News roundup: Hillary Clinton says she 'would be your president' if not for FBI letter, Russian hacking

Hillary Clinton says she 'would be your president' if not for FBI letter, Russian hacking. Utah public lands official testifies to Congress that national monuments damage state economy. Hatch defends filibuster as Trump pushes for Senate rules change.

Happy Wednesday. While she took responsibility for her stunning loss, Hillary Clinton also pointed to several factors she believes led to her defeat in the 2016 presidential election: misogyny, an ill-timed letter from FBI Director James Comey and Russian interference. "If the election had been on Oct. 27, I would be your president," she said at a Women For Women International event Wednesday. President Donald Trump later responded on Twitter to Clinton's remarks, saying Comey was "the best thing that ever happened" to her. He ended his string of messages with a question: "Perhaps Trump just ran a great campaign?" [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/hillary-clinton-blames-russian-hackers-and-comey-for-2016-election-loss/2017/05/02/e62fef72-2f60-11e7-8674-437ddb6e813e_story.html?utm_term=.fad96a29fc85">WaPost</a>]

<strong>Topping the news: </strong>The head of Utah's public lands office testified before Congress on Tuesday that the designation of national monuments has had significant negative impacts on the state's economy, traditional uses of the lands and on the lives of people who live in the surrounding areas. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5244565-155/national-monuments-harm-the-economy-utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679053/Monuments-under-the-microscope-Subcommittee-debates-designations.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>]

<p class="p1">-> Meanwhile, the San Juan County Commission spoke with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and his staff in a closed-door meeting, where they advocated rescinding Bears Ears National Monument. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5244376-155/bears-ears-is-overkill-san-juan" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679089/Secretary-of-Interior-to-tour-Bears-Ears-Grand-Staircase-next-week.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> New legislation from Sen. Orrin Hatch looks to strengthen protections for religious minorities through an<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>expansion of criminal law. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679054/Hatch-Feinstein-bill-would-make-threats-against-religions-worshippers-federal-crime.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Hatch critiqued President Donald Trump's push for Republicans to change the Senate's rules for blocking legislation in order to push the health care bill through, saying the United States "would have gone straight to socialism" without the filibuster. [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/hatch-history-lesson-for-trump-us-would-have-gone-straight-to-socialism-without-the-filibuster/704877211" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABC4</a>]</p>

<strong>Tweet of the day: </strong>From @<a href="https://twitter.com/danielnasaw">danielnasaw</a>: "President Andrew Jackson, who died 172 years before the GOP fracture over AHCA, saw it coming and was angry. Would never have let it happen!"

<strong>In other news: </strong>Christine Durham, the first woman appointed to Utah's Supreme Court, will retire in November. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5243984-155/christine-durham-retiring-in-november-from" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679093/Utahs-first-female-Supreme-Court-judge-to-retire.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/utah-supreme-court-justice-christine-durham-to-retire-in-november/705092038" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/utah-supreme-court-justice-christine-durham-submits-resignation-will-serve-until-november" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">KUTV</a>]

-> Though state Rep. Robert Spendlove says the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act will give states more control, a local advocate from the Utah Health Policy Project says Utahns would lose under the new bill. [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/top-stories/what-the-latest-health-care-proposal-could-mean-for-utah/704987173" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABC4</a>]

