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Romney was warned of possible violence ahead of January 6
In the days leading up to January 6, Maine Sen. Angus King told Sen. Mitt Romney a “senior Defense Department contact” was warning him about possible violence by supporters of President Donald Trump. That warning prompted Romney and his aides to arrange for additional security at the Capitol.
King’s source inside the Defense Department was Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That’s according to an advance copy of the new book, I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J.Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year, by Washington Post reporters Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker.
Milley was worried about some calls for violence from pro-Trump supporters he saw on social media, along with talk of smuggling guns into Washington, D.C., ahead of the January 6 “Stop the Steal” rally.
“We are coming to kill you. Just wait a few days,” read one message that appeared to be aimed at members of Congress who were not going to contest the election results when the Electoral College votes were counted on January 6.
King, who worried Romney was likely a target of those Trump supporters, told him what he had heard just days before January 6.
Romney relayed that information to his wife, Ann, who told him he could not return to Washington. Romney told her he had a responsibility to certify the election and help the country move on from Trump.
“What gave me a sense that there could be trouble in Washington was that the president had called for people to come to ‘stop the steal,’” Romney told the authors in an interview. “There would be normal people across the broad spectrum, but there would also be extremists, [and] there could well be violence.”
What you need to know for Wednesday morning
Utah news
Sen. Mitt Romney says booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine should be available ASAP. [Tribune]
Sen. Mike Lee’s re-election committee apparently spent all the money from a joint fundraiser he held with Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz. Gaetz is reportedly the subject of a federal probe into whether he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. [Tribune]
ICUs are getting crowded with COVID patients again, which is causing hospitals to delay some surgeries. [Tribune]
Environmental groups have come up with a list of 10 ways to boost the Colorado River Basin as a hedge against climate change. [Tribune]
The new police chief for the University of Utah, Rodney Chapman, is leaving. He spent more than half of his tenure on administrative leave due to unfounded allegations of misconduct. [Tribune]
National news
Republicans are threatening to filibuster the bipartisan infrastructure bill negotiated with President Joe Biden because they say the process is too rushed. [AP]
“Nothing is off limits.” The chair of the House committee looking into the January 6 insurrection is vowing to investigate President Donald Trump’s role in the attack. [Guardian]
Thomas Barrack, the chairman of former President Trump’s inaugural committee, was indicted for failing to register as a lobbyist for the United Arab Emirates as well as lying to investigators. [NYT]
President Biden nominated Jonathan Kanter to head up the Justice Department’s antitrust division. Kanter has a reputation for being a tough critic of big tech firms. [The Verge]
Dr. Anthony Fauci torched Sen. Rand Paul during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday after Paul accused him of lying. “Senator Paul, you do not know what you’re talking about,” Fauci said. [The Hill]
The Delta variant now accounts for 83% of all known U.S. COVID-19 cases. [WSJ]
Life expectancy in the U.S. dropped by more than a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [CNN]
A federal judge threw out a Republican lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that sought to end the proxy voting system instituted because of the pandemic. [NYT]
Apple is delaying the return to the office by employees as the number of coronavirus cases are surging. [NYT]
Brisbane, Australia was named host of the 2032 Summer Olympic Games. [NYT]
Wednesday morning’s Utah news roundup
Utah
Tribes were displaced, and slavery was brought here. So how should Utahns view Mormon Pioneer Day? [Tribune]
Parents sue a Utah treatment center after their daughter from Bermuda died by suicide. [Tribune]
Onaqui roundup ends with 307 horses headed for adoption. [Tribune]
Lawsuit filed over Utah’s medical cannabis cultivation licenses. [FOX13]
WVC Police to match SLC officers’ pay scale; SLC Council hears input about increase. [FOX13]
Utah parents grapple with childcare costs post-pandemic. [KUTV]
COVID-19
ICUs are crowded with COVID patients, and that’s starting to delay some surgeries. [Tribune]
U of U joins treatment study to battle COVID-19. [FOX13]
Drought
Great Salt Lake drops to record-tying historic low. [FOX13]
Provo City Council drowns in information from FEMA over local levees. [Daily Herald]
Education
American Heritage School to open campus near downtown Salt Lake City in 2022. [Deseret News]
Pediatricians urging Utahns to get their kids vaccinated against COVID-19 before school starts. [Deseret News]
Utah County Sheriff’s Office to hold active shooter training for teachers. [Daily Herald]
Local Government
Weber, Davis counties sending primary ballots for a slew of city races. [Standard Examiner]
Ogden administration hoping tax incentive money will spur Ogden River housing project. [Standard Examiner]
12 of 15 Davis County mayoral posts contested this election cycle. [Standard Examiner]
Park City expected to delay contaminated soils facility talks for several months. [Park Record]
Lawsuits prompt tweaks to Summit County development code. [Park Record]
Cybersecurity
Utah’s Camp Williams hosts nation’s largest cyber defense exercise. [Daily Herald]
Hackers seek millions of dollars from City of Clearfield in cybersecurity breach. [KUTV]
Business
Salt Lake Chamber names Gary B. Porter new chairman of board of governors. [KSL]
Beer Bar canceling annual ‘Pie and Beer Day’ celebration due to COVID-19 concerns, slumping vaccination rates. [ABC4]
On the Opinion Pages
Brad Wilson: The Utah Way from our pioneer roots and beyond. [Tribune]
— The Tribune’s Connor Sanders contributed to this report.
