Top Items:
Axios:
House GOP health care peacemaking deteriorates — There was an effort yesterday to get House GOP conservatives — the House Freedom Caucus and Republican Study Committee — to meet with GOP moderates — the Tuesday Group — to talk about a path forward after last week's failed health care effort.
Discussion:
CNBC
RELATED:
Peter Sullivan / The Hill:
Centrist group in House ‘will never’ meet with Freedom Caucus — The centrist Tuesday Group affirmed at a meeting Wednesday that it will not meet with the conservative House Freedom Caucus to negotiate changes to an ObamaCare replacement bill, according to Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.).
Discussion:
Political Wire and Axios
Rich Lowry / Politico:
The Crisis of Trumpism — Trumpism is in crisis. — This isn't a function of poll numbers, or the Russia controversy, or any other melodrama of the past three months, but something more fundamental: No officeholder in Washington seems to understand President Donald Trump's populism …
Discussion:
Vox, Washington Monthly, The Guardian, Mediaite and Raw Story
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
Trump says ‘We must fight’ hard-line conservative Freedom Caucus in 2018 midterm elections
Trump says ‘We must fight’ hard-line conservative Freedom Caucus in 2018 midterm elections
Discussion:
The Hill, RedState, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, ABC News, Vox, TheStreet, CBS New York and The American Conservative
New York Times:
2 White House Officials Helped Give Nunes Intelligence Reports — WASHINGTON — A pair of White House officials played a role in providing Representative Devin Nunes of California, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, with the intelligence reports that showed President Trump …
Discussion:
Political Wire
RELATED:
Newsweek:
FBI Director James Comey tried to reveal Russian tampering months before election — U.S. JAMES COMEY FBI RUSSIA 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION — FBI Director James Comey attempted to go public as early as the summer of 2016 with information on Russia's campaign to influence …
CNBC:
Putin says claims that Russia interfered in US elections are ‘lies’ — Accusations that Russia interfered in last year's U.S. elections are “lies” used for “domestic American politics,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. — “We said on numerous occasions and I reiterate …
Discussion:
CNN, Talking Points Memo, BizPac Review, Climate Depot, Raw Story, Washington Times, The Week, Mediaite, Joe.My.God. and Towleroad
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Dem senator: Intel panel should probe financial ties between Trump, Russia
Dem senator: Intel panel should probe financial ties between Trump, Russia
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Politico, New York Times and Al Jazeera English
Adam Kelsey / ABC News:
How the House, Senate Russia probes are headed down different paths
How the House, Senate Russia probes are headed down different paths
Discussion:
Politico, Associated Press and Axios
Lachlan Markay / The Daily Beast:
Bannon May Have Violated Ethics Pledge by Communicating With Breitbart — Top Trump advisor Steve Bannon may have violated a White House ethics agreement by communicating with employees of his former media company, the vociferously pro-Trump outlet Breitbart News.
Discussion:
Washington Post
RELATED:
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Senior White House aide Katie Walsh moving to pro-Trump political group — President Donald Trump on Thursday launched his first West Wing shake-up less than three months into his term, sending deputy chief of staff Katie Walsh to bolster the flagging outside groups that were meant to support his agenda …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Vox, Talking Points Memo, Axios and Political Wire
Jordan Libowitz / CREW:
CREW: BANNON ETHICS PLEDGE INVESTIGATION NEEDED OVER BREITBART CONTACTS
Paul Wood / BBC:
Trump Russia dossier key claim ‘verified’ — The BBC has learned that US officials “verified” a key claim in a report about Kremlin involvement in Donald Trump's election - that a Russian diplomat in Washington was in fact a spy. — So far, no single piece of evidence has been made public proving …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Washington Post, emptywheel, Shakesville, Business Insider, Raw Story, CANNONFIRE, The Week, AOL, Occupy Democrats, Political Wire, Balloon Juice and NBC News
Nick Gutteridge / Daily Express:
EU could BREAK UP the US: Juncker in jaw-dropping threat to Trump over support for Brexit — EUROPEAN Union boss Jean-Claude Juncker this afternoon issued a jaw-dropping threat to the United States, saying he could campaign to break up the country in revenge for Donald Trump's supportive comments about Brexit.
Discussion:
BizPac Review, AMERICAN DIGEST, Fox News, Althouse, The FADER and Business Insider
RELATED:
John Cassidy / New Yorker:
Theresa May's Empty Brexit Promises
Theresa May's Empty Brexit Promises
Discussion:
The Independent, ThinkProgress, bradford-delong.com, PRI, The Local, Washington Post and BBC
Raleigh News & Observer:
Lawmakers vote Thursday on deal to repeal HB2 — RALEIGH — North Carolina lawmakers could repeal House Bill 2 on Thursday under a deal struck late Wednesday night by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper and Republican legislative leaders. — Senate leader Phil Berger announced the deal shortly …
RELATED:
CNN:
North Carolina HB2 repeal bill clears first hurdle in Senate Rules Committee
North Carolina HB2 repeal bill clears first hurdle in Senate Rules Committee
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Slot, Mediaite, New York Magazine, NBC News and Associated Press
Mark Berman / Washington Post:
North Carolina lawmakers give first approval to deal replacing bathroom bill, setting up crucial vote
North Carolina lawmakers give first approval to deal replacing bathroom bill, setting up crucial vote
Discussion:
Hit & Run, NBC News, Infowars, The FADER, TheBlaze, Joe.My.God., NPR, ABC News and twitchy.com
Bryan Lowry / Kansas City Star:
McCaskill warns Democratic donors of pitfalls of blocking Trump nominee for high court — Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri warned Democratic donors that blocking President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee could have dire consequences, according to audio obtained by The Star.
