memeorandum: Rep. Michael Grimm announces his resignation from Congress, effective Monday (Washington Post)

1:45 PM ET, December 30, 2014

Top Items:

Arrests plummet following execution of cops — It's not a slowdown — it's a virtual work stoppage. — NYPD traffic tickets and summonses for minor offenses have dropped off by a staggering 94 percent following the execution of two cops — as officers feel betrayed by the mayor and fear for their safety, The Post has learned.

Discussion: Hit & Run, Hullabaloo, Hot Air, New York Times, Washington Times, Mediaite, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, National Review and Balloon Juice

New York Times:

Police Respect Squandered in Attacks on de Blasio — Mayor Bill de Blasio has spent weeks expressing his respect and admiration for the New York Police Department, while calling for unity in these difficult days, but the message doesn't seem to be sinking in.

Discussion: Hinterland Gazette, Balloon Juice, Gawker, New York Post, Associated Press, Mediaite, BillMoyers.com, Patterico's Pontifications, AlterNet, The Huffington Post and Gothamist

ABC News:

Bill De Blasio News — ... committed suicide. Some key developments in the aftermath: — NYPD RECRUIT GRADUATION Mayor Bill de Blasio , whose relationship with the New York Police Department has been particularly tense in recent weeks, was booed ...

Discussion: Yahoo! News, The Daily Banter and Associated Press

New York Post:
De Blasio calls emergency summit with cop unions

Discussion: The PJ Tatler

Steve Scalise / New Orleans Times-Picayune:

‘I detest any kind of hate group’ — Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise said he doesn't support “any of the things I read about” a white supremacist group that organized an event at which Scalise appeared in 2002. — In an exclusive interview Monday with NOLA.com |

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Washington Post, NOLA River, Hit & Run, National Review, Fox News, CNN, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller, Mashable, OnPolitics, New York Times and The Daily Banter

Bill Clark / Roll Call:

What Scalise and Vitter Told Roll Call About David Duke in 1999 — Back in 1999, Roll Call interviewed white supremacist leader David Duke about the possibility he would seek the House seat vacated by the resignation of Republican Rep. Bob Livingston. As part of that report …

Discussion: Mediaite, Daily Kos, The Huffington Post, Slantpoint, RedState and Little Green Footballs

Dylan Scott / Talking Points Memo:
Scalise In 1999: I Agree With KKK Leader On ‘Conservative’ Issues But 'He Can't Get Elected'

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog and Roll Call

Robert Costa / Washington Post:
Former KKK leader says his political adviser was ‘friendly’ with Rep. Scalise

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Daily Mail, Daily Kos, National Review, NPR, Mediaite, Bloomberg Politics and The PJ Tatler

David Weigel / Bloomberg Politics:
David Duke Returns to Haunt the Republican House Whip

Discussion: Washington Post, RedState, Guardian and Talking Points Memo

Erick Erickson / RedState:
How Do You Show Up at a David Duke Event and Not Know What It Is?

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Talking Points Memo, The Dish, CNN and The Hill

Steve Scalise / NOLA River:
Steve Scalise's role in 2002 white nationalist event ignites political firestorm

Discussion: CNN, Bloomberg Politics, New Orleans Times-Picayune, Washington Post and New York Times

Washington Post:
House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002

Dan Friedman / NY Daily News:

Michael Grimm has decided to resign from Congress days after pleading guilty: sources — EXCLUSIVE: The Staten Island Republican, who won reelection in the fall, has decided to vacate his seat after speaking with Rep. John Boehner. — WASHINGTON — Rep. Michael Grimm has decided to resign …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, CNN, American Spectator, The New York Observer, Hot Air, Mediaite, Gothamist, BuzzFeed, Gawker, Slantpoint, Joe. My. God., Daily Kos, Daily Mail, The Huffington Post and Hinterland Gazette

Washington Post:
Rep. Michael Grimm announces his resignation from Congress, effective Monday

Discussion: PoliticusUSA

Jason Horowitz / New York Times:
Michael Grimm, in a Reversal, Will Resign From Congress

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Outside the Beltway and Balloon Juice

Politico:
Michael Grimm resignation expected soon

Discussion: US News, Daily Kos and ABC News

ABC News:

AirAsia: Bodies, Debris Found in Search for Missing Jet — Wreckage spotted floating in Indonesian waters today is connected to the missing AirAsia jetliner that crashed into the Java Sea Sunday with 162 people aboard, according to the airline. — “AirAsia Indonesia regrets to inform …

Discussion: abc7.com, Mediaite, The Verge and NPR

Fox News:

At least 40 bodies, debris found in search for missing AirAsia plane — At least 40 bodies have been found in the area where AirAsia Flight 8501 last made contact with air traffic controllers, along with debris from the plane. — The bodies were found in the Java Sea about six miles from the plane's last known point of contact.

Discussion: CNN, The Huffington Post, ABC News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Scared Monkeys

Hunter Walker / Business Insider:

Potential Hillary Challenger Paid Nearly $100,000 In Campaign Donations To His Family — See Also — FORGET BRIDGEGATE: Chris Christie May Be Responsible For ‘Traffic Armageddon’ Across The Northeast — Hillary Clinton Is Getting Terrible Reviews On The Campaign Trail, And There Might Be A Very Simple Reason Why

Discussion: Hot Air

Ezra Klein / Vox:

What is Paul Krugman afraid of? — Paul Krugman is a lot of things. New York Times op-ed columnist. Nobel prize-winning economist. Arcade Fire fanboy. Obama administration frenemy. — But the side of Krugman I've always found most interesting is the sci-fi obsessive.

Discussion: Slate, CANNONFIRE and EconoSpeak

Suzanne Daley / New York Times:

Greek Patience With Austerity Nears Its Limit — NEA IONIA, Greece — Alexandra Nikolovieni, 55, lost her job escorting young children on a school bus four years ago and has not been able to find another one since. To help financially, her daughter and her son-in-law, who have two children, moved into her house.

Discussion: Eschaton and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Patrick Howley / The Daily Caller:

Obama Adviser Jonathan Gruber In 2009: Obamacare Will NOT Be Affordable — President Obama's health care adviser Jonathan Gruber said that the Affordable Care Act would definitely not be affordable while he was writing the bill with the White House. — As Gruber continues to withhold documents …

Discussion: TPNN

William Deresiewicz / The Atlantic Online:

The Death of the Artist—And the Birth of the Creative Entrepreneur — Hard-working artisan, solitary genius, credentialed professional—the image of the artist has changed radically over the centuries. What if the latest model to emerge means the end of art as we have known it?

Associated Press:

US off war footing at year's end, but wars go on — WASHINGTON (AP) — Taking America off a permanent war footing is proving harder than President Barack Obama may have suggested. — U.S. troops are back in Iraq, the endgame in Afghanistan is requiring more troops — and perhaps more risks …

O'Ryan Johnson / Boston Herald:

6 teens charged in attack on cops serving warrant — By: — Two Boston police officers were hospitalized yesterday after they were cornered in a stairwell by at least six teens who “kicked, punched, and choked” them as the cops tried to arrest a family member on a warrant in Roxbury, police said.

Discussion: ABC News and Associated Press

abc7.com:

Autopsy reveals Ezell Ford was shot in arm, back, abdomen — An autopsy report, released on Monday, revealed Ezell Ford was shot three times: in the right arm, right back and right abdomen. — The report was made public more than four months after Ford, 25, was fatally shot by LAPD officers …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo