July 28, 2025
⏰ Tick Tock
Days to Utah's 2025 municipal primary elections (8/12/2025) - 15
Days until Election Day (11/4/2025) - 99
Days until the 2026 midterm elections (11/3/2026) - 465
Days until the 2028 presidential election (11/7/2028) - 1,198
Kennedy calls for government transparency in the grossest way possible
In a vivid medical metaphor, Rep. Mike Kennedy likened the growing controversy over the Trump administration's refusal to release Jeffrey Epstein-related files to a festering wound that needs to be drained.
During an hour-long virtual town hall on Friday, Kennedy faced the question that's been dogging Republicans: Would he support efforts to force Trump to fulfill his campaign promise of releasing the Epstein files?il.
“Finally, the Epstein question came up. I kind of figured it would at some point.”
Drawing on his background as a physician, Kennedy offered a graphic medical analogy to emphasize his stance on transparency.
“A big way of thinking about things is if you’ve got a festering, oil-infected wound with puss underneath there, you can continue to just let it fester and potentially, that’s gonna grow inward and create infection in your bloodstream and cause the whole body to be sick,” Kennedy said.
“I’ve done this many times over the course of my doctor career; I just had to put a needle or a knife in it and cut it open and let it drain. And in the case of this Epstein stuff, absolutely, let it out.”
The freshman congressman pledged his support for releasing the DOJ's information, but only if the identities of any victims are protected.
Kennedy quickly pivoted to accusing Democrats of weaponizing the Epstein files for political gain rather than pursuing truth.
“Some people have tried to hang around the neck of the Republicans that they’re voting to seal the Epstein files. No. Actually, what has been happening this last week is the Democrats are sponsoring amendments to entirely unrelated bills that would turn those over to the power of the Democrats. Amendment that forces the release, premature release of Epstein information.”
“It’s just political partisanship and how the Democrats are doing things.”
Kennedy’s commitment to partisan transparency was underscored earlier in July when he joined with Republicans to block a Democratic-led effort to force the release of the Epstein files.
Kennedy did not say whether he would sign on to the bipartisan effort in the House led by Republican Rep. Thomas Massie and Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna to have the DOJ release documents related to Epstein.
Monday morning's headlines
Utah and the west
Utah Rep. Burgess Owens shares anti-Muslim video from White supremacist account. [Utah Political Watch]
A Utah company won a $2.6M state contract. Then, Gov. Cox's campaign got its services for free. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Trump is "turning around the Titanic" on homelessness, Utah rep says. [Deseret News]
New poll finds 96% Idaho voters say public lands should remain in public hands. [Utah News Dispatch]
Utah copper mine reopens after laying dormant for nearly 6 years—as demand heats up for the mineral, could it offer a "critical" solution for other struggling rural towns? [Moneywise]
Salt Lake City School Board member to resign as part of plea. [KUTV]
The state's 140-year-old mental health hospital is now on coveted Utah County land. Here's who wants a piece of it. [Salt Lake Tribune]
Nation
New polling shows most Americans mostly see the "big beautiful bill" as benefiting wealthy households and large corporations while harming poor people and increasing the deficit. [Wall Street Journal]
Just over half of voters say they approve of President Donald Trump's handling on immigration, but most say his methods go too far. [Wall Street Journal]
President Trump is growing increasingly frustrated with his administration's inability to control the public furor around the Jeffrey Epstein files. [Washington Post]
Senate Republicans are urging their House colleagues not to play hardball with Democrats on funding bills in order to avoid a government shutdown. [The Hill]
Members of Congress are looking at ways to increase security as threats against them and the Capitol Police continue to mount. [Wall Street Journal]
President Trump was caught on video cheating during a round of golf in Scotland. [NewsWire on X]
World
The US and EU have struck a massive trade deal after talks in Scotland. [BBC]
President Trump says he's going to reduce the 50-day deadline he gave to Russian Vladimir Putin to reach a truce in the conflict with Ukraine. [Bloomberg]
The Trump administration may not allow a planned stopover in the US by Taiwan's leader next week over fears it could derail trade talks with China. [Bloomberg]
Economy
President Trump's tariffs are already stunting global economic growth. [Bloomberg]
Environment
More than 132 million Americans across the central and eastern US are facing a stifling heat wave. [Bloomberg]