memeorandum: Islamic State expands despite U.S.-led air campaign (Jim Michaels/USA Today)

9:35 AM ET, February 17, 2015

Top Items:

Julia Preston / New York Times:

Obama Immigration Policy Halted by Federal Judge in Texas — A federal judge in Texas has ordered a halt, at least temporarily, to President Obama's executive actions on immigration, siding with Texas and 25 other states that filed a lawsuit opposing the initiatives.

Discussion: The White House, Washington Monthly, Associated Press, USA Today, New York Magazine, Gawker, Daily Kos, Hot Air, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Week and ImmigrationProf Blog

Josh Blackman / Josh Blackman's Blog:

Instant Analysis: Injunction in Texas v. United States — At 10:22 p.m., Judge Hanen issued his long-awaited decision in Texas v. United States, temporarily enjoining DHS from implementing DAPA. (Disclosure: I filed a brief in support of Texas.) The injunction is here. The opinion is here.

Discussion: National Review, Washington Post and Hot Air

David Leopold / The Hill:
Republicans using the courts to push their anti-Obama agenda

Discussion: ABC News, ABC News and Daily Kos

Alexandra Jaffe / CNN:

Poll: Most disapprove of Obama handling of ISIS — Washington (CNN)Americans are increasingly unhappy with President Barack Obama's handling of ISIS, and a growing share of the nation believes that fight is going badly, according to a new CNN/ORC survey released Monday.

Discussion: Political Wire, Hot Air, Mediaite, Real Clear Politics and Politico

Michael J. Totten / Michael J. Totten's blog:

Egypt Unites Against ISIS — The Libyan branch of ISIS massacred 21 Egyptian Christians over the weekend. A knife-wielding executioner frog-marched the bound and blind-folded captives to a beach in front of a camera and said, “safety for you crusaders is something you can only wish for,” and cut off their heads.

Discussion: Fox News and TPNN

Jethro Mullen / CNN:
Threats from English-speaking jihadi

Discussion: The Right Scoop, New York Times, Gawker, Mediaite and Hot Air

The White House:
Statement by the Press Secretary on the Murder of Egyptian Citizens

Discussion: Power Line, ABC News, The Moderate Voice, Questions and Observations, American Spectator, Hot Air, The Gateway Pundit, BizPac Review, Washington Post, American Power, National Review and Guardian

Democracy Now:

Fear, Inc. 2.0: As Anti-Muslim Incidents Continue, Report Exposes Funders, Pundits of Islamophobia … As a federal inquiry begins in the killing of three Muslim students in North Carolina and an Islamic center in Houston, Texas, was intentionally set on fire Friday, we look at a new report …

Karoli / Latest from Crooks and Liars:
The Islamophobia Fear Factory And The Billionaires Who Pay For It

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News and FOX News Radio

NRG:

10 hours of fear and loathing in Paris — One month after the terrorist attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris, NRG's correspondent, wearing a tzitzit and a kippa, took what proved to be an intimidating walk across the French capital. “What is he doing here Mommy?

Discussion: Mediaite, Truth Revolt, BizPac Review, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Israel Matzav

New York Times:

Spyware Embedded by U.S. in Foreign Networks, Security Firm Says — SAN FRANCISCO — The United States has found a way to permanently embed surveillance and sabotage tools in computers and networks it has targeted in Iran, Russia, Pakistan, China, Afghanistan and other countries closely watched …

Discussion: CANNONFIRE and The Week

Joseph Menn / Reuters:
Russian researchers expose breakthrough U.S. spying program

Discussion: The Hill, The Agonist and The Verge

Amanda Andrade-... / OpposingViews.com:

Transgender Woman Reportedly Murdered By Her Father — Kevin Golec, 52, allegedly stabbed his 22-year-old transgender daughter Bri Golec to death on Feb. 13, in Akron, Ohio. In his 911 call, Kevin claimed his daughter, who he refers to using male pronouns and the name “Brian,” was murdered by a cult.

Discussion: FOX News Radio

Sue Kerr / Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents:
22 Year Old Ohio Trans Woman Stabbed to Death By Father

Discussion: Human Rights Campaign Blog, Advocate and Raw Story

Reuters:

Police arrest two on suspicion of aiding Copenhagen shooter — (Reuters) - Danish police have arrested two people on suspicion of aiding a gunman in deadly attacks on a synagogue and an event promoting free speech at the weekend that have shocked a nation proud of its record of safety and openness.

Discussion: Israel Matzav and Truth Revolt

Juan Williams / The Hill:

Dems will splinter on trade deals — Senate Democrats have maintained a united front as a minority in the new Congress — so far. — No Democrats crossed party lines on the Homeland Security funding bill vote. Last week's vote on the Keystone XL pipeline saw some defections.

David Skolnick / Vindicator:

Ex-Gov. Ted Strickland is raising money for a U.S. Senate bid — Former Gov. Ted Strickland has started raising money for a 2016 U.S. Senate bid. — Katie Hough, who said she is helping Strickland with campaign contributions, confirmed to The Vindicator that the former governor …

Discussion: OnPolitics and Political Wire

Matt Vespa / Townhall.com:

In Jersey, A Flintlock Pistol Can Get You A 10-Year Jail Sentence — Where is there any justice in locking up a 72-year-old man for up to 10 years for having an antique flintlock pistol? I'm sure in the Garden State authorities can find frivolous reasons, but there really isn't any justification for such a prosecutorial overreach.

Discussion: Instapundit

Marist Poll:

2/15: 2016 Wide Open GOP Field in Early Caucus and Primary States... Clinton Solid Front-Runner on Democratic Side — Taking an early look at the key presidential caucus and primary states of Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, a Republican front-runner fails to emerge.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Daily Caller and Hot Air

NBC News:
Walker and Bush: Meet Your Republican Presidential Frontrunners

Discussion: Hot Air, FOX News Radio and Horizons

John Hawkins / John Hawkins' Right Wing News:

50 Million Down The Tubes: How 17 Conservative PACs Are Spending Their Money — The late, great Eric Hoffer once said that, “Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.” — Some people have started to wonder whether that's happened …

Discussion: National Review, Roll Call and Vox Popoli

Jim Michaels / USA Today:

Islamic State expands despite U.S.-led air campaign — WASHINGTON - Since exploding onto the world stage as a conquering force in Iraq a year ago, the Islamic State has expanded its reach across the Middle East despite a U.S.-led bombing campaign that has killed thousands of militants and destroyed tons of their equipment.

Discussion: VodkaPundit

Jim Newell / Salon:

Scott Walker's lack of a college degree: A non-issue that Democrats should avoid — His lack of a college degree is not one of them — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has emerged as a modest front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination in the past couple of weeks. This may well be a temporary state of affairs.

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog, National Review and Unqualified Offerings

Irin Carmon / msnbc.com:

Ruth Bader Ginsburg on abortion, race and the broken Congress — WASHINGTON - The Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion isn't in danger of being overturned anytime soon, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told msnbc in a wide-ranging, exclusive interview.

Discussion: FOX News Radio, Political Wire, Talking Points Memo and The Huffington Post

Politico:

President Rand Paul? Wall Street on high alert — His ‘audit the Fed’ push makes him dangerous in the eyes of finance execs. — Rand Paul traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, recently and delivered a sure-fire applause line. “Anybody here want to audit the Fed?” the Kentucky senator asked.

Discussion: The Hill