memeorandum: Okay, the Scalia Assassination Conspiracy Theories are Getting Out of Hand (Leon H. Wolf/RedState)

12:25 AM ET, February 16, 2016

Top Items:

The Constitution Does Not Require the Senate to Vote on a Nomination — Let ambition counteract ambition. — Senator Schumer appeared Sunday on ABC's This Week and responded to suggestions that the Senate might not confirm the lame-duck President's nomination to replace the late Justice Scalia …

Discussion: The Federalist, Vox, National Review, Power Line, Weasel Zippers, Mediaite, Instapundit and The Daily Caller

Leon H. Wolf / RedState:

Okay, the Scalia Assassination Conspiracy Theories are Getting Out of Hand — Generally, when a 79 year old man who was known to be in poor health is found dead in his bed with no signs of a struggle, reasonable people do not immediately include “assassination” even if the deceased happened …

Discussion: CANNONFIRE

Associated Press:

Texas judge disclosed details about Scalia's health — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Texas county judge who decided no autopsy was needed following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has disclosed new details about Scalia's health in the days before he died.

Discussion: Little Green Footballs, New York Magazine, Associated Press, ABC News and abc11.com

Lena H. Sun / Washington Post:

Conspiracy theories swirl around the death of Antonin Scalia — Two days after Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died suddenly in remote West Texas, a former D.C. homicide commander is raising questions about how the death was handled by local and federal authorities.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Breitbart, Infowars, Vox, Trail Blazers Blog and New York Magazine, more at Mediagazer »

James Hohmann / Washington Post:

The Daily 202: Why blocking Obama's pick to replace Scalia could cost Republicans their Senate majority — THE BIG IDEA: — Mitch McConnell has decided to wager the Republican majority in the Senate on blocking Barack Obama's pick for the Supreme Court. — It's a bold and understandable …

Discussion: The Huffington Post, Outside the Beltway, Townhall.com, NBC News, Liberal Values, Guardian and Daily Kos

Katie Glueck / Politico:
Cruz skewers Trump's sister in Supreme Court debate

Discussion: New York Times, The Hill and Talking Points Memo

Jonah Goldberg / National Review:
Eight Thoughts On Scalia

Discussion: Washington Post, SCOTUSblog, protein wisdom, Raw Story and The Daily Banter

Richard Wolf / USA Today:
Who could replace Scalia? Here are 10 names

Discussion: Fox News, No More Mister Nice Blog, Infowars, theGrio, The Week, SCOTUSblog, NPR and New York Times

Tim Devaney / The Hill:
Bush: 'There shouldn't be deference' on nominee

Discussion: Washington Post and Politico

Los Angeles Times: Editorial Nominating Supreme Court justices is Obama's job. Let him do it.

Manu Raju / CNN:
Vulnerable Senate Republicans key to Supreme Court nominee's future

Discussion: TPNN, Washington Post, Daily Kos, American Bridge PAC, JSOnline and Independent Journal Review

Paul Krugman / New York Times:
How America Was Lost — Once upon a time, the death …

Discussion: Prairie Weather, Hullabaloo, The Moderate Voice and The Grumpy Economist

Michael Tomasky / The Daily Beast:
The GOP's Worst Nightmare SCOTUS Nominee

Discussion: Feministing and Washington Monthly

Jamie Self / The State:

FIRST ON BUZZ: After debate, Trump still tops SC GOP presidential race — Poll: Donald Trump at 35%; Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio follow with 18% each — Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton leads Bernie Sanders by 21-point margin — Sanders making gains among critical African-American voters, but still trails by 40 points

Discussion: RedState, The Last Refuge, Political Wire and Hullabaloo

Andrew Shain / The State:

Trump: Haley must do more to protect SC, RNC breaking neutrality pledge — GOP front-runner says governor must stop Syrian refugees, Gitmo relocation — Trump says RNC stacked debate audience with foes who booed him — Did not rule out third-party run after GOP broke promise

Discussion: New York Times, Weasel Zippers, Independent Journal Review, Vox, Hot Air, New York Magazine and Political Wire

Rush Limbaugh:

My Take on the GOP Debate — RUSH: Short version, I think Trump strategically was making a move on independents and Democrats in South Carolina since it's open. And I think that he wants to wrap this up ASAP. I think he wants a blow 'em out, going-away win in South Carolina.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Hot Air, The Daily Caller and The Right Scoop

Colin Campbell / Business Insider:

‘Disgrace’: Donald Trump rips national Republican Party after getting booed at debate — Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump strongly criticized the Republican National Committee (RNC) on Monday for allegedly handing out debate tickets to donors and lobbyists. — “I did well in the debate.

Discussion: Independent Journal Review, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Mediaite and Talking Points Memo

Brad Mielke / ABC News:
Donald Trump Floats Idea of a Third-Party Run Again

Discussion: Associated Press, Weasel Zippers, American Spectator, New York Magazine and abc11.com

Associated Press:
Cruz Not Standing for Rubio, Trump Calling Him a Liar

Discussion: Yahoo Politics, ABC News and abc11.com

Christopher Massie / BuzzFeed:
S.C. Congressman Calls Trump “Truther” For Criticism Of George W. Bush And War In Iraq

Discussion: Independent Journal Review

Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:
The Secret Army Stumping for Ted Cruz

Discussion: Washington Monthly and The Resurgent

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

GOP Iraq battle shines new spotlight on Jeb Bush weakness — It's entirely reasonable to say the war in Iraq was a disaster. Maybe you disagree, or maybe you think that's too harsh, but it's an arguable proposition. — To Jeb Bush, though, it's an attack on his family, and therefore out of bounds.

Discussion: Breitbart, CNN, Hot Air, Politico, The Atlantic and The Week

Donald J Trump for President:

DONALD J. TRUMP RESPONDS TO THE LIES OF SENATOR CRUZ AND WARNS OF LEGAL ACTION — Ted Cruz is a totally unstable individual. He is the single biggest liar I've ever come across, in politics or otherwise, and I have seen some of the best of them. His statements are totally untrue and completely outrageous.

Discussion: Hot Air, Mediaite and Althouse

Bradford Richardson / The Hill:
Cruz: Trump will get rid of the Second Amendment

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Little Green Footballs, CBS News, Politico and The Slot

Megan Apper / BuzzFeed:

Opening Shot In Rubio's “Morning Again In America” Ad Appears To Be Canada — (Ted Cruz plot?) — youtube.com — “It's morning again in America,” a calm narrator says as an idyllic scene of a boat crossing a harbor plays in Marco Rubio's latest ad — a darker riff on the classic Ronald Reagan ad.

Discussion: Politicus USA, NBC News and Florida Politics

Caitlin Cruz / Talking Points Memo:

RNC Committeewoman Says Cruz, Rubio Both Ineligible For Presidency — A Republican National committeewoman from Nevada said Monday that she believes both Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) are ineligible to run for President. — Diana Orrock tweeted that “Rubio and Cruz are ineligible …

Discussion: NewsWithViews and Hullabaloo

Jackie Calmes / New York Times:

Left-Leaning Economists Question Cost of Bernie Sanders's Plans — WASHINGTON — With his expansive plans to increase the size and role of government, Senator Bernie Sanders has provoked a debate not only with his Democratic rival for president, Hillary Clinton, but also with liberal-leaning economists …

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Balloon Juice