memeorandum: Meryl Streep Does a Number on the Donald at the Public Theater's Gala (Melena Ryzik/New York Times)

9:55 PM ET, June 7, 2016

Top Items:

Donald J. Trump / Donald J Trump for President:

DONALD J. TRUMP STATEMENT REGARDING TRUMP UNIVERSITY — It is unfortunate that my comments have been misconstrued as a categorical attack against people of Mexican heritage. I am friends with and employ thousands of people of Mexican and Hispanic descent. The American justice system relies on fair and impartial judges.

CNN:

Paul Ryan rips Donald Trump remarks as ‘textbook definition of a racist comment’ — (CNN)House Speaker Paul Ryan ripped Donald Trump's recent remarks saying a judge presiding over a lawsuit involving his business was biased because of his Mexican heritage as “the textbook definition of a racist comment.”

Discussion: Townhall.com, Talking Points Memo, Hot Air, CBS News, The Resurgent, Daily Kos, Heat Street, Hit & Run, The Last Tradition, Media Matters for America, Politico and Right Wing Watch

Lynn Sweet / Chicago Sun Times:

Sen. Mark Kirk withdraws support for Trump — WASHINGTON - Sen. Mark Kirk R-Ill., facing a big challenge from Rep. Tammy Duckworth D-Ill., said Tuesday he will not support presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump after earlier saying he will back him. — " I cannot and will not support …

Discussion: The Atlantic, Liberty Unyielding, Hot Air and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

GOP senator: 'I can't see myself voting for Donald Trump' … (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday doubled down on his skepticism of Donald Trump — , saying he currently doesn't believe he'll support the GOP's presumptive presidential nominee in November. — “As of now, unless he changes significantly …

Discussion: Politico, ABC News, CBS New York, RedState and Business Insider

Yoni Appelbaum / The Atlantic:

Live Coverage of the California and New Jersey Primaries … Breaking a day of silence—no press conferences, no television interviews, not even so much as a blustery tweet—Donald Trump this afternoon issued a statement. It began: … Fear not, gentle reader.

Discussion: Zero Hedge, Patterico's Pontifications, New York Times, The Last Refuge, Political Insider blog, Hullabaloo, AOL and American Prospect

Associated Press:

The Latest: Scott calls Trump's comments ‘racially toxic’ — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on campaign 2016 as California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota vote. (all times Eastern): — The only black Republican senator says Donald Trump's comments …

Discussion: Hot Air, Mediaite, Raw Story and The Daily Caller

Ben Jacobs / Guardian:

Iowa state senator is first elected official to leave Republican party over Trump — David Johnson changes registration to No Party in response to Donald Trump accusing federal judge Gonzalo Curiel of bias based on his race — Iowa state senator David Johnson became the first elected official …

Discussion: Boing Boing, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story and Politicus USA

Niels Lesniewski / Roll Call:

Rubio Says He Won't Speak on Trump's Behalf at GOP Convention — Florida senator says he would talk about own beliefs to Republican audience — McConnell to Trump: Don't Try to Fight Over the GOP Platform Chamber Backs Toomey With Cheesy Ad Would Rubio Be Pushing Zika Aid If He Were Still Running?

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Business Insider, Daily Wire, RedState and Hot Air

Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:

Under heavy criticism, Trump says he won't talk about judge in Trump University case any longer — Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, under a torrent of criticism for repeatedly saying that a federal judge overseeing lawsuits against Trump University should have recused himself …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, NBC News, Daily Mail, Vox and Mediaite

Nick Gass / Politico:
Christie: Trump ‘not racist,’ has ‘right’ to express opinions on judge

Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
Trump Surrogate: Paul Ryan Is ‘Racist’ For Condemning Judge Attacks

Discussion: Daily Kos

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
Susan Collins: “Very Difficult” To Back Trump After His Attack On Federal Judge

Discussion: The Huffington Post, TIME and Daily Wire

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:
Chuck Grassley: “I Disagree” With Trump's Attack On Federal Judge

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Brian Tashman / Right Wing Watch:
Pat Buchanan: Stop ‘The Lynching’ Of Donald Trump Over Racist Attack On Judge

Discussion: WND, Daily Wire and Politico

J.D. Durkin / Mediaite:
GOP Congressman Bizarrely Defends Trump: ‘You Could Easily Argue’ Obama Is Racist

Discussion: alan.com, National Review, RedState and New York Times

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
Trump self-destructive rambling baffles GOP strategists

Discussion: Power LinePower Line, Washington Post, RedState, Hot Air and The Week

William Petroski / Des Moines Register:
Iowa GOP lawmaker dumps party to protest Trump

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, Business Insider, Politicus USA and Yahoo

Paul Colford / The Definitive Source:

AP statement on Hillary Clinton — The Associated Press issued this statement on Monday evening from U.S. Political Editor David Scott on why Hillary Clinton is now being identified by AP as the “presumptive nominee” of the Democratic Party.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Vox, Politico, New York Times, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, Mediaite and Los Angeles Times

The Intercept:

Perfect End to Democratic Primary: Anonymous Super-Delegates Declare Winner Through Media — Last night, Associated Press - on a day when nobody voted - surprised everyone by abruptly declaring the Democratic Party primary over and Hillary Clinton the victor.

