News roundup: Idaho senator's $250K Vegas gamble

Idaho senator's $250k Vegas gamble. Chaffetz: IRS officials could face jail. Justice Department nabbed AP phone records.

Happy Tuesday. A lot of politicians invest leftover campaign donations but an aide to Sen. Mike Crapo took it a bit further, forking over $250,000 in contributions to a buddy in Las Vegas to seek a higher return. Turns out, the company Crapo's guy was backing is gone and so, it seems, is the money. That's one point Crapo might want to leave out of fund-raising letters. [Statesman]

Topping the news: Rep. Jason Chaffetz says that IRS officials should go to jail for targeting tea party groups during the last election. [Trib]

-> Chaffetz, too, says that Obama could face impeachment as the investigation of the Benghazi attacks continues. [Trib]

-> The heads of the Interior and Agricultural departments say they may not have the resources they need to combat wildfires this summer because of budget cuts. [Trib]

-> The Justice Department got phone records for Associated Press reporters in their Washington and New York bureaus and at the U.S. Capitol in a probe to determine who leaked a foiled terrorist plot. [USAToday]

Tweet of the day: From @KagroX: "Obama has not yet called IRS probes an act of terror."

And from @michaeldweiss: "IRS auditing Tea Party, DOJ spying on Associated Press. Bad time for NASA to cop to accidentally creating a race of evil genius chimps?"

Happy birthday: To Christian Burridge.

Tune in: Three candidates for Utah Republican Party chairman will appear together on the Rod Arquette Show on KNRS AM&FM Wednesday at 6 p.m. If listeners would like to submit questions ahead of the debate, send them to rod@knrs.com or text them to 59570.

Coming soon: The BYU Political Affairs Society's inaugural national conference in Washington, to be held Thursday through Saturday at the Capitol Visitors Center. Rep. Matt Salmon, an Arizona Republican and BYU graduate, will kick off the event and John Podesta will offer the keynote.

In other news: Happy new law day! Nearly 500 new laws will go on the books today in Utah, including a ban on teenagers driving while on cell phones, new 80-mile-per-hour zones and a prohibition on smoking in cars with children present. [Trib]

-> Federal prosecutors say that indicted businessman Jeremy Johnson is intimidating witnesses and trying to drag AG John Swallow into a civil suit where he doesn't belong. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman will help launch a new monthly satellite radio show as part of the group No Labels. [Trib] [WaTimes]

-> The Justice Department has sued Utah to strike down a new law that forbids BLM and Forest Service officials from acting as law enforcement. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Despite a legal challenge questioning their residency status, Alta's mayor and city councilman plan to seek re-election. [Trib]

-> Salt Lake County's economic development director is retiring after eight years. [Trib]

-> A new gun control group, Utah Parents Against Gun Violence, has launched to try and change the dialogue in Utah. [Trib]

-> Former WVC Councilwoman Margaret Peterson has jumped into the mayor's race, arguing changes need to be made. [Trib]

-> Pat Bagley takes on the scandal over the IRS' probe of tea party groups. [Trib]

-> The Legislature will be back to the Capitol on Wednesday for interim meetings and a likely hot topic of discussion will be embattled AG John Swallow. [DNews]

-> Former congressional staffer Ryan Frandsen is running for Provo City Council. [Universe]

Nationally: Secretary of State John Kerry's brother will soon be the acting secretary over the Commerce Department, putting one family over two giant federal bureaucracies. [TheHill]

-> An abortion doctor in Philadelphia has been convicted of three counts of first-degree murder in botched abortions in a trial that galvanized the pro-life crowd. [CNN]

-> Now that the IRS fessed up to targeting tea party groups filing for nonprofit status, questions are raised about who leaked the National Organization for Marriage's tax returns showing Mitt Romney's donation. [DailyCaller]

Where are they?

Gov. Gary Herbert is in New Orleans for the Republican Governors Association.

SL Co. Mayor Ben McAdams hits the Economic Development Corporation of Utah meeting, heads to the County Council meetings and sits down with Deputy Mayor Nichole Dunn.

WVC Mayor Mike Winder hits the Economic Development Corporation of Utah Trustees meeting, attends the West Valley City's 1st Youth Arts Festival, recognizes the Mayors Star of Excellence recipients and conducts the City Council meeting.

President Barack Obama and the Vice President Joe Biden meet meet with Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in the Oval Office.

Got a tip? A birthday, wedding or anniversary to announce? Email us at cornflakes@sltrib.com. If you haven't already, sign up for our weekday email and get this sent directly to your inbox. [Trib]

— Thomas BurrTwitter.com/thomaswburr