As part of a hypothetical scenario in a made-up state, Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson along with eight other panelists were asked what they would do if they were faced with a fictional president that asked for political favors in exchange for federal aid and not only pressured them to hand over private voter information, but also wanted to seize ballots before they were counted.

That was the premise of an episode of the PBS series “Breaking the Deadlock” titled: “How to Fix an Election” that was broadcast on Tuesday.

In the episode, Aaron Tang, a law professor at the UC Davis School of Law, moderated a panel that, alongside Henderson, included other prominent officials including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Texas congressman Rep. Dan Crenshaw, and businessman Mark Cuban.

Tang asked them to confront hypothetical dilemmas that put pressure on voting rights and elections. Henderson was given a scenario to hand over private voter information to the federal government in the name of preventing ineligible people from voting.

“First of all, there is no evidence that there is any sort of widespread voting by people who are ineligible,” Henderson said in the show. “And the federal government doesn’t have access to our voter files because the U.S. Constitution expressly reserves the right to states to choose the times, places and manner of elections.”

But that scenario isn’t far off from a reality Henderson and other state election officials are facing in real life. For months, President Donald Trump’s administration has been pressuring them to hand over sensitive and private voter information.

The same day the episode aired, Henderson said in a social media post she had received “another love letter” from the U.S. Department of Justice “sprinkled throughout with threats of criminal prosecution” for resisting the agency’s demands for private voter data.

“This is truly bizarre behavior by the federal agency that is supposed to be protecting civil rights,” Henderson wrote.

In February the Department of Justice filed lawsuits against Utah, alongside other states “for failure to produce their full voter registration lists upon request.”

For months, President Donald Trump’s administration has demanded that states provide copies of their voter lists, calling the information necessary for election integrity efforts. While some states have turned over lists that withhold sensitive personal data, most have declined to offer all the information on their lists while citing state and federal privacy laws that protect American’s personal data.

Henderson has said she is among those fighting to protect Utah voters’ protected information.

“Neither state nor federal law entitles the Department of Justice to collect private information on law-abiding American citizens,” Henderson has said in response to the DOJ lawsuit. “Utahns can be assured that my office will always follow the Constitution and the law, protect voters’ rights, and administer free and fair elections.”

A review by Henderson’s office has confirmed that noncitizen voting isn’t a widespread problem in the state. The issue has, however, remained a focal point among Republicans across the country.

The letter the Department of Justice sent on Tuesday cited portions of federal code that outline the duties of state and local elections officials, including maintaining elections records and taking action to ensure that only U.S. citizens are allowed to vote.

“Any election officer, including the chief election officer of the state, who knowingly retains noncitizens on the state’s (voter registration list) or facilitates noncitizens in receiving and casting ballots could be subject to criminal liability,” the letter says.

While Utah approved a law allowing the release of some voter information for a fee — including name, address, age range, party affiliation, and vote history — other personal information, like social security numbers, full birth dates and driver’s license numbers, remain “strictly private for all voters and may only be disclosed to government entities for election administration purposes,” according to the Utah lieutenant governor’s website

During the PBS episode, the panel discussed a made-up situation in which the exchange of those private voter files would result in quicker federal action that would prevent a dam from collapsing, potentially avoiding deaths.

Henderson called it a “tough situation” during the panel discussion.

“It’s definitely hard to see trade-offs for something that is imminent and much needed versus standing on principle and following the rule of law,” she said. “But I also say, if we don’t have the rule of law, we don’t have anything, we don’t have a country, we don’t have freedom, and if we’re willing to trade those things in the moment, then we’re willing to risk an awful lot for temporary gains.”

In a comment issued about the PBS episode, Henderson said she left the taping “with a renewed commitment to the principles that have shaped our country for the past 250 years and which are essential to preserving our free government for the next 250 years.”

A 39-year-old man died Saturday night after being shot during Salt Lake City’s “No Kings” protest while a crowd of about 10,000 people marched near 151 S. State Street, the Salt Lake City Police Department confirmed Sunday.

Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, a Utah resident, was shot at the demonstration. Despite life-saving efforts from SWAT medics and Salt Lake City Fire, Ah Loo died at an area hospital.

As of Sunday morning there were still unreleased details about the incident as the investigation is ongoing, Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said in a news conference.

A chaotic scene ensued after two armed men in high visibility vests, who Redd described as “possibly part of the event’s peacekeeping team” saw 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa separating from the crowd, moving behind a wall, pulling out a rifle and starting to manipulate it.

“Gamboa was then confronted by these two men, witnesses say. Gamboa raised the weapon in a firing position and began running toward the crowd,” Redd said on Sunday. “One of the individuals fired three rounds, striking Gamboa, and tragically striking the man who later died.”

The preliminary police investigation found that the victim was not the intended target, “but rather an innocent bystander participating in the demonstration,” Redd said. Gamboa also sustained a minor gunshot wound in the confrontation.

