memeorandum: McConnell: EPA proposal ‘dagger in the heart’ of middle class (Timothy Cama/The Hill)

12:10 AM ET, June 3, 2014

Top Items:

Sources: Intelligence community investigated Bergdahl's conduct — A senior official confirms to Fox News that the conduct of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl — both in his final stretch of active duty in Afghanistan and then, too, during his time when he lived among the Taliban — has been thoroughly investigated …

Discussion: his vorpal sword, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Mediaite, Independent Journal Review, The Jawa Report and National Review

Nathan Bradley Bethea / The Daily Beast:

We Lost Soldiers in the Hunt for Bergdahl, a Guy Who Walked Off in the Dead of Night — For five years, soldiers have been forced to stay silent about the disappearance and search for Bergdahl. Now we can talk about what really happened. — It was June 30, 2009, and I was in the city of Sharana …

Stephen F. Hayes / Weekly Standard:

‘We Swore to an Oath and We Upheld Ours. He Did Not.’ — The Obama administration is facing mounting questions about the controversial prisoner swap that freed Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from jihadists in Pakistan in exchange for the transfer and ultimate release of five senior Taliban commanders previously held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Discussion: CNN, Mediaite and BREITBART.COM

Daniel Bates / Daily Mail:

EXCLUSIVE - 'A cover up just like Benghazi': Outraged parents of officer who died hunting for ‘deserter’ POW Bergdahl lash out at Obama over ‘LIES’ they were told about how their hero son died — Lt Darryn Andrews, from Dallas, Texas, died at the age of 34 on Sept 4, 2009 during his second tour of Afghanistan

Discussion: Power Line, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, Hinterland Gazette, American Spectator, Hot Air, Guardian, National Review, The Daily Caller, Talking Points Memo, Outside the Beltway, No More Mister Nice Blog, The PJ Tatler, Politico, JONATHAN TURLEY and Althouse

Mark Thompson / TIME:

The 6 U.S. Soldiers Who Died Searching For Bowe Bergdahl — Troops suggest that Bergdahl's desertion makes him more traitor than hero — Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl was freed by the Taliban over the weekend after they held him for nearly five years, in exchange for five Taliban leaders …

Discussion: Liberaland, Debbie Schlussel, Washington Free Beacon, National Review, Weekly Standard, The Gateway Pundit and PoliticusUSA

Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:

Bowe Bergdahl Is the Right's New Benghazi — Buckle up: The right is going to try to turn the Taliban prisoner swap for ‘deserter’ Bowe Bergdahl into a Willie Horton moment for the president—and they'll ride it to January 2017. — So let's imagine that on Saturday night …

Discussion: Yahoo! News, NPR, The Daily Caller, NO QUARTER USA NET, Washington Post, The Federalist, Christian Science Monitor, Defense One, Guardian and Firedoglake

Sarah Palin / Facebook:

Commander-in-Chief's Definition of “Honorable Service” Includes Anti-American Actions While in Uniform; He Just Destroyed Troop Morale — The Obama administration tells America this soldier served “with honor and distinction.” (http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/ susan-rice-bergdahl-served-honor-and- distinction_794066.html)

Discussion: Politico, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, PoliticusUSA, CBS DC and Little Green Footballs

Marc A. Thiessen / Washington Post:

Here's what happens when Taliban leaders are released — If anyone doubts that the five senior Taliban leaders President Obama released this weekend will return to the fight and kill more Americans, they need only look at what happened when the George W. Bush administration released …

Discussion: Hot Air and AEIdeas

CBS News:
The five Taliban swapped for Bowe Bergdahl

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Daily Kos, Firedoglake and ThinkProgress

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:
Palin Bashes Bergdahl For His ‘Horrid Anti-American Beliefs’

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, The Daily Caller, Independent Journal Review, New York Post, Mediaite and Business Insider

Jeryl Bier / Weekly Standard:
Jay Carney, 2013: No Decisions About Bergdahl-Detainee Deal ‘Without Consulting With Congress’

