memeorandum: We Don't Just Need Nicer Cops. We Need Fewer Cops. (Alex S. Vitale/The Nation)

2:30 PM ET, December 5, 2014

Top Items:

Facebook Prince Purges The New Republic: Inside the Destruction of a 100-Year-Old Magazine — Facebook billionaire Chris Hughes and his lieutenant from Yahoo gut one of journalism's great publications, setting off waves of resignations and tears. — When Facebook billionaire Chris Hughes …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, National Review, New York Magazine and Poynter, more at Mediagazer »

Ezra Klein / Vox:

Even the liberal New Republic needs to change — When I entered journalism there were three places I badly wanted to work: The American Prospect, The Washington Monthly, and The New Republic. The decision turned out to be easy: TNR never called me back. The Washington Monthly didn't have entry-level positions.

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune, The Huffington Post, The Dish, RedState, New York Magazine, Balloon Juice, Washington Center …, Talking Points Memo, Lawyers, Guns & Money, New York Times, FishbowlDC and Power Line, more at Mediagazer »

Dylan Byers / Politico:

Implosion of a Washington institution — Two weeks ago, Washingtonians gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of The New Republic, the magazine that helped shape Woodrow Wilson's views on democracy and torpedo Bill Clinton's health plan. — On Thursday, the venerable Washington institution announced …

Discussion: Bloomberg View, Hit & Run, The Federalist, Poynter, National Review and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

Tom Kludt / Talking Points Memo:

Mass Exodus At ‘The New Republic’ — There is a mass exodus underway at The New Republic, with more than 30 editors resigning from the distinguished liberal institution on Friday. — The resignations were prompted by Thursday's big shakeup. Longtime editor Franklin Foer …

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money, Gawker, New York Magazine and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Leah Finnegan / Gawker:
White Men Upset Wrong White Man Placed in Charge of White-Man Magazine

Discussion: Mashable

Dylan Byers / Politico:
New Republic staffers resign en masse

Discussion: The Dish, more at Mediagazer »

Will Dana / Rolling Stone:

A Note to Our Readers — To Our Readers: — Last month, Rolling Stone published a story titled “A Rape on Campus” by Sabrina Rubin Erdely, which described a brutal gang rape of a woman named Jackie at a University of Virginia fraternity house; the university's failure to respond to this alleged assault …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, NOLA River, New York Times, Jezebel, The Federalist, Balloon Juice, Twitchy, Bloomberg Politics, The PJ Tatler and Lawyers, Guns & Money, more at Mediagazer »

T. Rees Shapiro / Washington Post:

U-Va. fraternity to rebut claims of gang rape in Rolling Stone — A lawyer for the University of Virginia fraternity whose members were accused of a brutal gang rape said Friday that the organization will release a statement rebutting the claims printed in a Rolling Stone article about the incident.

Discussion: JustOneMinute, Mediaite, RedState, Mashable, The Dish and Shots in the Dark

Eric Bradner / CNN:

George W. Bush: Garner decision ‘hard to understand’ — Washington (CNN) — Former President George W. Bush says a New York grand jury's decision not to indict the police officer who choked and killed Eric Garner was “hard to understand.” — In an interview with CNN's Candy Crowley …

Discussion: Politico and CANNONFIRE

New York Times:

Eric Garner, Daniel Pantaleo and Lethal Police Tactics — One route to justice for Eric Garner was blocked on Wednesday, by a Staten Island grand jury's confounding refusal to see anything potentially criminal in the police assault that killed him. — But the quest will continue.

Discussion: Daily Kos, Rush Limbaugh, Washington Post, Prairie Weather, Althouse, Colorlines and The Marshall Project

The Hill: Obama signals he'll put muscle behind response to police killings

Alex S. Vitale / The Nation: We Don't Just Need Nicer Cops. We Need Fewer Cops.

