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Political Cornflakes: Evangelical leader’s book says Christians have duty to defend Trump

(Pablo Martinez Monsivais | AP file photo) President Donald Trump, right, greets Ralph Reed, left, founder and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, before speaking at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference in Washington, Wednesday, June 26, 2019.

Happy Thursday!

In a soon-to-be released book, Faith and Freedom Coalition founder Ralph Reed says evangelical Christians have a duty to defend President Donald Trump against “the stridently anti-Christian, anti-Semitic, and pro-abortion agenda of the progressive left,” according to the publisher’s description. It was initially to be titled, “Render to God and Trump,” but now is “For God and Country: The Christian case for Trump.” [Politico]

Topping the news: Protest groups on both sides of the impeachment issue clashed in a parking lot outside of Rep. Ben McAdams’ Utah office. [Trib] [DNews]

-> Utah’s billboard industry might need to gear up for another fight with Salt Lake City after both mayoral candidates say they may seek to reduce billboard clutter. [Trib]

-> Rep. John Curtis says he would attempt to head off a new policy allowing off-road vehicles in national parks if he finds that local leaders are united in opposition to it. [Trib]

Tweet of the day: From @SenatorRomney: “Reports indicate Turkey is predictably attacking the Kurdish allies we abandoned. It’s a tragic loss of life among friends shamefully betrayed. We can only hope the President’s decision does not lead to even greater loss of life and a resurgence of ISIS.”

Happy Birthday: Rich McKeown, long-time right hand man to former Gov. Mike Leavitt.

Also in the news: This year, Gov. Gary Herbert is focusing his annual fundraising gala on a planned public policy center in his name at Utah Valley University. [Trib]

-> Utah authorities say an elected official from Arizona smuggled at least 40 pregnant women from the Marshall Islands into the Beehive State as part of an illegal adoption scheme. [Trib]

-> In the race for outgoing Rep. Rob Bishop’s congressional seat, Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd is casting a vision for immigration reform and federal budget cuts. [Trib]

-> Health officials confirm Utah’s first vaping-related death. [Trib]

-> As Turkish forces launched an offensive attack on the Kurds yesterday, Sen. Mitt Romney said the Kurds were “shamefully betrayed.” [DNews]

-> Utah Valley University creates ‘emergency scholarships’ after survey finds some students go hungry. [Trib]

-> Advocates unveil plan to make a possible second Utah Winter Olympics greener, fairer and more beneficial for all. [Trib]

-> The UTA Board approves a five-year, $463 million plan that includes a new airport TRAX station and Ogden bus rapid transit. [Trib]

-> Robert Gehrke wonders why Mitt Romney seems to be the only Republican with a conscience and courage. [Trib]

-> In the first of two public meetings this month, the Salt Lake City Council discussed adding new, less-lethal shotguns to the Salt Lake City Police Department’s arsenal. [KUER]

Nationally: For the first time, former Vice President Joe Biden calls for Trump’s impeachment. [CNN] [NYTimes]

-> According to Trump, the Turkish attack on Syria is a “bad idea,” but he still insists “endless, senseless wars,” are not the solution. [NYTimes] [AP]

-> Trump pressed then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to help persuade the Justice Department to drop a criminal case against an Iranian-Turkish gold trader who was a client of Rudy Giuliani. [Bloomberg]

-> Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said he plans to invite President Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, to speak to the committee about Ukraine. [CNN]

-> Democrats are seemingly undeterred by the White House’s refusal to cooperate with impeachment inquiry efforts. [NYTimes]

-> Trump is trading insults with the Minneapolis mayor over which party should pay more than $500,000 in security costs for the president’s rally there on Thursday. [AP]

-> Biden asks Twitter to reject what he says is a false ad by Trump’s reelection campaign accusing him of corruption. [CNN]

-> If she wins the Democratic nomination, Elizabeth Warren says she will avoid the big-wig fundraisers. [AP]

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

— Lee Davidson and Clara Hatcher