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.
Episodes
Friday Mar 14, 2025
Friday Mar 14, 2025
In this week's episode:
- Could the Pride flag ban prompt the Sundance Film Festival to flee the state?
- Lawmakers quietly gut Utah's open records law.
- Freebies for lawmakers during the session.
- Utah is on the verge of letting the Cavity Creeps win.
My guest this week is Austin Archer. He's a Utah born actor, writer and online social media content creator. His social media posts lampooning conservatives and Trump voters have gained a large following.
He joins the show to talk about political satire, how he portrays Trump supporters and why conservatives aren't good at producing art.
Follow Austin on TikTok, and YouTube.
Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my Utah politics coverage.
If there's a topic or guest you'd like to hear, drop me a line at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
In this week's episode of Special Session:
- The 2025 Utah Legislature is over.
- Legislative leaders aren't going to let a minor thing like a bill dying in committee stop them.
- Legislators pick a fight with the state auditor over office space...and lose.
- Phil Lyman wants to run the Utah Republican Party.
My guest this week is Sen. Daniel Thatcher. He announced Friday that he was leaving the Republican Party to join the Utah Forward Party. Thatcher says the Republican majority is becoming increasingly disconnected from the public. We’ll discuss his decision and how he will approach his job as a caucus of one.
Want more? Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my Utah politics coverage.
If there's a topic or guest you'd like to hear, drop me a line at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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Saturday Mar 01, 2025
Saturday Mar 01, 2025
In this week's episode of Special Session:
- Governor Cox and legislative leaders are throwing a party over education funding that might not be all it's cracked up to be.
- Next year's budget is going to be tight, but don't worry...there's always room for tax cuts.
- The legislature hatches a plan to take control of political debates in Utah. We explain why this is a scary idea that should upset you.
- Plus, Phil Lyman wants to run the Utah GOP.
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Want more? Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my Utah politics coverage.
If there's a topic or guest you'd like to hear, drop me a line at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
In this week's episode of Special Session:
- Budget blues hit as lawmakers grapple with disappointing revenue news.
- Utah AFL/CIO president Jeff Worthington joins the show to discuss HB267, the union-busting bill that takes away collective bargaining rights for public employees.
- Utah lawmakers want to make it harder and more expensive for the public to access government records - because who doesn't love a little secrecy?
- We're supposed to have 3 co-equal branches of government, right? Not so fast...
Don't forget to hit subscribe and drop us a rating!
Want more? Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my Utah politics coverage.
If there's a topic or guest you'd like to hear, drop me a line at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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Sunday Feb 16, 2025
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
In this week's episode of Special Session:
- Unions busted
- More money and more limits for Utah's school voucher program
- Pride flags? No way. Nazi flags? A-okay!
- Burgess Owens - country music expert.
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review to help others discover the show. Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my work in covering Utah politics.
If there's a topic or guest you'd like to hear, drop me a line at schott@utahpoliticalwatch.news
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Sunday Feb 09, 2025
Sunday Feb 09, 2025
In this episode of Special Session:
Senate Republicans reverse course on the controversial union busting bill.
Legislature pushes to double funding for Utah's private school voucher program.
A Democratic senator proposes higher taxes for the wealthy.
Two bills aim to tilt the judicial system in favor of lawmakers.
Kathy Biele from the Utah League of Women Voters joins to discuss concerning election-related legislation.
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review to help others discover the show. Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my work in covering Utah politics.
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Sunday Feb 02, 2025
Sunday Feb 02, 2025
In this episode of Special Session:
The fallout from the audit of former Attorney General Sean Reyes.
Lawmakers back down in their battle with public sector labor unions.
A trio of conspiracy-driven bills make their way through the legislature.
Gerrymandering lawsuit inches closer to resolution but still leaves many questions.
This week, I dive deep into the shocking findings of the audit on Sean Reyes, revealing his questionable conduct during his tenure. We'll discuss the implications of lawmakers' recent decisions regarding union rights and the bizarre conspiracy theories fueling new legislation. Plus, I’ll update you on the latest developments in the ongoing gerrymandering lawsuit.
Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and leave a rating and review to help others discover the show. Sign up for my newsletter at Utah Political Watch for free, and consider becoming a paying subscriber to support my work in covering Utah politics.
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Friday Jan 24, 2025
Friday Jan 24, 2025
In this episode of Special Session:
- The 2025 Utah Legislature gets underway.
- Spencer Cox needs to pay attention to the lyrics.
- It's union bustin' time!
- Who really has the ear of Utah lawmakers.
- Why I'm taking the Legislature to court.
My guest this week is former Republican strategist Reed Galen. We talk about what to expect from the second Trump administration, the need for pro-democracy movements and how to resist authoritarianism. Subscribe to Reed's Substack, The Home Front.
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