Robert Gehrke
@robertgehrke.bsky.social
Government and Politics reporter for The Salt Lake Tribune. Friend of dogs. Fan of Lions (Detroit-style).
Breaking: Judge Gibson rejects the Legislature’s congressional boundaries. Chooses the plaintiffs Map 1. A solid northern SLCO district that strongly favors a Democrat.
November 11, 2025 at 6:50 AM
Breaking: Judge Gibson rejects the Legislature’s congressional boundaries. Chooses the plaintiffs Map 1. A solid northern SLCO district that strongly favors a Democrat.
"Shh. It's a secret. ... Utah's worst kept secret.
Ben McAdams is running for Congress!”
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Ben McAdams is running for Congress!”
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
‘Utah’s worst kept secret’: Ben McAdams will run again for Congress in ’26
Former U.S. Rep. Ben McAdams is running again for Congress — before Utah's districts are even final for next year's midterm elections.
www.sltrib.com
November 5, 2025 at 4:18 AM
"Shh. It's a secret. ... Utah's worst kept secret.
Ben McAdams is running for Congress!”
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Ben McAdams is running for Congress!”
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
A landscaping company is seeking $1 Billion in damages, accusing the attorney generals office and former AG Sean Reyes of a baseless, malicious human trafficking prosecution.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Landscape company says the Utah A.G.‘s office raided it to divert attention from Sean Reyes’ ties to Tim Ballard, seeks $1B in damages
The owners of a Bountiful landscaping company are suing former Attorney General Sean Reyes and the attorney general's office, accusing the office of engaging in a malicious prosecution on baseless cha...
www.sltrib.com
October 28, 2025 at 6:47 PM
A landscaping company is seeking $1 Billion in damages, accusing the attorney generals office and former AG Sean Reyes of a baseless, malicious human trafficking prosecution.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Updates from this morning’s testimony from the redistricting hearing. So far we heard the expert for the plaintiffs challenging the maps saying more than 99% of randomly generated maps create one Dem district, indicating the Lege map, with 4 R seats, is an outlier.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Live courtroom update: Scholar explains why redistricting map should include at least one Dem-leaning seat
Experts for the Utah Legislature and a group of plaintiffs challenging the state's congressional districts squared off, making the case that the maps put forward by the opposing side are gerrymanders ...
www.sltrib.com
October 23, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Updates from this morning’s testimony from the redistricting hearing. So far we heard the expert for the plaintiffs challenging the maps saying more than 99% of randomly generated maps create one Dem district, indicating the Lege map, with 4 R seats, is an outlier.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Last night, Sen. Daniel Thatcher — who clashed with Republican leadership before leaving the party — announced he would be leaving the senate.
He won’t make it official until he’s sure the Utah Forward Party will get to pick his replacement.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
He won’t make it official until he’s sure the Utah Forward Party will get to pick his replacement.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
‘No matter the cost’: Sen. Daniel Thatcher, a thorn for Republican leaders, to resign from the Utah Legislature
Sen. Daniel Thatcher, who bucked Republicans on trans sports, dormitories, food tax and labor bills — before leaving the GOP altogether — says he is stepping down from the Utah Legislature.
www.sltrib.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Last night, Sen. Daniel Thatcher — who clashed with Republican leadership before leaving the party — announced he would be leaving the senate.
He won’t make it official until he’s sure the Utah Forward Party will get to pick his replacement.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
He won’t make it official until he’s sure the Utah Forward Party will get to pick his replacement.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
How could the maps the Utah Legislature is considering change Utah's political landscape? I ran the numbers to see how each of the four districts have performed in recent elections.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Will Utah’s congressional districts be more competitive with the Legislature’s new maps?
The Salt Lake Tribune compared the Legislature's five congressional map proposals to election data. Here's what a reported found about districts.
www.sltrib.com
September 24, 2025 at 10:44 PM
How could the maps the Utah Legislature is considering change Utah's political landscape? I ran the numbers to see how each of the four districts have performed in recent elections.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Pornhub’s owners are paying Utah $5M and potentially up to $15M to settle allegations from the state and FTC that they hosted child sexual abuse and non-consensual videos and images.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Porn company will pay Utah millions to settle allegations of posting child sex abuse materials
Aylo, the parent company of Pornhunb, will pay Utah $5 million — plus fines — to settle allegations of sharing child sex abuse material on their websites.
www.sltrib.com
September 3, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Pornhub’s owners are paying Utah $5M and potentially up to $15M to settle allegations from the state and FTC that they hosted child sexual abuse and non-consensual videos and images.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
They don't like it, but Republican Lege leaders say they will obey a court order to redraw the state's congressional maps while also pursuing "every legal option."
