Top Items:
Steven Swinford / Telegraph:
Watch | Spicer: GCHQ may have helped Obama spy on Trump — The US has made a formal apology to Britain after the White House accused GCHQ of helping Barack Obama spy on Donald Trump in the White House. — Sean Spicer, Mr Trump's press secretary, repeated a claim on Thursday evening …
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Bloomberg:
British Complain After Trump Spokesman Cites Wiretapping Report — Multiple high-level government contacts after Spicer briefing — Press secretary cited Fox report U.K. calls ‘nonsense’ — British officials complained to the White House Thursday after press secretary Sean Spicer cited …
Elizabeth Preza / Raw Story:
'It's stupefying to watch': Jim Acosta and Jake Tapper stunned by White House's ‘depressing’ wiretap defense — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — CNN's Jim Acosta spoke with “The Lead” host Jake Tapper after Sean Spicer's contentious press briefing on Thursday.
Discussion:
Reuters
CNN:
White House apologizes to British government over spying claims
White House apologizes to British government over spying claims
Discussion:
USA Today, RedState, Joe.My.God., WPMT FOX43 and The Root
New York Times:
Trump Digs In on Wiretap, No Matter Who Says Differently
Trump Digs In on Wiretap, No Matter Who Says Differently
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Daily Kos, The Guardian, Washington Post, The Hill, The Daily Caller, CNBC, Eat Pray Vote, New York's PIX11, Morning Consult and IJR
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Spicer says Trump ‘stands by’ unproven allegation that Obama ordered wiretapping of Trump Tower
Spicer says Trump ‘stands by’ unproven allegation that Obama ordered wiretapping of Trump Tower
Discussion:
Political Wire, Daily Kos and Balloon Juice
Joe Concha / The Hill:
CNN's Chalian: Trump ‘looked like a third-grader’ in Fox interview
CNN's Chalian: Trump ‘looked like a third-grader’ in Fox interview
Discussion:
Raw Story
David E. Sanger / New York Times:
Rex Tillerson Rejects Talks With North Korea on Nuclear Program — SEOUL, South Korea — Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson ruled out on Friday opening any negotiation with North Korea to freeze its nuclear and missile programs and said for the first time that the Trump administration might …
Discussion:
Politico, Political Wire, Washington Post, The Week and Joe.My.God.
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Washington Post:
Tillerson says diplomacy has failed as North Korea warns of nuclear war — U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida at the end of a joint press conference in Tokyo on March 16, 2017. Tillerson called on North Korea to abandon its nuclear …
Louis Nelson / Politico:
Tillerson: Military action against North Korea is an option
Tillerson: Military action against North Korea is an option
Discussion:
ABC News
Dylan Byers / CNNMoney:
Sources: Sean Hannity once pulled a gun on Juan Williams — Sean Hannity is surrounded by jackasses. — The Wall Street Journal columnist who called Hannity the “dumbest anchor” on Fox News is a “jackass,” according to Hannity. The forensic psychologist who suggested a blood vessel had popped inside Hannity's brain is a “jackass.”
Discussion:
BizPac Review, New York Magazine, Occupy Democrats, Balloon Juice, Mediaite, Death and Taxes, Raw Story, Hot Air, RedState, Joe.My.God., The Week, AOL and Politico
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Robert Barnes / LawNewz:
Five 9th Circuit Judges Dish Out Ruthless Take Down to Anti-Trump Travel Ban Decision — In one of the most ruthless opinions issued of fellow panel judges, five judges from across the political spectrum in the Ninth Circuit went out of their way to issue an opinion about a dismissed appeal …
Discussion:
PoliPundit.com, Reuters and IJR
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Linda Greenhouse / New York Times:
A Time to Choose for the Supreme Court — Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are getting plenty of advice in the run-up to next week's Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Neil M. Gorsuch. I offered my own advice in the days immediately following Judge Gorsuch's nomination …
Discussion:
SCOTUSblog, NPR and Bangor Daily News
Neil Munro / Breitbart:
Judge Considers Ordering President Donald Trump to Double 50,000 Refugee Inflow to the United States — A federal District Court judge in Maryland is considering whether he should order President Donald Trump to double the annual inflow of refugees up to 100,000 per year.
Discussion:
Power Line
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
White House Says Cutting Meals on Wheels Is ‘Compassionate’ — President Trump's new budget would increase defense spending by $54 billion — while slashing funding for medical research, climate science, public housing, education, aid to the indigent, infrastructure, and many, many other things.