Discussion: Hot Air, Washington Free Beacon, protein wisdom, Mediaite and The Hill

Washington Post:
Mixed reaction to Bergdahl's recovery by service members who consider him a deserter

Discussion: The Heritage Foundation, NPR, Fox News, Lawfare, Just Security, Right Wing Watch, Joe For America, Yahoo! News, The Dish, New York Times, The Daily Beast, MiamiHerald.com, Hot Air and CNN

Daniel Halper / Weekly Standard:
Susan Rice: Bergdahl Served With ‘Honor and Distinction’

Discussion: Yahoo! News, Hit & Run, CNSNews, The PJ Tatler and National Review

Associated Press:
US concluded in 2010 that Bergdahl walked away

Discussion: JustOneMinute, National Review, The Agonist, Hot Air and ABC News

Evan Wyloge / Arizona Capitol Times:

Two-time GOP loser changes party to Democrat, name to Cesar Chavez for new congressional bid — Scott Fistler didn't have much luck as a Republican candidate. He lost a 2012 write-in campaign against U.S. Rep. Ed Pastor, then lost a 2013 bid for a Phoenix city council seat now held by Laura Pastor, Ed's daughter.

Discussion: The Raw Story, RT, Yahoo! News, Washington Post, Daily Kos, Colorlines, National Review and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Rebekah L. Sanders / Arizona Republic:

Mystery congressional candidate has legendary name — A mystery candidate for Congress with the potential to draw valuable votes in a close race has baffled longtime political watchers for months. — Democratic contenders with meticulously honed identities are battling for retiring U.S …

Discussion: Politico and The Week

Catherine Thompson / Talking Points Memo: GOPer Changes Name To Cesar Chavez, Becomes A Dem To Run In Heavily Hispanic District

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Tea Party hits Reid with ethics charge over Koch brothers — Tea Party Patriots has filed a complaint against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) with the Senate Ethics Committee to protest his repeated attacks against Charles and David Koch. — Jenny Beth Martin …

Discussion: Daily Kos, susiemadrak.com and Washington Free Beacon

Timothy Cama / The Hill:

McConnell: EPA proposal ‘dagger in the heart’ of middle class — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) lambasted the Obama administration's proposed regulation to limit carbon emissions from power plants, saying the middle class will bear the brunt of the rules.

Discussion: The Raw Story and Daily Kos

epa.gov:
Clean Power Plan Proposed Rule

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Alison Lundergan Grimes to hold D.C. fundraiser with Harry Reid

Discussion: The Hill and Washington Free Beacon

Jason Samenow / Washington Post:

Female-named hurricanes kill more than male hurricanes because people don't respect them, study finds — People don't take hurricanes as seriously if they have a feminine name and the consequences are deadly, finds a new groundbreaking study. — Female-named storms have historically killed …

Discussion: Mashable, Mediaite, Jezebel, Vermont Public Radio, Liberal Values, Gawker, MyFOX8.com, Daily Kos and Althouse

Adam Liptak / New York Times:

No Easy Way to Be Fair On Media Credentials — WASHINGTON — Scotusblog has covered the Supreme Court in depth and with distinction since 2002. It wins journalism awards at a steady clip. Its main reporter, Lyle Denniston, is an old-school journalist of fearsome integrity and independence.

Associated Press:
Justices reject reporter's bid to protect source

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Techdirt and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Supreme Court Rejects Appeal From Reporter Over Identity of Source

Discussion: Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Outside the Beltway, RT, Freedom of the Press …, emptywheel, NPR, Hit & Run and Poynter

Mark Follman / Mother Jones:

Fearing Rising Backlash, NRA Urges Gun Activists to Stand Down — Carrying assault rifles into restaurants backfired—and now the gun lobby is firing at its own for acting “downright weird.” — THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS have been rough for proponents of open-carry gun laws.