As the scene unfolded, a bystander took a backpack from Gamboa that contained an AR-15 style rifle and a gas mask, Redd said.

Gamboa’s motivations for being at the protest are still unclear, and there is no indication that others were working with him, Redd said.

Detectives booked Gamboa into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail for investigation of murder, police said in a release.

Gamboa has no criminal history, police said. Jail documents state he is being held without bail.

Police had not taken any action against the two peacekeeping members as of Sunday, Redd said. The man who fired the shots is cooperating with police.

2 people shot, including suspect in custody, during ‘No Kings’ protest in Salt Lake City, Utah

The scene was chaotic and unfolded very quickly, Redd said, but many people assisted the officers.

“The crowd actually pointed him out to law enforcement, and their actions were heroic,” Redd said.

In a Facebook post Sunday morning, Utah 50501 — the group that organized Saturday’s protest — said it is currently working with police.

“Our team was directly involved. We have been in direct contact with law enforcement,” the Facebook post read. “Some of you seem to think a keyboard and social media give you a free pass to be nasty and accusatory. Our teams just had to deal with something extremely traumatizing and when faced with personal risk to their own lives, chose to run towards the danger in order to serve this community.”

The group said it’s working to set up a vigil for the victim.

“We respectfully ask to refrain from speculation about the alleged shooter’s motives and identity — that information will come out soon enough. It is better to wait for the facts, even though it is difficult given the emotional and charged nature of this incident,” the group said in a separate Facebook post Sunday morning. “This was a horrific moment of violence in a historic day full of thousands of Utahns exercising their right to protest. Nothing will ever change the undeniable strength of our community.”

‘A heartbreaking situation’

Before the news of Ah Loo’s death went public, Salt Lake City Democrats Rep. Jen Dailey-Provost and Sen. Jen Plumb, who represent downtown communities in the Legislature, issued a statement expressing “distress, dismay and sorrow” about the Saturday shooting in Salt Lake City and the assassination of the Minnesota House Democratic-Farmer-Labor caucus leader Melissa Hortman.

The Democrats said that these are “stark examples of the current crisis of our nation’s integrity.”

“As many have stated, violence has no place here,” the lawmakers wrote in a joint statement. “We would argue more strongly, however, that every elected official must actively partake in changing the horrific rhetoric and divisiveness that drives public discourse in our society today; rhetoric that is supported and perpetuated by many in our state and nation’s top leadership positions.”

Simple remarks, the lawmakers said, will not suffice as a response.

Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, extended condolences to Ah Loo’s family in a social media post, describing the incident as “a heartbreaking situation.”

“My thoughts are with everyone affected,” Adams wrote. “I also want to express my gratitude to all the security officers whose quick response helped prevent a mass casualty. In difficult moments like this, we must come together with shared compassion and a commitment to unity.”

Contributing: Kyle Dunphey

Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: info@utahnewsdispatch.com.

Some of the prices on grocery store shelves may have been on an upward trajectory, but overall, Americans are expected to pay less for their Thanksgiving dinners for the second year in a row.

That’s according to the American Farm Bureau Federation, which has been tracking the cost of Thanksgiving classics for the last 39 years. This year, a meal for 10 will cost about $58.08, the survey found, down about 5% from 2023. However, that’s still 19% higher than pre-pandemic prices.

But Western states will have a bill 14% more expensive than the rest of the country, the federation wrote. Out West, a classic dinner for 10 people will be around $67.05 this Thanksgiving. The holiday meal is expected to be the cheapest in the South at about $56.81, followed by the Northeast at $57.36 and the Midwest at $58.90.

In the country’s West, food prices in grocery and convenience stores are likely to increase about 2.5% this year compared to 2023 levels, according to Dave Davis, president and CEO of the Utah Food Industry. But, food inflation, not including restaurants, he said, is trending in a good direction.

“Because of the big inflation that we saw during the pandemic, and even as things were winding down with the pandemic, we’re not back to sort of pre-pandemic levels,” Davis said on Tuesday. “And quite frankly, inflation, as it tends to do, is always going up.”

Restaurants may see about a 4.7% increase by the end of the year. However, for grocery stores, the uptick is at a manageable level, he said.

“You want to see inflation being where wage growth is outpacing inflation by just a little bit,” Davis said.

What was measured

For one week, volunteer shoppers from all 50 states and Puerto Rico visited their local grocery store in person or virtually to collect the prices of turkey, cubed stuffing, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls, frozen peas, fresh cranberries, celery, carrots, pumpkin pie mix and crusts, whipping cream and whole milk, the survey said. They looked for the best possible prices, but didn’t use any special promotional coupons or combined purchase deals.

They found that most of those items dropped in price. But, four of them — dinner rolls, fresh cranberries, whipping cream and cubed stuffing — were up.

Turkey, the centerpiece of the feast, which accounted for 44% of the price calculated by the shoppers this year, experienced a 6% cost decrease, compared to 2023. That’s an anomaly, the economists who wrote the study said, because avian influenza has caused a decline of available turkeys, but demand for them is also down, which lowers prices.

