Top Items:
New York Times:
Trump Campaign Aides Had Repeated Contacts With Russian Intelligence — WASHINGTON — Phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald J. Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year …
Discussion:
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CNN:
Trump aides were in constant touch with senior Russian officials during campaign — Trump campaign aides communicated with Russians — The communications stood out to investigators due to the frequency and the level of the Trump advisers involved — (CNN)High-level advisers close …
Mike Allen / Axios:
White House staff in “survival mode ... scared to death” — Here's a twist that has top GOP sources buzzing: — On Jan. 26, Sally Yates, then the acting attorney general, tells the White House that national security adviser Mike Flynn — who has just been grilled by FBI agents — had …
New York Times:
Flynn Was Brought Down by Illegal Leaks to News Media, Trump Says — WASHINGTON — President Trump lashed out at the nation's intelligence agencies again on Wednesday, saying that his former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, was brought down by illegal leaks to the news media …
James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: It's bigger than Flynn. New Russia revelations widen Trump's credibility gap.
The Daily 202: It's bigger than Flynn. New Russia revelations widen Trump's credibility gap.
Discussion:
Breitbart, CNN, Mediaite, The Guardian, New York Times, NBC News, Washington Monthly, Business Insider, ThinkProgress, Vox, The Daily Caller and Fox News Insider
David Corn / Mother Jones:
Why Trump Can't Come Clean on Russia
Why Trump Can't Come Clean on Russia
Discussion:
Washington Post, IJR, TheBlaze, Daily Wire, Infowars and The Week
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
Flynn Doesn't Matter. This Is About Trump
Madeline Conway / Politico:
Brian Fallon responds to Trump: He's trying to distract from ‘very serious allegations’ about Russia
Brian Fallon responds to Trump: He's trying to distract from ‘very serious allegations’ about Russia
Discussion:
Associated Press and ABC News
Caitlin MacNeal / Talking Points Memo:
Corker: We Must Address WH Russia Ties So It Doesn't ‘Destabilize’ Country
Corker: We Must Address WH Russia Ties So It Doesn't ‘Destabilize’ Country
Discussion:
The Week
Andrew Puzder / National Review:
No to Puzder — Andrew Puzder was from the start an odd choice to head Donald Trump's Labor Department. The chief of CKE Restaurants, the parent company of fast-food chains such as Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, Puzder has long been one of corporate America's most high-profile advocates of Gang of Eight-style …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, RedState, Mother Jones, rubber hose and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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Manu Raju / CNN:
First on CNN: Top Senate Republicans urge White House to withdraw Puzder nomination — 4 GOP senators waver on Trump's labor pick — (CNN)Top Senate Republicans have urged the White House to withdraw the Andrew Puzder nomination for labor secretary, a senior GOP source said …
Discussion:
Political Wire, alan.com, Boing Boing, The Week and Business Insider
Timothy Noah / Politico:
Exclusive: Puzder's ex-wife told Oprah he threatened ‘you will pay for this’ — The ex-wife of President Donald Trump's labor secretary nominee told “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that he “vowed revenge” when she made public spousal abuse allegations, according to a 1990 tape reviewed by POLITICO on Tuesday night.
CBS News:
Andrew Puzder expected to withdraw from labor secretary nomination, source says — Andrew Puzder, President Trump's pick for labor secretary, is expected to withdraw his name from the nomination, a source close to the restaurant executive tells CBS News' Major Garrett.
Discussion:
NBC News, Mother Jones, Talking Points Memo, Common Dreams and Joe.My.God.
Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:
McConnell to White House: Andrew Puzder lacks the votes to win confirmation
McConnell to White House: Andrew Puzder lacks the votes to win confirmation
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon
Thomas E. Ricks / Foreign Policy:
Robert Harward plans a housecleaning of Trump's National Security Council staff — President Donald Trump offered the job of national security advisor to retired Vice Adm. Robert Harward on Monday night, and was a bit surprised when Harward responded by saying he needed a couple of days to think it over.
Discussion:
Mediaite, BizPac Review, The Week, Business Insider, Political Wire and Hot Air
Dylan Byers / CNN:
Sean Spicer isn't finished — Washington (CNN)Sean Spicer has barely moved into his office. — Three weeks after the inauguration, the only things adorning the White House press secretary's shelves are a framed picture of himself at the podium, a book on Naval Special Warfare …
Discussion:
Breitbart, Mediaite, TheBlaze, Politico, Washington Free Beacon, Raw Story and Hot Air, more at Mediagazer »
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J.D. Durkin / Mediaite:
Mika Brzezinski Firmly Says Conway Will No Longer Be Booked on Morning Joe: 'She's Not Credible Anymore' — Mika Brzezinski of Morning Joe revealed a tidbit that many may not know about the way Kellyanne Conway gets herself booked onto so many shows on behalf of the administration …
Discussion:
Washington Post and RedState, more at Mediagazer »
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Paulina Firozi / The Hill:
‘Morning Joe’ host says show will no longer book Conway
‘Morning Joe’ host says show will no longer book Conway
Discussion:
RedState
Reuters:
U.S. detains Mexican immigrant in Seattle covered by Obama program — U.S. immigration authorities have detained a 23-year-old Mexican man who was brought to the United States illegally as a child and given a work permit during the Obama administration, according to a lawsuit challenging the detention in Seattle federal court.
