Latest news with #R-Hooper
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Utah lawmakers briefed on ‘No Kings' shooting in SLC, their security after Minnesota shootings
Police respond after a man was shot during the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Top law enforcement officials briefed Utah lawmakers during closed-door caucus meetings on Wednesday about the shooting during the 'No Kings' protest in Salt Lake City on Saturday which saw a bystander marching in the protest shot and killed by a security volunteer. Utah Department of Public Safety Commissioner Jess Anderson and Salt Lake City Police Brian Redd met separately with both Republican and Democratic caucuses at the Utah Capitol. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, told reporters during a media availability that Anderson and Redd didn't share many details. 'Honestly, we don't really know any of the details,' Schultz said. '(Anderson and Redd) can't share any details, because it's an ongoing investigation.' Schultz, however, said he's confident the investigation will be 'treated fairly' and provide answers to questions that 'a lot of us have.' The speaker also said he's 'really proud of the way Salt Lake City and the state of Utah came together to make sure there wasn't violence' during the rest of the protest. 'I'm proud of the organizers of the protest, that was important to them, that they didn't have violence,' the House speaker said. 'And I really felt like overall things were pretty good. There is that one incident that's sad, and we certainly condone any type of violence.' Man dies after being shot in chaotic scene at Salt Lake City's 'No Kings' protest Schultz added that lawmakers will be reflecting on the facts of the investigation when it's finished. 'We look forward to getting more information as it becomes available, and we'll sift through what went wrong or what are the issues,' Schultz said. According to Salt Lake City police, the shooting happened after two men described as 'peacekeepers' confronted another man, 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, who was carrying an AR-15 style rifle during the protest. One of the 'peacekeepers' fired three shots from a handgun, grazing Gamboa but also hitting an 'innocent bystander,' Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, who was pronounced dead at a hospital. Shortly after the shooting, police arrested Gamboa, and he was booked into jail for investigation of murder. Police say, however, that Gamboa did not fire his rifle. The two 'peacekeepers,' who wore high-visability vests, were initially detained by police, but were released after being questioned. Police said the man who fired the three shots is cooperating with investigators. The protest was organized by Utah 50501, a state chapter of the 50501 Movement, a grassroots group that organizes rallies to protest actions by President Donald Trump and his administration. Organizers have expressed 'profound heartbreak' for the death of Ah Loo. In the days following the chaotic shooting, unanswered questions remain, including details of who the 'peacekeepers' were and how they were vetted, if at all, to be acting as armed security. Beloved Utah fashion designer's friends remember his life and his last moments Event organizers said people who served as 'safety volunteers' were 'selected because of their military, first responder, and other relevant de-escalation experience,' and they said when those volunteers saw Gamboa with the AR-15 style rifle, they 'believed that there was an imminent threat to the protesters and took action.' Organizers said the man who was involved in the shooting is a 'military veteran.' Questions also remain regarding Gamboa's intentions and why he brought a rifle to the protest. As of Wednesday, charges had not been filed against Gamboa or anyone else involved in the shooting. Utah is a 'constitutional carry' state, which means its laws allow the open and concealed carrying of firearms without a permit for those who are legally allowed to possess them. In 2021, with HB60, the Republican-controlled Utah Legislature eliminated the state's concealed carry permit requirements. Now, anyone 21 and over who can legally possess a gun is free to carry it loaded and hidden in public. Unlike 26 other states, Utah — a Republican-controlled state — has not adopted a law prohibiting carrying long guns at state capitols or, according to Everytown Research & Policy, an organization that produces research on gun violence and advocates for gun violence prevention. The group has ranked Utah as No. 36 in the country for 'gun law strength.' When pressed on whether lawmakers would be open to considering some type of policy to restrict the open carrying of long guns during protests, Schultz declined to say what lawmakers will or won't be willing to do, but 'I can speak from my own perspective.' 'Utah is a very proud Second Amendment state,' he said. 'Finding that balance is what we want to try to do, and I think we've done a good job with it in the past.' Schultz, however, left the door open to a discussion. 'As we enter into the legislative session and we have more details around what happened, I'm sure some of those conversations will happen and we'll see where it goes from there,' Schultz said. 