Special Session with Bryan Schott
Special Session with Bryan Schott
Utah Political Watch

Special Session with Bryan Schott

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Ever wonder what’s really going on behind the scenes in Utah politics?

From the Capitol to your headphones, Special Session with Bryan Schott breaks down the most important news stories from the world of Utah politics.

Bryan Schott has been covering Utah politics for more than 25 years, digging into the stories that matter the most to you.

He brings insights into politics and policy and interviews with newsmakers to help you understand what’s driving the latest headlines.
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The Aftermath of Charlie Kirk's Assassination: A Conversation with Christopher Goldsmith
11 September 2025

The Aftermath of Charlie Kirk's Assassination: A Conversation with Christopher Goldsmith

We sit down with Christopher Goldsmith, an expert on disinformation and extremist tactics and the founder of Veterans Fighting Fascism. Goldsmith, who publishes the "On Offense" Substack and co-hosts the "Find Out" podcast, discusses the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. He talks about the potential implications for democracy, the dangers posed by radicalized...
Cracking the code on Utah's gerrymandered maps
05 September 2025

Cracking the code on Utah's gerrymandered maps

This week, we go over the latest in the court case over Utah's gerrymandered congressional maps and how the GOP-controlled legislature will try to open up a new path of attack so the new map is still likely to elect Republicans or even keep the old map in place for the 2026 election.It's no secret that Utah's congressional map is gerrymandered, but we finally have an idea what methodology they...
All about gerrymandering
26 August 2025

All about gerrymandering

A Utah judge threw out Utah's congressional maps on Monday, ruling that the Republican-controlled legislature violated the state constitution when it repealed Prop. 4. in 2020. Now, lawmakers have less than a month to draw new maps, or the court will do it for them.We discuss the ruling, what it means, how we got here, and what's next.Plus, a conversation with Dave Daley, a senior fellow at...
Stuart Adams has a problem
15 August 2025

Stuart Adams has a problem

Utah Senate President Stuart Adams is under scrutiny after a change to state law he championed benefited his step‑granddaughter as she faced serious felony charges.Host Bryan Schott goes through the timeline, explains what changed in the law, and tests Adams’ defense against the public record.We also examine the media’s role and patterns from past episodes where Adams’ actions raised ethical...
The feds want Utah's voting records
02 August 2025

The feds want Utah's voting records

The chatter surrounding Utah Sen. Mike Lee as a possible pick for the Supreme Court has started again. Don't dismiss it as just idle speculation. Lee probably came closer to landing a seat on the Supreme Court in 2018 than most realize.The Justice Department wants information about Utah's elections. This could have a very big impact on the 2026 elections and beyond.A liberal group is spending...
Take away Mike Lee's phone!
25 July 2025

Take away Mike Lee's phone!

It was a bad week on social media for a couple of Utah's congressional Republicans. Rep. Burgess Owens reposted an anti-Muslim video on social media that came from an account that frequently posts White supremacist content.Sen. Mike Lee was fooled AGAIN by a fake letter on social media that was clearly generated by AI. Lee likes to criticize the media for inaccuracies, but he should really work...
Who's funding who?
19 July 2025

Who's funding who?

Federal prosecutors drop the charges against a Utah doctor accused of running a fake vaccine card scheme. How much did politics play in the dismissal? (Hint: a lot).Who is funding your congressional delegation? We break down the latest financial disclosures and come up with some interesting nuggets.Republicans are flailing trying to contain the fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files controversy....
Mike Lee can't stop...won't stop
11 July 2025

Mike Lee can't stop...won't stop

Sen. Mike Lee's social media is causing some heartburn for top leaders of the LDS Church, but don't expect that will make him tone things down.Lack of housing in the West is a serious problem, but policymakers will have to come up with a solution that does more than lean on ideology.Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz rallies support for a Utah doctor who federal prosecutors allege provided hundreds...
Mike Lee hits some roadblocks
27 June 2025

Mike Lee hits some roadblocks

Sen. Mike Lee's controversial plan to sell off millions of acres of public lands hits two significant roadblocks. The Senate parliamentarian ruled against the proposal, and he's facing mounting opposition from conservation groups and his fellow Republicans in Congress.There are more questions than answers about the "No Kings" rally in Salt Lake City that left one protester dead. The anonymous...
Physician, heal thyself!
22 June 2025

Physician, heal thyself!

Utah's members of Congress either supported President Donald Trump's airstrikes against Iran or remained silent, despite the lack of credible intelligence backing the President's justification for the attack. Sen. Mike Lee's contradictory stance on war powers does raise some eyebrows, though.Sen. Lee faced some backlash for his cruel and insensitive social media posts in the aftermath of a tragic...