memeorandum: Donald Trump, Crony Capitalist (Luigi Zingales/New York Times)

2:00 AM ET, February 24, 2016

Top Items:

Shouts of ‘liar’ are taking their toll on Ted Cruz's campaign — Ted Cruz's presidential bid is in turmoil after repeated allegations of unsavory campaign tactics by his Republican rivals, leading some key supporters to call for a shake-up in the candidate's message and strategy a week ahead of the crucial Super Tuesday primaries.

Discussion: Politico, Conservative Review, The Texas Tribune, CNN, Guardian, American Power, Townhall.com and New York Magazine

Maeve Reston / CNN:

Nevada caucus results: Trump poised for big night — Elko, Nevada (CNN)This state that has long embraced its reputation as the Wild West of politics is expected to embrace anti-establishment candidate Donald Trump in a blowout in the Nevada Republican caucuses on Tuesday night.

Discussion: Salon, Business Insider, The Last Refuge, The Atlantic, New York Magazine and Vox Popoli

Eliza Collins / Politico:

Trump crashes Glenn Beck's caucus speech — Donald Trump crashed the Nevada caucus location at which conservative talk show host Glenn Beck was speaking Tuesday night on behalf of Ted Cruz. — MSNBC was broadcasting a live look at the caucus site, Palo Verde High School in Summerlin …

Discussion: Raw Story

Daniel W. Drezner / Washington Post:

My very peculiar and speculative theory of why the GOP has not stopped Donald Trump — What if political scientists are to blame for his rise? — GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump's victory in South Carolina, his expected victory Tuesday in Nevada, his poll dominance in the upcoming states …

Discussion: Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Instapundit, New York Magazine, Bloomberg Business, Politico, Althouse, Daily Kos and Vox

BostonGlobe.com:

Massachusetts voters must stop Donald Trump — STOPPING DONALD J. TRUMP is imperative — and not just for his fellow Republicans. In Massachusetts, which votes next Tuesday, unenrolled voters may also vote in the GOP presidential primary. The Globe has endorsed John Kasich …

Discussion: No More Mister Nice Blog

Philip Rucker / Washington Post:

In Nevada caucuses, Trump gets a third straight win … LAS VEGAS — Donald Trump convincingly won the Nevada presidential caucuses here Tuesday evening, the Associated Press projected, accelerating his march to the Republican nomination as his top two rivals fell short here despite aggressive campaigning in the closing days.

Discussion: New York Times, Politico, CNN, Refinery29, New York Magazine, The Huffington Post, ABC News and The Week

Rasmussen Reports:
Trump's Lead Grows with Jeb Out of the Race

Discussion: Washington Times, Infowars, Talking Points Memo, Political Wire and The Gateway Pundit

Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Donald Trump on protester: 'I'd like to punch him in the face'

Discussion: Washington Post, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, New York Times, Raw Story, AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog …, Breitbart and Daily Kos

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Kasich: 'I don't know if my purpose is to be president'

Discussion: Hot Air, National Review and The Daily Caller

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:

G.O.P. Senators Say Obama Supreme Court Pick Will Be Shunned — WASHINGTON — Senate Republican leaders said Tuesday that there would be no confirmation hearings, no vote, not even a courtesy meeting with President Obama's nominee to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, all but slamming shut …

Discussion: New York Magazine, Politico, Talking Points Memo, Mother Jones, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Prairie Weather and Balloon Juice

Talking Points Memo:

Key GOP Senators Emerge From Meeting: No Hearing For Obama SCOTUS Nom — Key Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee emerged from a closed door meeting in Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's office Tuesday united in their determination not to consider any nominee to replace Antonin Scalia until the next president takes office.

Discussion: The Week, Slate, The BRAD BLOG, Hullabaloo, Balloon Juice, Mediaite, Washington Post, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times and Daily Kos

Congressman Justin Amash / Independent Journal …:

Why I Trust Ted Cruz — JOIN THE TEAM FOR ADDED BENEFITS: — Create an Account OR Log In — FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: — Submit — x — Views — ShareTweetEmail + — Independent Journal Opinion is an opinion platform and any opinions or information put forth by contributors …

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications, Fox17 and Hit & Run

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Nightmare builds for Senate GOP

Discussion: Washington Post, Hot Air, Yahoo Politics, Daily Kos, Washington Monthly, Althouse and Chicago

Mike DeBonis / Washington Post:
Republicans vow no hearings and no votes for Obama's Supreme Court pick

Discussion: New York Magazine, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, Common Dreams, Slate, New York Times, Washington Free Beacon, Shakesville, Talking Points Memo, New York Times and Pew Research Center …

David M. Herszenhorn / New York Times:
Senate Republican Leaders Say They Won't Meet With an Obama Supreme Court Nominee

Discussion: LifeNews.com, Outside the Beltway, Washington Post, LawNewz and Althouse

Ian Millhiser / ThinkProgress:
Mitch McConnell Is Already Threatening To Block The Next President's Supreme Court Nominee Too