Discussion:
Vox, CNN, The Stranger …, Daily Wire, The Daily Caller, BuzzFeed and The Week
Tarini Parti / BuzzFeed:
Corey Lewandowski's Potential Clients Say He's Bragging About Access To Trump's Twitter Account — Trump's former campaign manager, who now has a lobbying and consulting shop, has mentioned having access to Trump's Twitter account as a selling point in pitch meetings with at least …
Paul Farhi / Washington Post:
‘This is . . . Nixonian’: Reporter was taped by White House in heated exchange — A top aide to President Trump said she has a recording of a dispute with a White House reporter, and has shared parts of it with journalists. — Omarosa Manigault, a communications official …
Discussion:
Althouse, Mediaite, Raw Story, BizPac Review, New York Magazine and Business Insider, more at Mediagazer »
Akil Yunus / The Star Online:
Clearer image of Jong-nam's alleged killer caught on CCTV — PETALING JAYA: CCTV cameras at KLIA2 have captured a clearer image of a woman believed to be one of the assassins who killed Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. — The image zooms in on the alleged …
Discussion:
New York Times, New York Magazine and New York's PIX11
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New York Times:
Trump, Meeting With Netanyahu, Backs Away From Palestinian State — WASHINGTON — President Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would no longer insist on a Palestinian state as part of a peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians, backing away from a policy …
Discussion:
Common Dreams, LobeLog, The Daily Signal, Foreign Policy and The Week
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Jeremy Diamond / CNN:
Trump: Netanyahu should ‘hold back’ on settlements
Trump: Netanyahu should ‘hold back’ on settlements
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Washington Post, Reuters, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze, RedState, FOX6Now.com, Vox, Common Dreams and The Guardian
Washington Post:
Do voter identification laws suppress minority voting? Yes. We did the research. — The Justice Department just got a new boss: Jeff Sessions. He is raising alarms in the civil rights community. The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is concerned about his “record of hostility” …
Discussion:
Right Wing Watch
Jake Sherman / Politico:
Poll: Trump trails generic Democrat, but not Warren, in 2020 — Donald Trump begins his presidency facing unprecedented polling headwinds: Roughly a quarter of voters think he is the worst president in the past three-quarters of a century. Forty-three percent of voters are ready to vote …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, New York Magazine, Daily Wire, Power Line, Morning Consult, Red Alert Politics, Mediaite, Hot Air, The Week, CBS Boston and Axios
Dan Lamothe / Washington Post:
Defense Secretary Mattis issues new ultimatum to NATO allies on defense spending — BRUSSELS — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis issued an ultimatum Wednesday to allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), warning that if they do not boost their defense spending to goals set by the alliance …
Discussion:
Breitbart, TheBlaze, Hot Air, Business Insider and The Daily Caller
John Podhoretz / Commentary Magazine:
Beware Triggering the Coup Theory — I can't believe I'm writing this after the administration has been in office for 26 days, but here goes. The idea that Donald Trump is now inexorably on a path to impeachment has taken almost gleeful hold in the wake of the Michael Flynn resignation among liberal elites …
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Steve Bannon privately unloaded on Breitbart reporter — Shortly after Breitbart's Matt Boyle published an extensive attack on White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, Boyle's former boss Steve Bannon exploded. — Far from Bannon orchestrating the leaks — as some have speculated — Trump's chief strategist was furious.
Discussion:
RedState, Washington Monthly and Mediaite
Jessie Hellmann / The Hill:
Republicans make first move targeting Planned Parenthood funding — Republicans are taking their first shot of 2017 at Planned Parenthood. — The House is expected this week to vote on a resolution that would rescind an Obama-era regulation barring states from defunding the organization for political reasons.
Discussion:
Daily Wire and The Federalist
Christopher Muther / BostonGlobe.com:
Trump's travel ban is causing a large drop in US tourism — President Trump's travel ban targeting nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries may not have held up in court, but it appears quite successful at keeping plenty of other people out of the United States.
Lukas Mikelionis / Heat Street:
Teen With Cancer Fires Back at Accusations of ‘Cultural Appropriation’ For Wearing a Turban — A white Brazilian teen fighting cancer, who has been accused of cultural appropriation for wearing a turban to conceal her baldness, is firing back back at her critics: “I'm so angry …
Discussion:
Daily Wire
Fabrice Pothier / Politico:
NATO survival will depend on Germany — Europe is $100 billion short of strategic autonomy. Berlin could close that gap. — The United States will meet its commitments in Europe but NATO's European members have to step up on their defense spending — that's the message U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis …
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
Us Weekly:
Melania Trump Is ‘Miserable’ as First Lady, ‘Unhappy With How Her Life Ended Up’ — While her husband, Donald Trump, wields his power as president, first lady Melania Trump is struggling with the realities of her new role and the scrutiny that comes with it, insiders reveal in the new issue of Us Weekly.
Discussion:
Raw Story, New York Magazine and AOL