Gibson’s ruling, they said, “unconstitutionally” ties their hands and sets unreasonable deadlines.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Gibson’s ruling, they said, “unconstitutionally” ties their hands and sets unreasonable deadlines.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Utah lawmakers will obey order to redraw U.S. House maps while pursuing ‘every legal option’
Legislative leaders begrudgingly say they will redraw Utah's congressional maps under a judge's timeline while still continuing to pursue "every legal option available."
www.sltrib.com
August 28, 2025 at 8:22 PM
They don't like it, but Republican Lege leaders say they will obey a court order to redraw the state's congressional maps while also pursuing "every legal option."
Gibson’s ruling, they said, “unconstitutionally” ties their hands and sets unreasonable deadlines.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Gibson’s ruling, they said, “unconstitutionally” ties their hands and sets unreasonable deadlines.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Trump trashed an Utah judge’s decision as “unconstitutional” and “activism” aimed at tearing down the Republican majority. He says he wants to make sure the state’s “four Republican Congressmen stay right where they are!” — including Rep. Celeste Maloy.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
President Trump calls Utah’s gerrymandering ruling ‘absolutely unconstitutional’
President Trump called Utah’s gerrymandering ruling “absolutely unconstitutional” in a Wednesday post on Truth Social, and assailed an “activist judiciary” that wants to take away GOP’s advantage.
www.sltrib.com
August 28, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Trump trashed an Utah judge’s decision as “unconstitutional” and “activism” aimed at tearing down the Republican majority. He says he wants to make sure the state’s “four Republican Congressmen stay right where they are!” — including Rep. Celeste Maloy.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Breaking: Judge Dianna Gibson has struck down Utahs congressional boundaries, ordering the Legislature to adopt new maps within 30 days that comply with the 2018 Better Boundaries initiative.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Utah judge tosses Legislature’s gerrymandered congressional maps, orders new maps redrawn
A judge threw out Utah’s congressional maps and ordered the Legislature to draw new districts that comply with the 2018 voter-backed Better Boundaries initiative, which sought to ban partisan gerryman...
www.sltrib.com
August 26, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Breaking: Judge Dianna Gibson has struck down Utahs congressional boundaries, ordering the Legislature to adopt new maps within 30 days that comply with the 2018 Better Boundaries initiative.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
On Monday, a judge will decide if Utah’s congressional boundaries were illegally gerrymandered to help Republicans.
The long-awaited decision may trigger a remapping of Utah’s 4 House seats as Texas & Calif. are redrawing maps for political advantage.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
The long-awaited decision may trigger a remapping of Utah’s 4 House seats as Texas & Calif. are redrawing maps for political advantage.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Judge to rule in Utah’s gerrymandering lawsuit Monday
On Monday, a Utah judge is expected to rule whether the Legislature illegally gerrymandered Utah’s congressional districts and needs to redraw the boundaries.
www.sltrib.com
August 22, 2025 at 7:42 PM
On Monday, a judge will decide if Utah’s congressional boundaries were illegally gerrymandered to help Republicans.
The long-awaited decision may trigger a remapping of Utah’s 4 House seats as Texas & Calif. are redrawing maps for political advantage.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
The long-awaited decision may trigger a remapping of Utah’s 4 House seats as Texas & Calif. are redrawing maps for political advantage.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Democratic Sen. Nate Blouin has called for Senate President Stuart Adams to resign over his involvement in changing a law that helped an 18-year-old high schooler facing rape charges.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
‘Do the right thing’: Utah Senate president who intervened in child rape case must resign, Democratic senator says
Democratic state Sen. Nate Blouin is calling on Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams to resign after The Salt Lake Tribune first reported that Adams had initiated a change to Utah law that helped an ...
www.sltrib.com
August 8, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Democratic Sen. Nate Blouin has called for Senate President Stuart Adams to resign over his involvement in changing a law that helped an 18-year-old high schooler facing rape charges.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
This story is now in front of the paywall, so you no longer have to be a subscriber to read it … but if you’d like to support journalism:
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August 4, 2025 at 10:42 PM
This story is now in front of the paywall, so you no longer have to be a subscriber to read it … but if you’d like to support journalism:
sltrib.com/subscribe/
sltrib.com/subscribe/
Here’s the backstory on how Senate President Stuart Adams spurred a change to state law that helped a teen facing child rape charges.
It highlights issues around how the criminal justice system deals with such cases.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
It highlights issues around how the criminal justice system deals with such cases.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Utah’s Senate president prompted law change that helped a teen charged with child rape
An 18-year-old high schooler was facing potential prison time and having to register as a sex offender until help came from a powerful ally — Senate President J. Stuart Adams.
www.sltrib.com
August 2, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Here’s the backstory on how Senate President Stuart Adams spurred a change to state law that helped a teen facing child rape charges.
It highlights issues around how the criminal justice system deals with such cases.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
It highlights issues around how the criminal justice system deals with such cases.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Can someone please explain how movie theater popcorn is so addictive?
July 21, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Can someone please explain how movie theater popcorn is so addictive?