'Peacekeeper' involved in shooting at SLC 'No Kings' protest is a military veteran, organizers say While Democrats typically propose various bills during each legislative session seeking tighter firearm regulations, Utah's GOP-supermajority Legislature usually doesn't let those bills progress. Schultz said 'any violence of any sort is terrible,' also pointing to the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses over the weekend. 'It's sad right now,' he said. 'I think it speaks a little bit to the times that we're living in.' Schultz said Anderson also briefed lawmakers on their own security, including resources available to lawmakers if they experience threats or have heightened concern. He praised the Utah Department of Public Safety for always being responsive to make sure lawmakers have protection when needed. House Majority Whip Candice Pierucci, R-Herriman, said she saw the news from Minnesota, 'I just kept thinking how we have got to find a way to turn down the heat when it comes to politics.' 'We have to get to a place where we disagree without thinking the other person is evil,' she said, adding that it was 'terrifying' that the man accused of shooting the Minnesota lawmakers had a list of names of other lawmakers. Minnesota House Democratic leader dead after 'politically motivated assassination' In the days after the Minnesota shooting, however, Utah Sen. Mike Lee drew widespread backlash for a pair of social media posts that appeared to make a joke about the suspect accused of the Minnesota shootings, claiming it was the result of 'Marxism' and attempting to connect the suspect to Gov. Tim Walz. On Tuesday, Lee deleted the posts from X. His office has not returned a request for comment about them, and he hasn't issued a public apology. Asked about Lee's posts, Schultz brushed them off, saying he doesn't spend time on X, (formerly known as Twitter). 'If I get on Twitter and look at what people say about me, it puts me in a bad mood, so I don't even get on Twitter,' he said. 'I don't think we have any comments around that. We're focused on Utah.' Pressed on whether they condemn the tweets, House Majority Leader Casey Snider, R-Paradise, said: 'you'd have to ask the senator about his tweets; he's the one that made them.' 'I'm in the same boat. I don't spend much time on social media. … you'd have to ask the senator what he said and what he meant by it,' Snider said. Sen. Mike Lee takes down controversial X posts after widespread criticism On Monday, House Democratic leaders issued a statement in the wake of the Minnesota shootings and the shooting during the Salt Lake City protest, calling them 'heartbreaking but unfortunately not surprising' while also calling for more gun regulations. 'The conditions for this kind of violence have been building for years, driven by a toxic combination of hateful rhetoric and easy access to firearms,' House Democrats said. 'That rhetoric, often amplified by leaders at the local, state, and federal levels, has created an environment that often leads to violence.' House Democrats said their Republican colleagues often argue 'guns don't kill people — people kill people.' 'Yet many of those same leaders use their platforms to target marginalized communities, spread misinformation, and stoke division,' they said. 'We urge all elected officials to reflect on the impact of their words and how they contribute to the dangerous climate we face today.' House Democrats said they 'remain committed to advancing policies that reduce gun violence, promote accountability, and protect the safety and dignity of every Utahn. We call on others to join us in that commitment.' Later Wednesday afternoon, the full Senate — while convened to vote on several judicial and cabinet appointments from Gov. Spencer Cox — held a moment of silence for the victims of violence in and outside of Utah over the weekend. Senators bowed their heads for Ah Loo, as well as for the two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses who were shot, and the three killed during an unrelated act of violence seen in Utah over the weekend — a shooting at a carnival in West Valley City on Sunday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘In government we never want to be frantic,' Democratic lawmakers say about university cuts
Rice-Eccles Stadium on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City is pictured on Monday, January 15, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) As the Utah Board of Higher Education begins to review public universities' first drafts on their plans to cut 10% of their budgets for courses, Democratic lawmakers worry about the unintended consequences the state-imposed tight deadline to achieve such a feat may carry. After HB265 passed this year, schools started scrambling to make the most efficient plan to reallocate their resources, with many exploring program consolidations, cutting courses and layoffs. The process seems abrupt, Sen. Kathleen Riebe, D-Cottonwood Heights, told the Executive Appropriations Committee on Tuesday, especially since many faculty members have inundated her inbox, worried about the potential elimination of curriculums and jobs. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'There's a lot of frantic behavior and in government we never want to be frantic,' Riebe said. 