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So observers figured Utah's Republican lawmakers would feel emboldened by the election of Donald Trump

when they kicked off this year's legislative session. And sure enough, you could see that in some

key moves. Lawmakers banned pride flags in public spaces. They kept transgender students from

university dorm rooms. They weakened public unions. They try to get rid of mail-in voting.

Robert Gerke of the Salt Lake Tribune told us a lot of what happened at the legislature this

year is actually part of a trend that predates Donald Trump, where lawmakers have been working

to consolidate their power. To illustrate his point, he told us the story of state senator Dan Thatcher.

Dan Thatcher is a Republican senator who represents West Valley City.

He was elected in 2010.

And he had over the last several years clashed with party leadership several times.

He voted against a tax package

that would have increased the sales tax on food. He voted against bills that he felt like

were targeting transgender kids and people. And he hasn't always gotten along with the leadership

in his own party. Before this session started, he had lost his office.

He had lost his chairmanship of a couple committees. He had been reassigned on the Senate

floor to sit with the Democrats. So there had been sort of this tension that had been

building over the course of several years, and it was reaching a peak this session.

And during debate on a particular issue,

Senator Thatcher made a reference to a Republican colleague,

Senator Dan McKay of Riverton.

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