memeorandum: Jon Huntsman raises $4.1 million in the second quarter (T.W. Farnam/Washington Post)

5:10 PM ET, July 1, 2011

Top Items:

Minnesota government begins historic shutdown — Dayton renewed his call to tax the rich; GOP pointed to harm of long-term debt. The governor and legislative leaders worked into the evening in a last-ditch bid for resolution. — Talks imploded Thursday between DFL Gov. Mark Dayton …

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:

Tim Pawlenty raises $4.2 million — Republican presidential candidate, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Tuesday, June 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty raised $4.2 million over the past three months …

Discussion: GOP 12, The Washington Independent, The Blotter, MinnPOTUS, Hot Air, New York Times, Iowa Caucuses and Politics

Tim Mak / The Politico:

Tim Pawlenty: Shutdown could be a good thing — In a press conference just hours before the shutdown to defend his record as Minnesota governor, Tim Pawlenty said that he wished the 2005 government shutdown he presided over would have lasted longer, and that the paralysis underway now in the state could be a good thing.

Discussion: ABCNEWS, Washington Monthly, The Blotter, TPMDC and FrumForum

The Note: Pawlenty Raised $4.2 Million During Second Quarter

Jordan Fabian / The Hill: Pawlenty raises $4.2M in second quarter

T.W. Farnam / Washington Post:
Jon Huntsman raises $4.1 million in the second quarter

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, GOP 12 and TPMDC

John Eligon / New York Times:

Strauss-Kahn Is Released as Case Teeters — Dominique Strauss-Kahn was released from house arrest on Friday as the sexual assault case against him moved one step closer to dismissal after prosecutors told a Manhattan judge that they had serious problems with the case.

Discussion: TalkLeft, The Huffington Post, City Room, PolitickerNY, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, New York Magazine, Guardian, Mediaite, The Atlantic Online, neo-neocon, Runnin' Scared, Above the Law, Gawker, Truthdig, FrumForum and AMERICAblog News

New York Times:

Strauss-Kahn Case Faces Test in Hearing — The sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn is on the verge of collapse as investigators have uncovered major holes in the credibility of the housekeeper who charged that he attacked her in his Manhattan hotel suite in May, according to two well-placed law enforcement officials.

New York Post:

Maid who accused DSK of sexual assault repeatedly lied: sources — The maid who accused former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn of a violent sex attack in his Midtown hotel room has repeatedly lied to prosecutors and is “personally associated” with money launderers and drug dealers …

Discussion: Gothamist, Daniel W. Drezner and iOwnTheWorld.com

Andrew Cohen / The Atlantic Online:
5 Ways to Think About The Times' Strauss-Kahn Story

Discussion: Guardian, Outside the Beltway and Politics

New York Times:
News of Turnaround in Dominique Strauss-Kahn Case Stuns France

Discussion: Associated Press, New York Magazine, Althouse, Reuters, Outside the Beltway, FrumForum, Economix and The Baseline Scenario

The Politico:

Whiteboard Archives … JUNE 30, 2011 - 04:38PM

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Hullabaloo and James Pethokoukis, more at Techmeme »

Abby Phillip / The Politico:
Fact checking a claim on tax breaks

Discussion: The Other McCain

David Freddoso / Washington Examiner:
BELTWAY CONFIDENTIAL — Heritage: Yes, Obama still owns the tax break for corporate jets

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation, The Politico, Hot Air and Booman Tribune

Matthew Yglesias / ThinkProgress:
Heritage Foundation Refusing To Admit It Made A Mistake On Tax Preference For Corporate Jets

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, TPMDC and The New Republic

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:

Reid: Millionaires should pay more taxes for deficit reduction — The Democratic leader of the Senate has introduced a measure asking the wealthy to make a large contribution to deficit reduction. — The resolution offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) …

Discussion: Daily Kos and National Review

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Two Top Republican Lawmakers Form Unusual Bond

Discussion: New York Magazine and FrumForum

David Rogers / The Politico:
Ghost of Gipper looms over GOP

Discussion: New York Times, The Moderate Voice and Outside the Beltway

Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:

Employees had been increasingly troubled by Gingrich's Tiffany purchases — Employees of presidential candidate Newt Gingrich grew increasingly concerned in recent years about their boss's purchases from luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co., worried that if he followed through on plans to run …

Discussion: GOP 12, USA Today, The Raw Story, New York Magazine and The Page

Mark Halperin / The Daily Beast:

Why Mark Halperin Is a D—k — The political commentator erred in speaking disrespectfully of the president. His far greater sin: being so cowed by conservatives that he's offended by Obama's mild poke at the GOP. — Here's why Mark Halperin is a disgrace.