This rare dinosaur skeleton — which had been housed at Thanksgiving Point until last year — just sold for $30.5 million, making it the third most expensive sale of a specimen in history.
www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2...
www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2...
Jurassic perk? A rare dinosaur skeleton from a Utah museum sells for massive amount at auction
A Ceratosaurus skeleton sold for millions of dollars at auction Wednesday. It had previously been owned by Thanksgiving Point.
www.sltrib.com
July 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
This rare dinosaur skeleton — which had been housed at Thanksgiving Point until last year — just sold for $30.5 million, making it the third most expensive sale of a specimen in history.
www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2...
www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2...
Wanna own a dinosaur? Sotheby's is auctioning off this rare Ceratosaurus that spent more 20+ yrs at the Thanksgiving Point museum before being sold last year.
Paleontologists worry it may end up in private hands, away from scientists and the public.
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06...
Paleontologists worry it may end up in private hands, away from scientists and the public.
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06...
Do dinosaur bones belong in a museum or a ‘McMansion?’
Sotheby's is auctioning a Ceratosaurus skeleton that used to be displayed at the Mountain America Museum of Ancient Life in Utah. Do dinosaur bones belong in a museum or a "McMansion?"
www.sltrib.com
June 23, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Wanna own a dinosaur? Sotheby's is auctioning off this rare Ceratosaurus that spent more 20+ yrs at the Thanksgiving Point museum before being sold last year.
Paleontologists worry it may end up in private hands, away from scientists and the public.
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06...
Paleontologists worry it may end up in private hands, away from scientists and the public.
www.sltrib.com/news/2025/06...
Read the scathing letter a senior staffer for Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith sent to Mike Lee’s office, chiding Lee for joking about the slaying of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
‘Have you no decency?’ Read the scathing letter a Minnesota US Senate staffer sent to Mike Lee
After Utah Sen. Mike Lee promoted right-wing conspiracy theories about the man who killed Melissa Hortman and her husband, a senior staffer for Sen. Tina Smith wrote a blistering email to Lee’s staff.
www.sltrib.com
June 16, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Read the scathing letter a senior staffer for Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith sent to Mike Lee’s office, chiding Lee for joking about the slaying of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
MN Sen Amy Klobuchar rips Mike Lee for blaming deadly shooting of state lawmakers on “Marxists” and linking him to Gov. Tim Walz.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
‘This is not a joke’: Sen. Amy Klobuchar rips Mike Lee for posts about a deadly Minnesota shooting
Sen. Mike Lee's unfounded claims on social media about the slaying of a Minnesota lawmaker have angered his U.S. Senate colleague from the state.
www.sltrib.com
June 16, 2025 at 9:28 PM
MN Sen Amy Klobuchar rips Mike Lee for blaming deadly shooting of state lawmakers on “Marxists” and linking him to Gov. Tim Walz.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Hi. I’m Robert.
I’m gonna be spending a little more time over here. Come say hi.
I’m gonna be spending a little more time over here. Come say hi.
June 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Hi. I’m Robert.
I’m gonna be spending a little more time over here. Come say hi.
I’m gonna be spending a little more time over here. Come say hi.
Here is a first crack at a story on labor unions meeting the requirements to get their repeal effort on the ballot.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
April 28, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Here is a first crack at a story on labor unions meeting the requirements to get their repeal effort on the ballot.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
BREAKING: Labor groups met the requirements to qualify a referendum for the ballot repealing HB267, which bans collective bargaining for police, fire and teachers unions.
As of this morning, they had more than 148l verified signatures and met the targets in 15 senate districts.
As of this morning, they had more than 148l verified signatures and met the targets in 15 senate districts.
April 28, 2025 at 2:55 PM
BREAKING: Labor groups met the requirements to qualify a referendum for the ballot repealing HB267, which bans collective bargaining for police, fire and teachers unions.
As of this morning, they had more than 148l verified signatures and met the targets in 15 senate districts.
As of this morning, they had more than 148l verified signatures and met the targets in 15 senate districts.
Last month Utah’s senior senator tweeted from his @BasedMikeLee account — on average — every 10 mins every day for the entire month assuming he never slept.
His already prolific social media use has gone into hyperspeed in 2025.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
His already prolific social media use has gone into hyperspeed in 2025.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
Since Trump took office, Mike Lee has been posting more on X — especially with Elon Musk
Over the first three months of 2025, Mike Lee's posts on X have reached new heights, pumping up Trump policies and building on his bromance with Elon Musk.
www.sltrib.com
April 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Last month Utah’s senior senator tweeted from his @BasedMikeLee account — on average — every 10 mins every day for the entire month assuming he never slept.
His already prolific social media use has gone into hyperspeed in 2025.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
His already prolific social media use has gone into hyperspeed in 2025.
www.sltrib.com/news/politic...
March 5, 2025 at 8:39 PM