memeorandum: Russia sanctions announced by White House (CNN)

11:30 AM ET, December 30, 2016

Top Items:

'We won't send anyone away': Putin declines to retaliate against Obama's expulsion of Russian diplomats — MOSCOW — In a head-spinning turn of events on Friday, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia announced that he would not retaliate against the United States' decision to expel Russian diplomats …

CNN:

Conway wonders if Russian sanctions were intended to restrict Trump — She says usually sanctions remain in place until the activity that caused the sanctions is removed — Trump said that Americans should “get on with our lives” when asked about possible Russian sanctions

Washington Post:

Kremlin spokesman vows retaliation against U.S. sanctions — MOSCOW — The Kremlin on Friday issued a stark warning to the United States, saying it would respond in kind to the U.S. expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and other sanctions following the Russian hacking of U.S. political parties before the 2016 presidential elections.

Discussion: President of Russia, Associated Press, Hot Air and Balloon Juice

Tyler Durden / zerohedge.com/fullrss2.xml …:

Putin Stunner: “We Will Not Expel Anyone; We Refuse To Sink To Obama's Level” — Vladimir the merciful? — Following this morning's reports that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov would recommend to Russian President Vladimir Putin a retaliation in kind, and expel 35 American diplomats, saying that “we cannot leave such acts unanswered.

Discussion: RT

CNN:

Russia sanctions announced by White House — (CNN)President Barack Obama took unprecedented steps Thursday in issuing an executive order against six Russian individuals and five Russian entities in relation to what the Treasury Department said was to address “Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities.”

Louis Nelson / Politico:

Giuliani: Obama trying to create problems for Trump with 11th-hour foreign policy moves — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani dismissed the sanctions against Russia announced Thursday by President Barack Obama as “petty little actions” intended to box President-elect Donald Trump into a corner and accomplish little else.

Discussion: The Week

Michael Walsh / Yahoo! News:
Paul Ryan welcomes Obama's ‘overdue’ Russia retaliation

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Talking Points Memo

New York Times:
President Obama Punishes Russia, at Last

Discussion: Washington Post, Daily Kos, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Mother Jones, Raw Story, twitchy.com, Politicus USA and Taylor Marsh

Austin Wright / Politico:
Obama's Russia sanctions put Hill Republicans in a box

Discussion: ABC News, Hot Air, Daily Kos and New York Times

ABC News:
Transcript for Russian Foreign Minister Proposes Expelling 35 US Diplomats

Discussion: Politico

The Salt Lake / Salt Lake Tribune:

Singer resigns from Mormon Tabernacle Choir, says she ‘could never look myself in the mirror again’ if she performed for Trump — Protest » She says she can't “in good conscience” take part in the ceremonies. — The Mormon Tabernacle Choir's acceptance of the invitation to sing …

Discussion: Mediaite, Independent Journal Review and The Week

Jan Chamberlin / Facebook:

Dear Family and Friends, — This is the message I have sent to Choir: — Dear President Jarrett and Choir, — Today is my birthday. (Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you...........) — It is with a sad and heavy heart that I submit my resignation to you and to Choir.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Raw Story, alan.com, The Guardian, Heat Street, AOL, Friendly Atheist, CBS Sacramento and Oliver Willis

Neetzan Zimmerman / The Hill:

Nixon's lawyer accuses Trump of lying — Richard Nixon's former lawyer is accusing President-elect Donald Trump — of constantly lying to the American people. — John Dean, who served as White House Counsel to the former president and was directly involved in the Watergate scandal …

Discussion: RedState and Raw Story

James Varney / RealClearInvestigations:

Skeptical Climate Scientists Coming In From the Cold — In the world of climate science, the skeptics are coming in from the cold. — Researchers who see global warming as something less than a planet-ending calamity believe the incoming Trump administration may allow their views to be developed and heard.

Discussion: Real Clear Politics and Instapundit

Travis Allen / Washington Examiner:

California Democrats legalize child prostitution — Beginning on Jan. 1, prostitution by minors will be legal in California. Yes, you read that right. — SB 1322 bars law enforcement from arresting sex workers who are under the age of 18 for soliciting or engaging in prostitution, or loitering with the intent to do so.

Discussion: AOL, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Red Alert Politics and RedState

Reuters:

Britain, edging towards Trump, scolds Kerry over Israel — Britain scolded U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for describing the Israeli government as the most right-wing in Israeli history, a move that aligns Prime Minister Theresa May more closely with President-elect Donald Trump.

Discussion: Hot Air and ABC

Daily Mail:
UK Government issues unprecedented attack on the US after Secretary of State John Kerry branded …

Discussion: The Resurgent, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Israel Matzav, Sydney Morning Herald and New York Times

New York Post:

Obama's ugly bid to snub voters and tie Trump's hands — In his waning days in the White House, President Obama is desperately trying to make his policies as permanent as possible by tying the hands of his successor — and far more than other presidents have done on their way out.

Todd S. Purdum / Politico:

The Death of Clintonism — In September 1963, two months before his death, John F. Kennedy mused aloud to his old friend the journalist Charles Bartlett about the prospects for the 1968 presidential election, in which, he presciently worried, his brother Robert might run against Lyndon Johnson.

Ronnie Cohen / Reuters:

States that legalized marijuana saw a drop in traffic deaths — Ayrn Taylor, a United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) member and employee at the Venice Beach Care Center, displays medical marijuana during a media visit at the medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles, California February 6, 2013.

Discussion: Instapundit

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:

Glenn Greenwald, Tucker Carlson Unite to Dismiss Russian Hacking Allegations — One of the great meetings of journalistic minds took place last week, when left-wing journalist Glenn Greenwald appeared on Fox News with Tucker Carlson. The segment was devoted to their purportedly strange agreement …

Discussion: The Guardian and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Amanda Terkel / The Huffington Post:

Buffalo School Board Passes Resolution Telling Carl Paladino To Resign Within 24 Hours — His fellow board members say Paladino, a Donald Trump ally, needs to resign within 24 hours or they will seek his removal from the state. — BUFFALO, N.Y. The Buffalo Board of Education voted 6-2 Thursday …

Discussion: New York Magazine, The Buffalo News, Raw Story, Little Green Footballs, Mediaite and TheBlaze

The Guardian:
Trump New York co-chair won't resign despite racist remarks about Obamas

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Times and alan.com

Katie Bo Williams / The Hill:

FBI, DHS release report on Russia hacking — The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday released a joint report detailing how investigators linked the Russian government to hacks on various Democratic political organizations. — The document makes clear reference …

Discussion: The Last Tradition, RedState, TheBlaze, The Moderate Voice and The Week