Discussion:
Politico, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, Washington Free Beacon and rubber hose
RELATED:
Nan Aron / USA Today:
Don't torpedo Senate rules for Gorsuch: Nan Aron
Don't torpedo Senate rules for Gorsuch: Nan Aron
Discussion:
Politico, Daily Kos and Campaign for America's Future
Yashar Ali / New York Magazine:
What George W. Bush Really Thought of Donald Trump's Inauguration — The inauguration of Donald Trump was a surreal experience for pretty much everyone who witnessed it, whether or not they were at the event and regardless of who they supported in the election.
Decision Desk HQ:
Creating a National Precinct Map … In January 2011, I sent an email to the Washington State Democratic Party asking about precinct results from the 2008 presidential caucus race. State party chairman Jaxon Ravens replied simply with the question, “Why would you want them?”
Discussion:
Political Wire
New York Times:
U.S. War Footprint Grows in Middle East, With No Endgame in Sight — BEIRUT, Lebanon — The United States launched more airstrikes in Yemen this month than during all of last year. In Syria, it has airlifted local forces to front-line positions and has been accused of killing civilians in airstrikes.
Discussion:
NPR, No More Mister Nice Blog, The American Conservative, Just Security, Politico and rubber hose
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Administration Signals It Would Seek Mostly Modest Changes to Nafta — One change would be in government-procurement section of deal that could open up door for ‘Buy American’ policies — WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is signaling to Congress it would seek mostly modest changes …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Mother Jones, New York Magazine and Axios
Rebecca Leber / Mother Jones:
“Irrational,” “Reckless,” “Irresponsible”: The EPA Just Accidentally Told the Truth About Trump's Climate Plan — On Tuesday, President Donald Trump visited the Environmental Protection Agency, where he signed an executive order dismantling key Obama-era policies aimed at fighting climate change.
RELATED:
Brooke Seipel / The Hill:
Energy Department tells staff not to use phrase ‘climate change’: report
Energy Department tells staff not to use phrase ‘climate change’: report
Discussion:
Politico, Geller Report, Common Dreams, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Occupy Democrats, New York Magazine, The Week, Axios and AOL
Tommy Christopher / Shareblue:
Watch real climate scientist shoot down climate “skeptic” at GOP's sham “science” hearing — Donald Trump's presidency continues to be a disaster for the environment. The Energy Department's Climate Office banned use of the phrase “climate change,” and Trump recently signed an executive order …
Discussion:
Little Green Footballs, ABC News and Climate Depot
Tom Jensen / Public Policy Polling:
Trump, Ryan Both Hit Record Low Approval — PPP's newest national poll finds Donald Trump's approval rating falling to its lowest level yet in our polling. Only 40% of voters approve of the job he's doing, to 53% who disapprove. — Health Care: — The upshot of last week's health care debate …
Discussion:
Business Insider and Politico
David Ovalle / miamiherald:
Trump strategist Bannon won't be charged in Miami voter registration probe — White House chief strategist Steve Bannon won't face any criminal charges related to his mysterious voter registration in Miami-Dade County. — Prosecutors announced Thursday that they could not prove beyond …
Discussion:
Raw Story and twitchy.com
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Why Trump's unpopularity is historically unique — President Trump is not the first president to see his approval rating drop to 35 percent, as it did in Gallup's most recent tracking poll. — But he is the first president on record to go that low without it owing to one of three things: war, Watergate or economic strife.
Discussion:
The Week, The Hill, Business Insider, Eschaton, Political Wire, RedState, AOL, Talking Points Memo and Politicus USA
Elizabeth Spiers / Washington Post:
I worked for Jared Kushner. He's the wrong businessman to reinvent government. — How the New York Observer could predict the fate of the Office of American Innovation. — On my first day of work as the editor in chief of the New York Observer, which had been acquired five years earlier …
Discussion:
Bloomberg and Shakesville
Reid Wilson / The Hill:
Dems on offense in gubernatorial races — After Republicans won big in successive election cycles to take control of more governorships than at almost any other time in the party's history, the GOP now finds itself defending a huge number of seats in critical swing states in 2018.
Discussion:
Politico and The Daily Caller
Daniel Miller / Los Angeles Times:
Dustin Hoffman and son invested $3 million in now-bankrupt real estate venture of Paul Manafort's son-in-law — Businessman Jeffrey Yohai, left, and actor Jacob Hoffman, center, at nightspot Baby's All Right in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Jan. 20, 2015. Hoffman and his father, “The Graduate” …
Discussion:
Daily Mail