Carl Hulse / New York Times:
New Twist in Lynch's Confirmation After New York Grand Jury Decision

Discussion: Washington Post

Stephen L. Carter / Bloomberg View:
Law Puts Us All in Same Danger as Eric Garner

Discussion: Hit & Run, EconLog, Talking Points Memo, Vox Popoli, The Huffington Post and Hot Air

Chester Dawson / Wall Street Journal:
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Declines to ‘Second Guess’ Eric Garner Grand Jury

Discussion: Washington Monthly, New York Times, Mediaite and New York Magazine

Josh Feldman / Mediaite:
Christie: I'm Not Going to Second-Guess Eric Garner Grand Jury

Discussion: FOX News Radio

Ashley Southall / New York Times:
Protesters Fill the Streets Across the Country Over Decision in Eric Garner Case

Discussion: Daily Kos and Washington Post

The National Interest:

Wounded Donkey: The Democratic Party's Obamacare Disaster — “Both Harkin and Schumer are liberals lamenting what will likely be the Obama administration's main domestic-policy legacy. They are both now saying the Democrats blew it.” — Democrats are finally starting to have second thoughts about Obamacare.

Discussion: NOLA River

Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Democrats Against Reform — It's easy to understand …

Discussion: Washington Post, BillMoyers.com, The Daily Beast, Democratic Strategist, PoliticusUSA, Addicting Info, hrms.urban.org, Campaign for America's Future and Daily Kos

Steve Strunsky / New Jersey Online:

Christie bridge scandal report cannot determine if governor was involved — TRENTON — An interim report by the joint legislative panel investigating last year's controversial lane closures at the George Washington Bridge could not determine if Gov. Chris Christie had any direct involvement …

Discussion: Politico

Alexandra Jaffe / CNN: Bridgegate panel co-chair: ‘We are not done’

Shawn Boburg / NorthJersey.com:
GWB probe finds no evidence of link to Christie; legislative panel blames his appointees

Discussion: Washington Post and National Review

Wall Street Journal:
Inquiry Finds ‘No Conclusive Evidence’ Christie Knew of Lane Closures

Discussion: Hot Air

Neil Munro / The Daily Caller:

Top GOP Leader Promises Total Amnesty In 2015 — House Speaker John Boehner's top committee chairman says he wants an immigration bill that would allow millions of foreign migrants to stay and work jobs sought by Americans. — “I'm going to use my assets and resources in the new year …

Discussion: Washington Monthly, TPNN, Liberaland, RedState, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post

Rocco Parascandola / NY Daily News:

EXCLUSIVE: Rookie NYPD officer who shot Akai Gurley in Brooklyn stairwell was texting union rep as victim lay dying — In the six and a half minutes after Peter Liang discharged a single bullet that struck Gurley, 28, he and his partner couldn't be reached, sources told the Daily News.

Discussion: Raw Story, Hinterland Gazette, Gothamist, Runnin' Scared, CBS New York and Jezebel

Nelson D. Schwartz / New York Times:

More Jobs and Higher Wages: U.S. Recovery Starts to Hit Home — After more than five years of elusive gains, ordinary Americans may finally be about to see the benefits of the recovery where it really counts: in their pocketbooks and wallets. — The Labor Department reported Friday …

Discussion: CNNMoney.com, CNBC, Washington Monthly, Campaign for America's Future, Outside the Beltway and Prairie Weather

Megan Brilley / fox4kc.com:

Hate crime murder? Man intentionally drove SUV into KC Muslim teen, police say — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A 15-year-old boy died after losing too much blood when his legs were severed in what police believe was an intentional attack outside the Somali Center of Kansas City Thursday evening.

Discussion: Raw Story

David Sims / The Atlantic Online:

Seen It All Before: 10 Predictions About Police Body Cameras — Twenty years ago, law enforcement and activists teamed up to support another video surveillance technology: in-car dash cams. — A strange coalition has formed around the police officer-worn body camera.

Discussion: Prairie Weather and Washington Post