memeorandum: The five worst places to drive in the US (Keith Laing/The Hill)

12:40 PM ET, November 27, 2014

Top Items:

How Robert McCulloch Hoodwinked The Ferguson Grand Jury — A shocking deception on the part of the St. Louis County Prosecutor taints the entire Grand Jury verdict. — This is how the Grand Jury arrived at their verdict. Early on in the proceedings, Assistant District Attorney Alizadeh handed …

Discussion: Prairie Weather

PBS NewsHour:

What do the newly released witness statements tell us about the Michael Brown shooting? — In the grand jury case against Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, the prosecution revealed that physical evidence weighed in Wilson's favor and that he had not unlawfully shot 18-year-old Michael Brown to death.

Discussion: Simple Justice, Talking Points Memo, Overlawyered, The Daily Caller and The Huffington Post

Daily Mail:

The initial altercation — Johnson: Wilson reversed back quickly, screeched to a halt and said: ‘What the f*** did you say?’ — Wilson: Reversed back calmly and asked: 'Hey guys, why don't you walk on the sidewalk?' — The tussle in the car — Johnson: Brown was never inside the vehicle …

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Althouse

Matt Bruenig / Gawker:

Actually, Riots are Good: The Economic Case for Riots in Ferguson — Smirking St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch took his robes off long enough yesterday to announce to the world that the killer of Mike Brown would face no criminal charges.

Discussion: National Review, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Belmont Club, Hit & Run, protein wisdom and TIME

Howard Kurtz / Fox News:
Reckless move: The NY Times publishes Darren Wilson's address

Discussion: Mediaite, Got News, Daily Signal, American Spectator, Talking Points Memo and AMERICAN DIGEST

Jamelle Bouie / Slate:
Michael Brown Wasn't a Superhuman Demon

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, Business Insider, Mediaite, Washington Post, ThinkProgress and NPR

Jacob Sullum / Hit & Run:
Darren Wilson Got a Private Trial Run by Friendly Prosecutors

Discussion: CBS News, TIME, Hot Air, New York Times and New Yorker

David Sims / The Atlantic Online:
Barack Obama, Ferguson, and the Evidence of Things Unsaid

Discussion: Prairie Weather

Conor Friedersdorf / The Atlantic Online:
The Case for Police Reform Is Much Bigger Than Michael Brown

Discussion: The Dish

Keith Laing / The Hill:

The five worst places to drive in the US — Millions of people traveling for Thanksgiving will face daunting traffic problems that critics say have been magnified by Washington's inability to move a long-term bill to pay for new highway projects. — With a nor'easter bearing …

Discussion: Liberaland and Prairie Weather

Washington Post:

Plans for UCLA visit give rare glimpse into Hillary Clinton's paid speaking career — When officials at the University of California at Los Angeles began negotiating a $300,000 speech appearance by Hillary Rodham Clinton, the school had one request: Could we get a reduced rate for public universities?

Discussion: ProfessorBainbridge.com, Political Wire, Jammie Wearing Fools and Gawker

Todd Richmond / Minneapolis Star Tribune:

Man sues Wisconsin police department, alleges Facebook-related arrest violated his rights — MADISON, Wis. — A man who got arrested after he posted Facebook comments calling a southwestern Wisconsin police department racist has filed a federal lawsuit alleging one of the agency's officers violated his constitutional rights.

Discussion: Liberal Values and Raw Story

David / Latest from Crooks and Liars:

Wisc. Police Come To Man's Home, Arrest Him For Calling Them Racists On Facebook — A federal lawsuit filed by a Wisconsin man alleges that Arena police violated his civil rights by charging him for calling officers racists on Facebook. — A federal lawsuit filed by a Wisconsin man alleges …

Discussion: FOX News Radio

Jessica Chasmar / Washington Times:

Vandalized Ferguson bakery receives nearly $100K in online donations … A Ferguson bakery owner says she is “so humbly blessed” after receiving nearly $100,000 in online donations to repair her shop that was damaged by looters. — Natalie Dubose, who owns Natalie's Cake's …

Discussion: Scared Monkeys and The PJ Tatler

Natalie Lcdubose / GoFundMe.com:
UPDATE #5 — Thank you to actresses Patricia Heaton …

Discussion: NBC News, Guns.com, Mashable, CBS St. Louis and The Gateway Pundit

Josh Feldman / Mediaite:

NAACP President: Dr. Ben Carson ‘Should Stick to the Operating Room’ — Dr. Ben Carson, a former Fox News contributor and potential 2016 presidential candidate, said in an interview yesterday that race relations have gotten much worse under President Obama.

Discussion: FOX News Radio

Philip Ewing / Politico:

DHS head on new short list to replace Hagel — Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson emerged on Wednesday as a new leading contender to replace Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, but the race remains fluid and the timetable for an appointment still unclear.

Discussion: FOX News Radio

KUSA-TV:

Probation, jail time for mom who faked son's cancer — Probation, jail time for mom who faked son's cancer. 9NEWS at 5 p.m. 11/25/14. — CONNECT — AURORA - The mom who admitted to faking her 6-year-old son's cancer was sentenced to five years probation and 90 days in jail Tuesday in Arapahoe County.

Discussion: Raw Story, Gawker and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:

Obama ‘amnesties’ two turkeys — President Obama joked Wednesday about his executive actions giving legal status to as many as 5 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, saying his Thanksgiving pardon of a turkey would doubtlessly be criticized as “amnesty.”