Anecdotally, Davis said he hasn’t heard members at the Utah Food Industry speaking about any significant increases to the cost of turkeys. Being most people’s main dish, Davis estimates Utah numbers are similar to those found in the study.

“Everyone has their own preferences about what Thanksgiving dinner is going to look like. I think that our turkey costs have been pretty good and pretty consistent with those numbers,” Davis said.

Avian influenza did cause a spike on egg prices for about a year in the state, he said. However, they are “back on trend.” And, things are running fairly smoothly for shoppers looking for last-minute items on Wednesday and Thursday morning.

Both Davis and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall acknowledged that many are hurting because of inflationary pressures. But, they said, there’s something to be grateful for this holiday; food in the country is abundant and one of the most affordable in the world.

“In order to maintain that, we need a strong farm bill which enables Americans to pursue their dreams without worrying about feeding their families,” Duvall said in a news release. “A new farm bill with a modernized safety net to support those who raise crops and livestock ensures farmers can survive tough economic times and continue to supply food for America’s families, not just for the holidays, but year-round.”

The federal farm bill, which sets agriculture and conservation policy for the next five years, is at a standstill after Congress allowed it to expire Sept. 30 as the election loomed. If a new bill or an extension isn’t passed by the end of the year, the benefits it covers (including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) will run out.

As for Utah as a whole, Davis said, there aren’t any food shortages and retailers are doing their best to get people through the holiday.

“Sometimes it can be frustrating, especially if you need a last minute item and maybe that item isn’t available. And so be patient and be patient with your fellow shoppers as well,” Davis said. “And keep your eyes open. A lot of times around the Thanksgiving holidays, many retailers are doing sales that may benefit you and your family.”

Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: info@utahnewsdispatch.com. Follow Utah News Dispatch on Facebook and X.

Breaking the seal of confession because of secular laws to report suspected child abuse has been unpopular for years in the Utah Legislature. That may change this legislative session.

The way forward could be giving churches an option, not a mandate.

HB432, titled Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Amendments, sponsored by Rep. Anthony Loubet, R-Kearns, does that while providing protections to those who are able to report child abuse and neglect but fear doing so without protections against civil and criminal liability.

The bill is scheduled for a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday at 8 a.m.

If approved, the bill would allow clergy members to “report ongoing abuse or neglect even if the perpetrator made a confession,” a practice that some faiths are starting to allow, but others strictly forbid. The bill specifies that clergy members should have reasons to believe that the abuse is ongoing at the time of the confession before reporting it.

“This bill would allow those that are already practicing it to receive protections and then it would create an incentive for other faiths to adopt these practices,” Loubet said. “And for those faiths that maybe (reporting) is contrary to their doctrines, they can continue doing what they’ve been doing.”

Requiring clergy to report suspected abuse has been a sore subject for religious groups such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Catholic Church, in which clergy members are committed to never disclose anything they learn during confession. That confidentiality promise allows churchgoers to take a path of repentance and forgiveness, some faiths argue.

This is a concern that Loubet said constituents shared with him last year. And though it may not impact churches that opt to keep their doctrines as they are, he sees it as “moving the needle” and taking action in the status quo, as it provides an incentive for those who want to report the abuse, but worry about invasion of privacy lawsuits.

House Minority Leader Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, who unsuccessfully sponsored more strict versions of the bill in past years, helped Loubet in his effort to make the change, he said. And that effort may be fruitful, as some local churches said they wouldn’t oppose the bill as it’s currently written.

In late January, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints told FOX 13 that it wouldn’t oppose the bill. Representatives from the church did not respond to Utah News Dispatch to confirm their position on the bill.

While the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City doesn’t expect to oppose the bill, it remains concerned about the possibility of a change that would require Catholic priests to report abuse, even if they learn it during the sacrament of confession, the church said in a statement.

“If this requirement were to become law, Catholic priests would face the untenable choice of breaking the law or being excommunicated, because breaking the Seal of Confession means automatic excommunication for a Catholic priest,” the statement reads. “This would seem to be a blatant violation of the First Amendment.”

However, outside of that sacramental seal, all priests and church employees are required to report child abuse within 24 hours, in line with Utah statutes and the church’s policies.

The ultimate goal, Loubet said, is to open the door for law enforcement to conduct investigations and start providing help to those children.

Clergy members aren’t allowed to testify as witnesses under state and federal law without the consent of both the confessant and the clergy member. But, law enforcement officers who have spoken with Loubet about his bill said that reporting ongoing abuse gives them an opportunity to launch investigations.

Rep. Brian King, D-Salt Lake City, is running a similar but broader bill. HB101, titled Clergy Child Abuse Reporting Requirements, would allow a member of the clergy to report suspected child abuse or neglect that is ongoing or that occurred in the past.

Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: info@utahnewsdispatch.com. Follow Utah News Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.