memeorandum: Compassionate Conservatives Are Confusing A Slogan With An Agenda (Ben Domenech/The Federalist)

6:30 PM ET, January 11, 2014

Top Items:

Vulgarity-laced emails show attempts to silence GWB story — Some of Governor Christie's closest loyalists made an effort to keep information about the George Washington Bridge lane closures out of public view for months, as questions swirled about what now appears to have been a politically …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Other McCain, The Reaction, Washington Monthly, The Moderate Voice, Gothamist and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Alexander Burns / Politico:

The GOP's tarnished golden boys — For a while, Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell were untouchable. — The first major Republicans elected after the 2008 Obama landslide, the tough-as-nails Garden Stater and the straight-edged Virginian heralded the conservative resurgence in 2010 and pointed …

Discussion: Firedoglake, The Hill and The Democratic Daily

Joan Walsh / Salon:

No, really: It's over for Christie in 2016 — MSNBC's Rachel Maddow floated an intriguing counter-theory Thursday night for why Gov. Chris Christie's top aides closed four lanes to the George Washington Bridge to strangle Fort Lee in traffic in September 2013.

Discussion: National Review, Business Insider and Culture Desk

Ethan Bronner / New York Times:

Ariel Sharon, Fierce Defender of a Strong Israel, Dies at 85 — Ariel Sharon, one of the most influential figures in Israel's history, a military commander and political leader who at the height of his power redrew the country's electoral map only to suffer a severe stroke from which he never recovered …

Discussion: Weekly Standard, News Desk, Weasel Zippers, Mashable and Outside the Beltway

Jerusalem Post:
Former prime minister Ariel Sharon dies at 85

Discussion: The Times of Israel, Bloomberg, National Review, ABC News, Israel Matzav, The Other McCain, The Jawa Report and Scared Monkeys

Darlene Superville / Associated Press:
Obama Says Sharon Dedicated His Life to Israel

Discussion: CNN and Politico

Alan Duke / CNN: Ariel Sharon, former Israeli Prime Minister, dead at 85

Paul Krugman:

A Hammock In Kentucky? — National Review has an actually interesting report by Kevin Williamson on the state of Appalachia, providing a valuable portrait of the region's woes — plus an account of how people turn food stamps fungible by converting them into soda.

Discussion: National Review and Hullabaloo

Wall Street Journal:

A judge blocks subpoenas against conservative allies of Scott Walker. — Chalk up a big victory for the First Amendment. On Friday a Wisconsin judge struck a major blow for free political speech when he quashed subpoenas to conservative groups and ordered the return of property to the targets …

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Da Tech Guy On DaRadio Blog and Althouse

Kiley Kroh / ThinkProgress:

PHOTOS: What It Looks Like When A Massive Chemical Spill Contaminates The Water Supply — Empty shelves at a local Foodland between Freedom Industries and American Water. — CREDIT: Foo Conner/@iwasaround — On Thursday morning, a chemical spill was detected at Freedom Industries' storage facility near …

Discussion: Associated Press, Liberaland, New York Times and CBS News

Wallace Matthews / ESPN:

A-Rod's ban reduced to 162 games — Alex Rodriguez has been suspended for the entire 2014 season by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, who reduced the New York Yankees third baseman's ban from 211 games to 162 for his involvement in Major League Baseball's Biogenesis scandal.

Discussion: ABC News, Liberaland, Scared Monkeys, SI Wire and Gothamist

Shadee Ashtari / The Huffington Post:

U.S. Supreme Court To Hear Anti-Abortion Group's Case For Lying In Political Ads — WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday said it will hear a challenge to an Ohio law that forbids candidates and issue groups from making false campaign statements. — The case, involving …

Discussion: Hullabaloo and The Raw Story

Byron Tau / Politico:
Supreme Court to mull right to lie in political ads

Discussion: Washington Monthly, CNN, Mediaite, LAW.com and Election Law Blog

Michael Linhorst / NorthJersey.com:

Incoming NJ Assembly speaker to renew the subpoena power of panel in GWB scandal — The incoming Assembly speaker says he'll call a special session next week to renew the subpoena power of the panel investigating the George Washington Bridge lane closures. — The chairman of the committee leading …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Pete Kasperowicz / The Hill:

Reid backs down in unemployment fight — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) says he is now open to considering Republican amendments to a bill extending emergency unemployment benefits through most of 2014. — On Thursday, Reid clashed with several Republicans after saying …

Discussion: Hot Air

Oregonian:

Portland pimp sues Nike for $100 million for lack of warning label after beating victim with Jordans — Sirgiorgio Clardy sits strapped into a restraint chair in July during his sentencing hearing. His legal adviser, sits in the foreground — a safe distance away from Clardy based on the advice of a judge.

Discussion: NBCNews, Hinterland Gazette, Mediaite and The Raw Story