<p class="p1">-> New records from Weber County show its investigators were alarmed that Davis County jail staff may have cleaned up possible evidence after an inmate fell and later died from her injuries. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5244267-155/jail-death-investigators-troubled-by-cleanup-of" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> An effort from Salt Lake County leaders to open up 300 beds in the county jail by outsourcing inmates to other facilities will now move forward with $705,000 allocated by the County Council. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5245370-155/salt-lake-county-signs-off-on" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679107/Salt-Lake-County-approves-plan-to-use-jail-space-in-outlying-counties.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> New documents show attempts by the Huntsman Cancer Institute to increase its control over revenues and hiring practices in a negotiation with the University of Utah. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5244197-155/huntsman-cancer-institute-backers-want-more" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679041/The-inside-story-Power-and-money-at-center-of-U-controversy.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> The Utah Legislature's Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee plans to ask administrators at the U. for more information about its relationship with the Huntsman Cancer Institute to make sure state money is appropriately accounted for. [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679106/Lawmaker-wants-more-clarity-on-U-relationship-with-Huntsman-Cancer-Institute.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency gave Provo and Salt Lake City "serious" designations for their noncompliance with air-quality standards. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5240322-155/epa-labels-utah-air-quality-problems-serious?fullpage=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/pollution-in-2-utah-cities-reclassified-as-serious" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">APviaKUTV</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Officials say Utah's snowpack in the highest elevations is 200 percent more than average and warming temperatures will fill rivers and streams. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/snow-melt-this-week-means-danger-around-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fox13</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Though Utah's reservoirs will likely be full this year, officials from Utah's Division of Water Resources say they will still be hitting the water conservation message hard with the division's "Slow the Flow" campaign. [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/despite-lots-of-water-campaign-to-slow-the-flow-will-be-flooding-utah" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fox13</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Utah County lawmakers are looking to tweak a law enacted in the 1950s in order to bring more outhouses to recreational sites. [<a href="http://fox13now.com/2017/05/02/utah-county-paves-the-way-for-more-outhouses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Fox13</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski presented her recommended budget for the 2017–2018 fiscal year before the City Council. Her proposal looks to boost funding for homelessness and affordable housing. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5245041-155/biskupskis-budget-seeks-to-bolster-homeless" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>] [<a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865679112/Sewer-rate-hikes-golf-homelessness-highlight-Biskupskis-2017-budget-proposal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">DNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.good4utah.com/news/slc-mayor-biskupski-presents-proposed-budget-for-2017-18/705147052" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABC4</a>] [<a href="http://kutv.com/news/local/salt-lake-city-mayors-budget-tackles-homelessness-affordable-housing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">KUTV</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated $1 million to the American Red Cross to "give hope to people when they need it the most." [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5245417-155/mormon-church-makes-15m-donation-to" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> A new study from Brigham Young University researchers shows religious individuals are more likely to "misattribute" themselves as "addicts" after viewing pornography. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5239843-155/byu-research-faithful-more-likely-to" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>]</p>

<p class="p1">-> Pat Bagley portrays Rep. Jason Chaffetz as a hero on a scooter as the congressman heads to Washington to vote on a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5245177-155/bagley-cartoon-chaffetz-hoofs-it-to" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>]</p>

-> Robert Gehrke says calling a special legislative session to create a process for filling Chaffetz's likely vacancy has some merit but is unnecessary at the end of the day. Instead, he argues, Herbert should let voters' voices be heard in selecting their next member of Congress. [<a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/5240476-155/gehrke-herbert-is-right-to-not?fullpage=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trib</a>]

<strong>Nationally:</strong> President Donald Trump spoke over telephone with Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time since the United States launched a missile strike on Syria's Moscow-backed military. [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/world/europe/trump-putin-syria.html?_r=0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/02/politics/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-phone-call/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CNN</a>] [<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39784620" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BBCNews</a>] [<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/02/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-conversation-syria-civil-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">TheGuardian</a>]

<p class="p1">-> Republican efforts to overhaul the Affordable Care Act continue to face an uphill battle as concerns grow over how the new legislation would affect people with pre-existing medical conditions. [<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/gop-health-care-push-faces-new-obstacles-as-concerns-about-preexisting-conditions-grow/2017/05/02/d25fc760-2f47-11e7-8674-437ddb6e813e_story.html?utm_term=.013d6381eecd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">WaPost</a>] [<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/us/politics/health-care-paul-ryan-fred-upton-congress.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NYTimes</a>] [<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/republicans-scrounge-health-care-votes-key-member-announces/story?id=47164041" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ABCNews</a>] [<a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/inside-republicans-uphill-battle-pass-health-care-n753931" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NBCNews</a>]</p>

<strong>Where are they?</strong>

<ul>

<li>Rep. Mia <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/RepMiaLove" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Love</a> </strong></strong>meets the<strong><strong> </strong></strong>Air Force chief of staff with members of Utah's delegation, attends a meeting about land conservation and votes. Later, she meets with constituents from Utah's food industry and high-tech businesses.</li>

<li>Gov. Gary <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/GovHerbert" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Herbert</a> </strong></strong>prepares for the Energy Development Summit, takes photos with lawmakers and attends the Utah System of Higher Education's quarterly leadership meeting. Later, he participates in economic development meetings and the Energy Development Summit reception.</li>

<li>State Auditor John <strong><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/FrugalDougall" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dougall</a> </strong></strong>meets separately with Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, a software vendor and officials in Piute County before attending the Piute County Republican Convention.</li>

</ul>

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— Courtney Tanner and Taylor Stevens

<a href="https://twitter.com/CourtneyLTanner">Twitter.com/CourtneyLTanner</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/tstevens95">Twitter.com/tstevens95</a>