Discussion: Lance Mannion, The Other McCain, The Daily Dish, NewsBusters.org blogs, National Review and Man Are We Screwed

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

Union curbs rescue a Wisconsin school district — “This is a disaster,” said Mark Miller, the Wisconsin Senate Democratic leader, in February after Republican Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget bill that would curtail the collective bargaining powers of some public employees.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Weasel Zippers, Betsy's Page, Questions and Observations, americanthinker.com, Althouse and UrbanGrounds

Paul Krugman / New York Times:

To the Limit — In about a month, if nothing is done, the federal government will hit its legal debt limit. There will be dire consequences if this limit isn't raised. At best, we'll suffer an economic slowdown; at worst we'll plunge back into the depths of the 2008-9 financial crisis.

Discussion: Washington Post, TalkLeft, No More Mister Nice Blog, NewsBusters.org blogs, Washington Wire, Politics, The Mahablog, Man Are We Screwed, AMERICAblog News and The Huffington Post

Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:

Mark Kelly: I'm not running for office — Rep. Gabrielle Giffords's astronaut husband is ruling out a run for public office, at least for the time being. — “She's the politician in the family, I'm the space guy,” Mark Kelly said Friday afternoon at the National Press Club in Washington.

Ballot Box: Giffords' husband rules out run for public office — at least for now

The White House:

President Obama Announces Intent to Nominate Matthew Olsen as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center — Today, President Obama will announce his intent to nominate Matthew Olsen as the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). Mr. Olsen will play a key role …

Discussion: Washington Wire

Jennifer Epstein / The Politico:
W.H. picks counterterrorism chief

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Ian / CBS Los Angeles:

Official Calls For Riverside, 12 Other Counties To Secede From California — RIVERSIDE (CBS) — Is the state of California about to go “South”? — Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone apparently thinks so, after proposing that the county lead a campaign for as many as 13 Southern California counties to secede from the state.

Discussion: Politics and Ricochet Conversation Feed

Radley Balko / The Huffington Post:

Cory Maye To Be Released From Prison … MONTICELLO, Miss. — After 10 years of incarceration, and seven years after a jury sentenced him to die, 30-year-old Cory Maye will soon be going home. Mississippi Circuit Court Judge Prentiss Harrell signed a plea agreement Friday morning …

Discussion: The Agitator, Hullabaloo and Cato @ Liberty

Marist Poll:

7/1: Independence Day — Seventeen Seventy When? — Just in time for the July 4th weekend, the Marist Poll has asked Americans in which year the United States declared its independence. And, the result is many Americans need to brush up on their American history.

Discussion: New York Magazine and Gothamist

Mike Lowe / WITI:

EXCLUSIVE: FOX6 talks to four of the seven Wisconsin Supreme Court Justices — Grabbing the microphone - and the spotlight. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser did both when FOX6's Mike Lowe attempted to speak with him about the serious allegations of a physical altercation with Justice Anne Walsh Bradley on Thursday.

Discussion: tpmmuckraker …, Politics, Crooks and Liars, Sky Dancing, TBogg, Talking Points Memo and Althouse

Tanya Somanader / ThinkProgress:

NY Catholic Bishop Bans Legislators Who Supported Marriage Equality From Catholic Parish And School Events — New York's successful marriage equality effort was marked by an outpouring of support from religious groups. About 727 clergy and congregations across faiths and denominations signed on to the push for marriage equality.

Discussion: CNSNews

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Senate GOP mocks president with video of Obama on golf course — Senate Republicans on Friday said President Obama should look in the mirror before questioning their work ethic. — The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), the Senate GOP's campaign arm, released a Web video …

Discussion: Right Wing News, FrumForum and Washington Monthly

Phillip Longman / Washington Monthly:

The Case for Not-Quite-So-High-Speed Rail — The bad news: Republicans have torpedoed plans for American bullet trains. The good news: The Obama administration is quietly building a slower, but potentially much better, rail system. — This principle is also illustrated by Amtrak's highly successful …

Discussion: ThinkProgress

JSOnline:

Firefighters union throws cold water on 9-11 float — These days, almost anything can get caught in the blender of Wisconsin's union politics. — It can even happen to a Fourth of July parade float honoring firefighters and cops killed on Sept. 11, 2001.

Discussion: National Review, Pajamas Media, alicublog, The TrogloPundit and Don Surber

Gina Pace / NY Daily News:

Glenn Beck to move to Texas; rents $20,000-a-month house — New Yorkers better get their heckling in fast, because Glenn Beck is headed for the Lone Star State. — The TV host and commentator recently sold his New Canaan, Conn., mansion, to Maura Abeln Smith, recently named general counsel of PepsiCo, for $3.6 million.

Discussion: Wonkette, Gawker, Trail Blazers Blog, Pajamas Media and UrbanGrounds

Los Angeles Times:

Amazon fights California sales tax requirement — Amazon seeks to avoid collecting sales taxes from California consumers by cutting ties to affiliates in California who steer business to its site. — Reporting from Sacramento and Los Angeles— Saying it won't force California customers …

Discussion: ThinkProgress and The American Independent

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Obama campaign to go on the offensive against conservative critics of Israel stance — Obama's top presidential campaign advisers are putting together a plan to go on the offensive against critics of his stance on Israel, I'm told, and are assembling a team of high profile surrogates …