with-sb54" target="_blank">UtahPolicy]
-> Ahead of Mitt Romney's bout with Evander Holyfield on Friday, the famous boxer noted that he "can take a punch" but that if he gets hit, it's because he wanted to get hit. [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/evander-holyfield-trash-talks-mitt-romney-punch/story?id=30992528" target="_blank">ABCNews]
-> State Rep. Justin Miller claims he was let go from Salt Lake County because he alleged wrongdoing while Mayor Ben McAdams says he found $30,000 missing from his campaign that Miller ran. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2505473-155/charges-fly-between-two-top-elected" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Sen. Orrin Hatch and President Barack Obama are lined up to push a new trade promotion authority, though the effort hit a speed bump Tuesday. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2504591-155/utahs-hatch-obama-line-up-on" target="_blank">Trib] The measure is likely to be back again for a vote. [http://bigstory.ap.org/urn:publicid:ap.org:9a0c2d26465c4bda82616e8b36879d9d" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-democrats-block-first-vote-on-obamas-trade-deal" target="_blank">CBSNews] [http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/12/politics/free-trade-fast-track-vote/index.html" target="_blank">CNN] [http://lat.ms/1zWAzVe" target="_blank">LATimes] [http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/13/business/senate-vote-obama-fast-track-trade-deal.html?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad" target="_blank">NYTimes] [http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/barack-obama-fails-trade-deal-trans-pacific-partnership-117865.html" target="_blank">Politico] [http://wapo.st/1EAOkEN" target="_blank">WaPost]
Tweets of the day: From https://twitter.com/vtg2" target="_blank">@vtg2: "A lot of Hatch-yelling on Senate floor. I call it that because it really means the soft-spoken senator is speaking at normal volume."
Tune in: University of Utah professor William McMahon and Laura Anderson of the Autism Council of Utah join Jennifer Napier-Pearce to talk about the latest in autism research. Watch Trib Talk live at 12:15 p.m. MDT on sltrib.com.
In other news: The IRS has an intelligence unit to crack down on tax crimes. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2462021-155/irs-criminal-investigation-a-unit-that" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The new state school superintendent, Brad Smith, has replaced two top school officials already. Smith is known for his quick shedding of programs and personnel. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2504189-155/two-top-utah-school-officials-fired" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865628513/Utah-State-Office-of-Education-announces-leadership-changes.html" target="_blank">DNews]
-> A new radio ad warns residents that if Rep. Chris Stewart does not vote to support a reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank Utah could lose jobs. [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865628556/US-Chamber-commercials-target-Rep-Stewart.html">DNews]
-> The former British prime minister, John Major, spoke at Zions Bank's annual trade and business conference. Major praised the America for its world position. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2505565-155/us-still-biggest-kid-on-the" target="_blank">Trib] [http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865628549/Former-British-prime-minister-in-Utah-to-tout-global-economic-opportunities.html">DNews]
-> Pat Bagley offers his take on the messaging behind the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. [http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/2505458-155/bagley-cartoon-youre-drunk-with-power" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Matt Canham discusses The Tribune's new "Mormon Rivals" book and the chilly relationship between the Romneys and Huntsmans. [http://www.kutv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/Why-do-Mitt-Romney-and-Jon-Huntsman-Jr-dislike-each-other-so-much-130488.shtml#.VVM2FNNVi0c" target="_blank">KUTV]
-> The new election law gave Libertarians in Utah a "qualified party" status. The group will appear on future ballots in Utah. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2505133-155/utah-libertarians-become-first-qualified-party" target="_blank">Trib]
-> Gov. Gary Herbert's Medicaid expansion alternative, Healthy Utah, did not pass the Utah Legislature but Paul Rolly asks if lawmakers will donate to help sick children now left vulnerable. [http://www.sltrib.com/news/2503259-155/rolly-so-will-utah-lawmakers-help" target="_blank">Trib]
-> The Salt Lake County Council discussed what residents can do to help conserve water. [http://www.good4utah.com/story/d/story/salt-lake-county-council-wants-water-habits-to-cha/82729/Zcw0UXsb1Ua59XvDEfXzXA" target="_blank">ABC4]
-> The city of Riverdale approved an $8 million budget for next year, but the city had to cut jobs. [http://www.standard.net/Government/2015/05/12/Despite-8-million-budget-Riverdale-City-job-lost.html" target="_blank">StandEx]
Nationally: When President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama leave the White House, what exactly are they going to do? The days of going quietly back into private life is likely over. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/what-kind-of-ex-president-will-barack-obama-be/2015/05/11/099f67b4-f7e9-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html" target="_blank">WaPost]
-> Presidential hopeful Jeb Bush says he would have made a different decision on military action in Iraq than his brother, ex-President George W. Bush, but he wouldn't say what that decision would have been. [http://bigstory.ap.org/urn:publicid:ap.org:3dcf0d6a33174f7f874baa2a9b5a2b1d" target="_blank">AP] [http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fighting-the-last-war-why-jeb-bush-must-speak-clearly-about-lessons-of-iraq/" target="_blank">CBSNews] [http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/05/12/jeb-bush-clarifies-remarks-on-supporting-iraq-war/?smid=nytcore-ipad-share&smprod=nytcore-ipad" target="_blank">NYTimes] Chris Christie criticized Bush's comments. [http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/12/politics/chris-christie-jeb-bush-iraq-war/index.html" target="_blank">CNN]
-> Obama told economists on Tuesday not to forget the role that race has played in poverty. [http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-personal-poverty-hard-poor/story?id=30989481" target="_blank">ABCNews]
Where are they?
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— Thomas Burr and Caleb Larkin
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