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Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Trump Takes a Gamble in Cutting Programs His Base Relies On
Trump Takes a Gamble in Cutting Programs His Base Relies On
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog and HBCU Digest
Louis Nelson / Politico:
Mulvaney: Proposed cuts to Meals on Wheels are compassionate to taxpayers
Mulvaney: Proposed cuts to Meals on Wheels are compassionate to taxpayers
Discussion:
CBS Boston, Mother Jones and ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Freedom Caucus aligns with Bannon in risky Obamacare gambit — Steve Bannon was furious. — Last weekend, the Washington Examiner published a story claiming that President Donald Trump had vowed to back primary challengers to run against Republicans who oppose the GOP's health care plan.
Discussion:
The Week
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Phil Archer / Click2Houston.com:
Former Texas Congressman Steve Stockman accused of violating federal election law — HOUSTON - Steve Stockman, who served two stints in the U.S. House of Representatives, spent part of Friday in federal court. — Stockman, a Tea Party favorite who courted controversy thorough two congressional terms …
Discussion:
Hot Air, TheBlaze and Joe.My.God.
Jenna Johnson / Washington Post:
Whom to trust when it comes to health-care reform? Trump supporters put their faith in him. — NASHVILLE — Soon after Charla McComic's son lost his job, his health-insurance premium dropped from $567 per month to just $88, a “blessing from God” that she believes was made possible by President Trump.
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Conservative Fantasies, Colliding With Reality — This week the Trump administration put out a budget blueprint — or more accurately, a “budget” blueprint. After all, real budgets detail where the money comes from and where it goes; this proclamation covers only around a third of federal spending …
Discussion:
Common Dreams
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New York Times:
Mr. Trump's Tear-Down Budget
Mr. Trump's Tear-Down Budget
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Washington Post, Politicus USA and grubstreet
Joe Lawlorstaff / Press Herald:
Sen. Susan Collins says she can't support House ACA replacement in current form — The moderate Republican says ‘Older people living in rural America would be really left behind.’ — Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said Thursday that she opposes the House Republican health care bill being debated in Congress.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Axios, New York Magazine, Politico, The Daily Caller and Washington Times
Gal Tziperman Lotan / Orlando Sentinel:
Orlando police chief ‘furious’ with decision not to seek death penalty for Markeith Loyd — In a press conference on the steps of the Orange County Courthouse, Orange-Osceola State Attorney Aramis Ayala announces that her office will no longer pursue the death penalty as a sentence …
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Stephanie Allen / Orlando Sentinel:
Gov. Scott appoints special prosecutor after Ayala says she won't pursue death penalty
Gov. Scott appoints special prosecutor after Ayala says she won't pursue death penalty
Discussion:
The Root and Naked Politics
Liz Spayd / New York Times:
Snoop Dogg, Bow Wow and an Ill-Advised Retweet — Amid the thousands of tweets that fly from the keyboards of journalists every day, occasionally comes one that sets off an alarm: “Whoops. Should I have said that?” Wednesday afternoon, that bell should have sounded shortly …
Discussion:
BizPac Review, Atlanta Buzz …, Daily Wire, The Gateway Pundit and Washington Free Beacon
Adam Kredo / Washington Free Beacon:
Suspected Hack Attack Snagging Cell Phone Data Across D.C. — An unusual amount of highly suspicious cellphone activity in the Washington, D.C., region is fueling concerns that a rogue entity is surveying the communications of numerous individuals, likely including U.S. government officials …
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The Local:
Man held after father and brother found with throats slit in Paris — Police in Paris have launched an investigation after two men, a father and his son, were found with their throats slit in the French capital. Another son has been arrested in connection with the murders.
Discussion:
Geller Report
Lauren Goode / The Verge:
Netflix is ditching five-star ratings in favor of a thumbs up — And it will show a percentage to “match” you with shows — Netflix vice president of product Todd Yellin said in a press briefing today that the video streaming company would be changing its ratings system …
Discussion:
Consumerist, BGR, WNEP-TV and The Next Web, more at Mediagazer »
Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:
Hawaii judge's ruling could lead to constitutional crisis — When a Ninth Circuit panel issued a decision striking down President Trump's original travel ban, I described its opinion as “limited in impact, but full of mischief.” The biggest piece of mischief, I thought …
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and Constitution Daily
The California Courts Newsroom:
Chief Justice Cantil-Sakauye Objects to Immigration Enforcement Tactics at California Courthouses — Expresses concerns in letter to Attorney General Sessions and Secretary Kelly — Dear Attorney General Sessions and Secretary Kelly: — As Chief Justice of California responsible …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Occupy Democrats, NBC News, New York Times, KTLA and KQED News