'We want to be methodical. We want to be research driven and data driven. And I understand where this bill is going, but it's been a very hard, abrupt turn, and there's a lot of pain points in our universities.' That, she added, may scar the reputation of Utah universities, frightening off staff and prospective professors wanting to apply for jobs in the state. HB265 passed comfortably in Utah's Republican supermajority Legislature while being opposed by most of the Democratic Caucus. The bill's goal, its supporters said, is to cut 'underperforming programs' and direct those funds to highly-sought degrees. With tight deadline, Utah universities scramble to cut 10% of budget for courses That's a premise that House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, defended during the Tuesday discussion, arguing that some of the cuts were overdue, and may even keep tuition costs low. 'Liberal arts, for some reason, keeps being the topic of discussion,' Schultz said. 'Yes, maybe every one of those programs might not be available at four or five universities across the state. You may not be able to take a program at the University of Utah, you might have to go to Weber State to take the program, or vice versa, but I think that's a wise use of the way that our dollars are spent.' The cost of attending college 'is a huge concern,' putting higher education increasingly out of reach for many, Minority Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City, said. As many Republican lawmakers emphasized the intent of making college more efficient, affordable and accessible, she asked whether tuition will decrease as a result of HB265. No more ethnic, women and gender studies at WSU as state-mandated budget cuts start Those numbers were not available during the committee discussion. But Schultz, who recently spoke with Weber State University leaders about their reallocation plans, highlighted that the school's overall tuition increase this year was 2% for bachelor's degrees and it kept the same costs for its associate degree programs. 'They were very proud that they found ways to take the savings and find savings and not increase for their associate's degrees,' Schultz said. 'So if the universities are not doing that, then I think that they are being a little bit derelict in their duties.' While he understands faculty and staff members' concerns, Schultz said he hopes that schools find the right balance in their process, and that the Legislature continues these types of initiatives more often. 'We do it on a regular basis with our state agencies,' he said. 'And with as much money as the state spends on higher education, and with the cost of higher education growing more and more out of control, I really think that this ought to become a little bit more of the norm.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utah House majority leader resigns to take economic development leadership appointment
House Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, and Majority Leader Jefferson Moss, R-Saratoga Springs, are pictured on the first day of the legislative session at the Capitol in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) One of the state's top Republican legislative leaders will be leaving the Utah Legislature to accept an appointment from Gov. Spencer Cox. House Majority Leader Jefferson Moss, R-Saratoga Springs, will be resigning from the Utah House effective May 30 to serve as executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity, according to a news release issued Friday. 'Serving in the legislature has been one of the great honors of my life,' Moss said in a separate news release issued by the governor's office. 'I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue serving the people of Utah in this new capacity and help advance the Governor's vision for economic opportunity across the state.' Moss's first day in his new role will be June 2, according to the governor's office. Starting that day, he'll serve as interim executive director until his appointment is confirmed by the Utah Senate. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 'Jefferson Moss brings a rare combination of public service, private sector experience, and a deep understanding of innovation and education,' Cox said in a prepared statement. 'He's been a driving force behind many of Utah's most forward-thinking initiatives, and I'm confident he'll lead the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity with the same vision, energy, and commitment to our state's future that have defined his career.' Moss will replace GOEO's former executive director, Ryan Starks, who left earlier this month to 'pursue other professional endeavors,' according to a news release issued May 2. While announcing Starks' departure, Cox lauded him as an 'invaluable asset to the state and our economic development efforts. … We wish him the very best in his future pursuits.' Starks, according to his LinkedIn page, originally intended to launch his own consulting business before he was offered a position leading the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, which he accepted. Moss, during his time in the Legislature, focused on policy impacting education, energy, government spending and economic development. He was first elected to the House in 2017. He served in House leadership roles since 2019, including as vice chair of the Executive Appropriations Committee, a powerful budgeting body. To choose a new majority leader, the House Republicans' caucus will hold a special leadership election in coming weeks. House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, praised Moss in a post on X, saying he has a 'unique ability to bring people together, think outside the box, and solve complex challenges.' 