Joe Perticone / Independent Journal Review:
Bernie Sanders Delegate Forced to Withdraw from Democratic National Convention Over Drug Charges

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico and The Daily Caller

Bloomberg:
Clinton's Historic Moment Tempered by Sanders, Who Won't Go Away

Discussion: Politico, ABC News, Talking Points Memo, Sky Dancing, Hot Air, Washington Times, No More Mister Nice Blog and The Week

Robert Costa / Washington Post:
In San Francisco, Berniecrats lash out at media for calling nomination for Clinton

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Argus Leader, Guardian, Fox News, The Week, Politico, Political Insider blog, Instapundit, CANNONFIRE, ABC News and NBC News

MSNBC:
Hillary Clinton makes history

Discussion: NBC News, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon, Washington Post, Gothamist, USA Today, Mother Jones, The Week and Booman Tribune

Nate Cohn / New York Times:
Pledges Pushed Hillary Clinton Over the Magic Number

Discussion: NBC News and CANNONFIRE

Andrew Prokop / Vox:
Primary elections 2016: today's results and poll closing times

Discussion: FiveThirtyEight, The Verge, CNN, naked capitalism, The Atlantic, Washington Post, New York Times, Hit & Run, Heat Street and Daily Kos

New York Times:
Hillary Clinton Has Clinched Democratic Nomination, Survey Reports

Discussion: New York Magazine, Hit & Run, Independent Journal …, The Mahablog, Mediaite, Salon, Althouse, The Nation and Outside the Beltway

BuzzFeed:

Donald Trump tried — to raise money from the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar al-Qaddafi two years before a 2011 revolution toppled the brutal leader, according to four people with knowledge of the effort. Trump even tried to set up a meeting with the tyrant himself, three of the sources say …

Discussion: The Week and Political Wire

Joey Nolfi / EW.com:

Meryl Streep dons a fat suit and orangeface as Donald Trump — Further proving there's no role she can't tackle, acting legend Meryl Streep has gone from complete Margaret Thatcher to full Donald Trump, sporting messy hair, a low-hanging red tie, a fat suit, and comically-applied self-tanner …

Discussion: CNN, Raw Story, Gothamist, The Gateway Pundit, Mediaite and Business Insider

Melena Ryzik / New York Times:
Meryl Streep Does a Number on the Donald at the Public Theater's Gala

Discussion: Guardian, The Verge, Fox 59, Associated Press and CBS New York

Catherine Ho / Washington Post:

Renee Ellmers loses North Carolina GOP primary — Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) lost her bid for reelection Tuesday, becoming the first GOP congressional incumbent to lose their seat in 2016. — Ellmers, who was elected in 2010 amid the tea party takeover of the House …

Discussion: Conservative Review, PoliPundit.com, NPR and Breitbart

Daily Mail:

White, straight, able-bodied man? You can't attend equality summit: Lecturers' union members must declare their ‘protected characteristic’ when applying to attend — A lecturers' union is refusing to let its officers take part in debates at an equality summit if they are white, straight, able-bodied men.

Discussion: Heat Street, Truth Revolt, John Hawkins' Right Wing News and The Daily Caller

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

Mitch McConnell: This Election Is About Choosing The Lesser Of Two Evils — “This is a choice that many Americans are not happy with.” — w.soundcloud.com — Asked on Monday if the general election between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was a “lesser of two evils election,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell answered yes.

Discussion: RedState and Talking Points Memo

Chris Cillizza / Washington Post:
It's time for GOP leaders to choose sides on Donald Trump

Discussion: CNN, The Resurgent, ThinkProgress, Vox, RedState, New York Magazine, Common Dreams, Mashable, Outside the Beltway, The Week and No More Mister Nice Blog

Associated Press:

Florida AG asked Trump for donation before nixing fraud case — WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida's attorney general personally solicited a political contribution from Donald Trump around the same time her office deliberated joining an investigation of alleged fraud at Trump University and its affiliates

Discussion: Warren Throckmorton, RedState, The Daily Caller, LawNewz, Daily Kos, Raw Story, Washington Free Beacon, Above the Law and Politico

Lisa Hagen / The Hill:

State would need 75 years to compile Clinton emails — The State Department said it would take 75 years for the release of emails from top aides to Hillary Clinton — from during her time as secretary of State. — Lawyers said it would take that long to compile the 450,000 pages …

Discussion: CNN, LawNewz and MichelleMalkin.com

Julian Hattem / The Hill:
FBI asks to make new secret filing in Clinton email case

Discussion: Hot Air

Gabriella Paiella / New York Magazine:

Brock Turner's Childhood Friend Blames His Felony Sexual-Assault Conviction on Political Correctness — <span>A friend of the Stanford swimmer who assaulted an unconscious woman calls “the whole thing a huge misunderstanding.”</ span> — 30.4k — On Thursday, Judge Aaron Persky …