Discussion: Associated Press and No More Mister Nice Blog

Bernie Sanders / Yahoo Politics:
Sanders calls Senate obstruction a ‘racist effort to delegitimize’ Obama

Discussion: Politico

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
GOP Judiciary: No hearing on Obama court nominee

Discussion: Politico, RedState, Infowars and RealClearPolitics

Melissa Pamer / KTLA:

Car Salesman Killed in Crash During Corvette Test Drive at Ontario CarMax; Driver Arrested — A used car salesman was killed when a red Corvette crashed during a test drive in Ontario, and the prospective car buyer was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Discussion: fox8.com and fox13now.com

Michael Isikoff / Yahoo:

With GOP nomination looming, Trump slated to take witness stand in fraud trial — Here's a part of the political calendar that nobody in the Republican Party seems to have noticed: This spring, just as the GOP nomination battle enters its final phase, frontrunner Donald Trump could be forced …

Discussion: Patterico's Pontifications, RedState, Politico and The Lonely Conservative

Eliza Collins / Politico:

Clinton: ‘Why is there one standard for me and not for everybody else?’ — Hillary Clinton pushed back on questions over the transcripts of her paid speeches during a televised Democratic town hall Tuesday, asking, “Why is there one standard for me and not for everybody else?”

Eric Bradner / CNN:
Clinton's Wall Street wobbles

Discussion: Mother Jones, Washington Post and Balloon Juice

New York Times:
Donald Trump in New York: Deep Roots, but Little Influence

Discussion: Jezebel, Washington Post, Washington Monthly, Mother Jones and The Week

Spencer S. Hsu / Washington Post:

U.S. judge orders discovery to go forward over Clinton's private email system — A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that State Department officials and top aides to Hillary Clinton should be questioned under oath about whether they intentionally thwarted federal open records laws by using …

Discussion: Hot Air, TheBlaze.com, The Daily Caller, The Gateway Pundit, Guardian, MichelleMalkin.com, Patterico's Pontifications, Power Line, Political Wire, Washington Free Beacon, CNN and Althouse

Judicial Watch:
Federal Court Grants Judicial Watch Discovery on Clinton Email Issue

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Free Beacon and LawNewz

Alana Abramson / ABC News:

First Reports From GOP Nevada Caucuses Indicate Chaos, Confusion — The Nevada GOP caucuses were off to an apparent rocky start, with social media full of reports of ballot shortages, long waits and chaos at precinct sites. — At Spring Valley High School in Las Vegas …

Discussion: Yahoo Politics

Callum Borchers / Washington Post:
Why aren't the Nevada Republican caucuses a bigger deal?

Discussion: The Atlantic

Mark Murray / NBC News:

Clinton Outspends Sanders in Super Tuesday States — Hillary Clinton and her allies are spending $4.1 million on ads in 11Super Tuesday states, while Bernie Sanders is advertising in just five states at $3.3 million, according to ad-spending data from SMG Delta through Feb. 28.

Discussion: Hullabaloo

Isaac Arnsdorf / Politico:
Mega-donors shy away from fight with Trump

Discussion: Vox, New York Times, Mother Jones, Washington Post, Bloomberg Business and The Week

Wall Street Journal:

Adelsons Cast Their Ballots in Las Vegas, but Keep Cards Close — LAS VEGAS - The most important Republican voter in Nevada cast his caucus ballot Tuesday night, but took pains to keep his preference secret. — Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, surrounded by a coterie …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

David M. Drucker / Washington Examiner:
Caucus chaos in Nevada as voters report instances of possible fraud

Discussion: LifeNews.com

Jon Meyer / WNEP-TV:

Nurse Accused of Helping with Surgery While Drunk … PLAINS TOWNSHIP — A nurse is charged with being drunk while assisting on an emergency surgery at the VA Medical Center near Wilkes-Barre. — He admits he was at a casino drinking when he was called into work.

Discussion: WTVR-TV

Timothy B. Lee / Vox:

Study: lottery winners' neighbors tend to spend themselves into bankruptcy — When someone wins the lottery, it can be bad news for his neighbor's finances. A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia examines the relationship between lottery winners in a particular Canadian province …

Discussion: Daily Mail and Mother Jones

Bloomberg Business:

Ted Cruz Asks U.S. Judge to Reject Texas Eligibility Challenge — Senator says no legal basis to question his citizen status — Case filed by Houston lawyer who says he fears election chaos — Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz asked a federal judge in Texas to throw out a challenge …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Jim Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

ANOTHER GLITCH... RUBIO ROBOT Short Circuits - Repeats Itself 8 Times on O'Reilly (VIDEO) — Oh my... Oh my... Oh my... Oh my... Oh my... Oh my... Oh my... Oh my... Man or Robot? — Marco ‘Robot’ Rubio suffered a glitch Monday on The O'Reilly Factor. — The computer chip repeated himself 8 times

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News