'While we'll miss his leadership in the House, I know he will continue to serve Utah with the same passion and purpose in his new role,' Schultz said. Moss also currently works as associate commissioner of innovation, commercialization and economic development for the Utah System of Higher Education and as managing director of the Utah Innovation Fund. He'll 'continue in a leadership role with USHE in addition to leading GOEO,' according to the governor's office. Previously, Moss also held leadership positions at Utah Valley University, was a strategist at KeyBank and Credit Suisse, and was a founder of several businesses. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why these Utah legislators traveled to Washington to address key Western issues
Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz and House Majority Assistant Whip Casey Snider were among a contingent of Utah lawmakers who were in Washington, D.C., Wednesday to discuss important issues to the state and elsewhere in the West. 'It was amazing,' Schultz, R-Hooper, said in an interview Thursday, emphasizing how impressed he was with the responsiveness of Trump officials the delegation met. On the same day, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins hosted an inaugural Farmers First roundtable at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rollins hosted Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, the board of directors for the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and over 20 farmers and ranchers from 11 states who run smaller-scale, independent, family-owned operations. These operations, Rollins said, are at the heart of American agriculture and their success is critical for the economic viability of the industry. Both Schultz and Snider, R-Paradise, are steeped in farming, but they also met with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Forest Service and other top ranking officials. Following several natural disasters that deeply impacted farms and ranches across the country, Rollins announced plans to expedite $21 billion in disaster assistance. Farmers receiving livestock relief for drought and wildfire can expect to receive payments as soon as the end of this month. Schultz said Rollins gets it: There must be some way to salvage small- and mid-sized farming operations in the United States. Snider added the meeting convened included some East Coast farming operations, but was of particular note to smaller farming interests in Utah and elsewhere in the West. 'I think it is pretty humbling,' he said. 'That level of deference. ... And just the fact that a Cabinet member would spend two hours to talk about this issue when everything else is going on is, just — I'm just incredibly grateful for that opportunity". Rollins, in a release, said while the agency aims to move all payments out to struggling farmers expeditiously and to cut timelines where possible, some payments will take more time. 'At USDA, we understand there are many challenges to starting a new farm and maintaining a small family farm. While there are many programs to assist our farmers, we feel strongly that it takes government entities, nonprofits, and the private sector working together to improve the viability, prosperity, and longevity of small family farms,' she noted. 'I have had the honor of visiting many farms and speak with families over the last several months and have heard firsthand that farmers are struggling. We are working every day to improve the farm economy,' Rollins said. Schultz said a main topic of conversation centered on how to build up a cadre of processing centers that support U.S. farmers and ranchers. Farmers in Utah and elsewhere are struggling with the lack of ability to process U.S. production of food and fiber. Years ago, a processing plant for lamb shut down in adjacent Colorado. That set producers in Utah in a quandary, only to be accentuated by the effects of COVID-19. Local food supplies were a huge concern, but farmers and ranchers had no way to get it to market. As the supply chain dried up for high-end meat due to the shuttering of cruise lines and expensive sit-down restaurants — and processing plants shut down due to the risk of spreading coronavirus — cattle, lambs and other animals sat idle on ranches and in feedlots. 'In Utah we have small family farms for the most part,' Schultz said. 'She understands and realizes that this consolidation we have happening in our farm industry is not good for America.' The Utah lawmakers heard from EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and from the U.S. Forest Service on issues related to air quality regulations and shared stewardships agreements when it comes to Forest Service land management. Utah was among the first to ink a deal that solidified collaboration with the federal agency and land managers in Utah to better manage forests which are getting increasingly dry in the West, particularly. Both Schultz and Snider said they believe Utah has caught the attention of Cabinet members of the Trump administration due to a number of factors, the state's leadership and its continuing role as the best managed state in the nation. 'In so many ways, we are leading out on some of these issues, as no one else in the nation,' Schultz said. 'They want to figure out what Utah is doing and how we can help other states do it.'
