memeorandum: First hearings on IRS targeting Friday (Dana Bash/CNN)

6:15 PM ET, May 13, 2013

Top Items:

I.R.S. Focus on Conservatives Gives G.O.P. an Issue to Seize On — WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service's special scrutiny of small-government groups applying for tax-exempt status went beyond keyword hunts for organizations with “Tea Party” or “Patriot” in their names …

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:

White House counsel told of IRS review in April — The White House counsel's office was informed in April of an inspector general's review of the Internal Revenue Service, press secretary Jay Carney said Monday. — Carney told reporters that the counsel's office was told of the examination …

Discussion: The PJ Tatler, Weasel Zippers and Washington Free Beacon

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

President Obama waited 3 days to address the IRS scandal. Why? — On Monday, President Obama called the singling out of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service “outrageous”, adding: “I have no patience with it. I will not tolerate it.” — Obama's strong condemnation …

Discussion: Post Politics

Jamelle Bouie / American Prospect:

Is Impeachment Only a Matter of Time? — Official White House Photo by Pete Souza — Over the weekend, the Internal Revenue Service faced criticism for targeting Tea Party organizations and other conservative groups for heightened scrutiny. This included nonprofits that criticized the government …

Discussion: Washington Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Fix, A plain blog about politics and The Week

New York Times:

Who Can Take Republicans Seriously? — It is time for President Obama to abandon his hopes of reaching a grand budget bargain with Republicans. — At every opportunity since they took over the House in 2011, Republicans have made it clear that they have no interest in reaching a compromise with the White House.

Discussion: The Hill and Campaign for America's Future

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Carl Bernstein: IRS targeting not Watergate

Discussion: Yahoo! News and Althouse

First Read:
First Thoughts: The White House's terrible, horrible Friday spills over

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Politico, The Week, National Review, The Dish, Washington Monthly, The PJ Tatler and The Maddow Blog

Justin Sink / The Hill:
Obama calls IRS's targeting of conservative groups ‘outrageous’

Discussion: Politico

CNN:
IRS targeted more than tea party groups, document shows

Discussion: Fox News, Politico and The Huffington Post

Dana Bash / CNN:
First hearings on IRS targeting Friday

Discussion: The Hill and The Daily Caller

Jared A. Favole / Wall Street Journal:
Obama Stands By Benghazi Response

Discussion: Washington Wire and Real Science

Jennifer Epstein / Politico:
President Obama: ‘No patience’ for ‘outrageous’ IRS mess

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, Washington Wire and Daily Kos

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Reports: IRS targets more groups

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, americanthinker.com, Hot Air, National Republican …, Online NewsHour, The Daily Caller, Reuters and Red Alert Politics

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
Newt Gingrich ties IRS scandal to Obamacare

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Crooks and Liars, WFPL, BizPac Review and Washington Free Beacon

Kevin Robillard / Politico:
National Organization for Marriage calls for hearing after IRS flap

Discussion: NOM Blog

Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:
IRS IG Report: Targeting Conservatives Began In 2010

Discussion: NewsBusters blogs, Rush Limbaugh, National Review, Post Politics, Conservatives4Palin, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Real Science

David Jackson / USA Today:
Obama may be asked about Benghazi, IRS

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, National Review and First Read

Mark Sherman / bigstory.ap.org:

GOVT OBTAINS WIDE AP PHONE RECORDS IN PROBE — You are here — Home » Government and politics » Govt obtains wide AP phone records in probe — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department secretly obtained two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for The Associated Press …

Sarah Hoye / CNN:

Doctor found guilty of first-degree murder in Philadelphia abortion case — Philadelphia (CNN) — A jury Monday found a Philadelphia abortion provider guilty of three counts of first-degree murder. — Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, was accused of killing babies by using scissors to cut their spinal cords.

Discussion: LifeNews.com, The Other McCain, Gothamist, Red Alert Politics, ViralRead and The Hinterland Gazette

Vince Lattanzio / Philadelphia News …:

Gosnell Jury: “We're Hung on 2 Counts” — After 10 days deliberating the case, jurors say they can't reach a consensus on two counts — Defense attorney Jack McMahon delivers his closing argument in the capital murder trial of former abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell.