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City adopts new banners, sidestepping pride flag ban
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall poses in front of the new adopted city flags. (Courtesy of Salt Lake City) Hours before a pride flag ban took effect in Utah, three new official Salt Lake City flags emerged, all featuring the white sego lily that's already present in the city banner, but with a few notable substitutions. One features rainbow colors, similar to the LGBTQ+ flag; another one, light blue, pink and white stripes, similar to the transgender flag; and the last, a bursting star, emulating the Juneteenth flag. It was already a busy night for Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who was scheduled to present her budget proposal to the City Council on Tuesday evening, but with a looming deadline for a new law prohibiting nearly all flags, the council amended its agenda to include a discussion to allow the new city banners. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX But, by turning the pride, transgender and Juneteenth banners into official municipal symbols, the city could sidestep the policy. 'As mayor, I have a duty to lawfully uphold the values of our nation, state and our city,' Mendenhall said. 'I know that the values of diversity, equity and inclusion are not only right and just, but they are fundamental to America, even through all its struggles to uphold them.' The City Council embraced the change, voting unanimously to adopt the flags. 'It's not a coincidence that we have a majority of LGBTQ council,' council member Darin Mano said. 'It's because this is the place within not just Utah, but within many states surrounding us, where people like us feel safe. And I think there's a reason why people like us feel safe to both live here and also raise our hand to be a leader of a community in Salt Lake City, and so this is important and critical for us as a city, but more importantly for the people that live here to know that Salt Lake City continues to be a safe space for everybody.' Other council members commended the mayor for the bold move and called Tuesday a historic moment in the city. Meanwhile, in neighboring Idaho, which passed a similar flag ban last month, the Boise City Council also voted Tuesday to adopt the pride banner as an official city flag. This year the Utah Legislature passed HB77, a bill that prohibits schools and government entities from displaying flags unless they are allowed in a prescriptive list that includes the U.S. flag, the state flag, military flags, Olympic flags, college or university flags, and the flags of local cities. Gov. Spencer Cox allowed the bill to become law without his signature, effectively banning pride flags from being displayed in public buildings starting this Wednesday. Legislative leaders expressed disappointment in the city's action with House Speaker Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, calling it 'a clear waste of time and taxpayer resources.' 'This law is about keeping government spaces neutral and welcoming to all. Salt Lake City should focus on real issues, not political theatrics,' Schultz said in a statement. Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, also described the mayor's decision as disappointing, saying it diverts time and resources 'away from real pressing community needs.' 'It's disappointing that Salt Lake City is diverting time and resources away from real pressing community needs in an attempt to bypass state law,' Adams said in a statement. 'The intent of this bill is to help ensure that government buildings remain neutral, focused on serving the public and welcoming to all.' New official Salt Lake City flags, unveiled a few hours before the enactment of a law banning most flags from schools and other public buildings (Courtesy of Salt Lake City) After the flags were unveiled, Sen. Dan McCay, R-Riverton, who sponsored the bill in the Senate, made three montages of flags mocking Salt Lake City's action; one with a symbol of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an Israel flag, and one that reads 'MAGA Country.' 'Proud of Erin for being so inclusive with the new 365.25 flag initiative,' McCay wrote on X. Rep. Trevor Lee, R-Layton, the main sponsor of the bill, said in another post, 'Does Salt Lake City really want to play these games? Good luck!' The remarks quickly made it to the City Council chambers with council member Victoria Petro challenging Utahns to demand better after reading the comments. Let us know what you think... 'This is our future. We are the fastest growing state in the nation. We have 45 guaranteed legislative days a year, and more time was spent on flags and bike lanes in the capital city than homelessness or the drying Great Salt Lake. Demand better,' she said. 'This cannot be a policy arms race for one viewpoint, for one culture war side to triumph over another. Bad policy demands bad outcomes for that policy.' Mendenhall said that it isn't new for the city, a blue dot, to be in conflict with the Legislature's Republican majority that approved HB77. However, the country is designed to be able to navigate conflict, she added. 'We can decide to disagree respectfully or disagree better, as our good governor often says,' she said. The passage of the bill, she said, made city officials reflect on whether the regular blue and white Salt Lake City banner represents Utah's capital. Instead of flying a single flag, the city would represent its values with banners that have normally flown every year of her administration. 'I have given this so much thought, and I do not do this lightly, and my sincere intent is not to provoke or cause division,' Mendenhall said. 'My intent is to represent our city's values and honor our dear diverse residents who make up this beautiful city and the legacy of pain and progress that they have endured.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