Discussion: RH Reality Check, Gawker, theGrio, The Raw Story and The Spectacle Blog

Brady Dennis / Washington Post:

Jury convicts abortion provider Kermit Gosnell of murder — PHILADELPHIA — Abortion provider Kermit Gosnell was convicted Monday of three counts of first-degree murder for severing the spinal cords of infants born during abortions at his West Philadelphia clinic.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, The Gateway Pundit, Weasel Zippers and The Lonely Conservative

Jon Hurdle / New York Times:

Abortion Doctor Is Found Guilty of 3 Counts of Murder — PHILADELPHIA — Dr. Kermit Gosnell, a West Philadelphia doctor known for performing late-term abortions, was found guilty on Monday of three out of four counts of first-degree murder. — The verdict came after a five-week trial …

Discussion: bigstory.ap.org, NewsBusters blogs, Little Green Footballs, Twitchy, Washington Free Beacon and Ed Driscoll

Jonathan Karl / ABCNEWS:

Boehner Staff Saw Benghazi Emails in March — News of the Obama Administration's role in the extensive editing of CIA talking points on Benghazi rocked the political world last week and prompted a demand from Speaker of the House John Boehner for the release of all related White House emails …

Discussion: The Plum Line, Capital New York, Speaker.gov, protein wisdom, Post Politics, First Read and About.com US Politics

Kevin Cirilli / Politico:
Donald Trump: Obama might have lost

Discussion: CNN, Washington Monthly, Weasel Zippers and americanthinker.com

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Obama on Benghazi: 'There's No There There'

Discussion: protein wisdom and The Lonely Conservative

Ron Fournier / NationalJournal.com:
Benghazi, IRS Create Perfect Storm Threatening Obama's Credibility

Discussion: Yahoo! News, The Impolitic, msnbc.com, Wonkblog, A plain blog about politics, Washington Post, Hot Air, The Plum Line, americanthinker.com, Conservatives4Palin and Balloon Juice

Kathleen Hennessey / Los Angeles Times:
Obama calls controversy over Benghazi talking points a ‘sideshow’

Discussion: Yahoo! News and Washington Free Beacon

Politico:
John Boehner's biggest fixation: Benghazi

Discussion: PERRspectives, CNN, The Atlantic Wire, Brendan Nyhan, Mother Jones, ThinkProgress, New York Times, Daily Kos, msnbc.com, Crooks and Liars and The Hill

Andrew Kirell / Mediaite:
Obama Accuses Opponents Of ‘Political Circus,’ Calls Benghazi Talking Points Controversy ‘A Sideshow’

Discussion: Hot Air and BizPac Review

Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:

Voters trust Clinton over GOP on Benghazi — PPP's newest national poll finds that Republicans aren't getting much traction with their focus on Benghazi over the last week. Voters trust Hillary Clinton over Congressional Republicans on the issue of Benghazi by a 49/39 margin …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, Taylor Marsh, The Raw Story, Hullabaloo, Outside the Beltway, Wonkette, Politico, The Mahablog, Daily Kos, Taegan Goddard's … and Shakesville

Lindsey Boerma / CBS News:
Rove group slams Clinton on Benghazi in first 2016 attack ad

Discussion: The Agonist

Jim Williams / Public Policy Polling:
Americans so over hipsters

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Weasel Zippers

Jill Lawrence / NationalJournal.com:
Will the Benghazi and IRS Probes Do More Damage to Obama or the GOP?

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Igor Volsky / ThinkProgress:

Issa: Obama Covered Up Benghazi Terrorism By Calling It An ‘Act Of Terror’ — House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) responded to President Obama's forceful condemnation of the GOP's effort to portray his administration's response to the attacks on the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi …

Discussion: Alan Colmes' Liberaland, The Maddow Blog, The Hinterland Gazette and Booman Tribune

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Did Obama Cry During His Press Conference? — Reuters thinks so, and says in its caption that this wire photo shows a “tear.” — Via: JIM BOURG / Reuters — The Photo Description — Via: JIM BOURG / Reuters — View Entire List ›

Discussion: TheBlaze.com and Weasel Zippers

Bernie Woodall / Reuters:

Saudi man arrested in Detroit after statement on pressure cooker — (Reuters) - A Saudi Arabian man was arrested in Detroit and charged with making a false statement about why he brought a pressure cooker with him on a flight from Amsterdam, according to a criminal complaint filed on Monday.

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Detroit Free Press:
Saudi traveler with pressure cooker arrested at Detroit Metro Airport

Discussion: The Raw Story and Daily Mail

Jonathan Easley / The Hill:

GOP Rep. Stockman: ‘Democrats worship abortion’ — Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Tex.) lashed out at Democrats over the issue of abortion on Monday just minutes after a jury returned a guilty verdict in the high-profile case of an abortion doctor accused of multiple homicides.

Discussion: CNN

CBS News:

Bill Gates on Steve Jobs: We grew up together — We've seen plenty of Bill Gates on television, but we'd never seen him get emotional before. It was a striking, yet subtle moment in Gates' 60 Minutes interview this week when Charlie Rose asked him about his longtime business rival, the late Steve Jobs.

Discussion: Guardian, The Week, The Verge, Daily Mail, Mashable and SiliconBeat

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

A talk with Jason Richwine: ‘I do not apologize for any of my work’ … “It seemed like that day lasted forever,” says Jason Richwine of last Wednesday, when he found himself in the middle of a media firestorm over his writings about Hispanic immigrants and intelligence. “I knew that this probably would not end well.”