memeorandum: Bill O'Reilly Is Forced Out at Fox News (New York Times)

4:35 PM ET, April 19, 2017

Top Items:

Fox News Has Decided Bill O'Reilly Has to Go — The Murdochs have decided Bill O'Reilly's 21-year run at Fox News will come to an end. According to sources briefed on the discussions, network executives are preparing to announce O'Reilly's departure before he returns from an Italian vacation on April 24.

New York Times:

Bill O'Reilly Is Forced Out at Fox News — Bill O'Reilly has been forced out of his position as a prime-time host on Fox News, the company said on Wednesday, after the disclosure of multiple settlements involving sexual harassment allegations against him. His ouster brings an abrupt …

Jason Horowitz / New York Times:

Bill O'Reilly Meets Pope Francis in Vatican V.I.P. Line — ROME — Bill O'Reilly, the embattled Fox News host facing a barrage of sexual harassment accusations, briefly met Pope Francis in St. Peter's Square on Wednesday morning during the pontiff's weekly general audience …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, CBS Chicago, AOL, Raw Story, Joe.My.God., CNNMoney and Mediaite

Joe Concha / The Hill:

Where will Bill O'Reilly go next? — With the stunning news that Bill O'Reilly is out at Fox News, the big question is: What's next for “The Factor” host? — Despite being the top-rated cable news host for the past 15 years, the opportunities appear surprisingly thin. — CNN? — No chance.

Discussion: Politico and Axios

Jhahn / 21st Century Fox:

Statement From 21st Century Fox Regarding Bill O'Reilly — New York, NY - April 19 2017 - 21st Century Fox today issued the following statement: — “After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the Company and Bill O'Reilly have agreed that Bill O'Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel.”

Discussion: The Atlantic, Morning Consult, Hit & Run, TheBlaze, CBS Philly, Hot Air, Vox, Business Insider, TVNewser and Politico

Joe Flint / Wall Street Journal:

Fox Is Preparing to Cut Ties With Bill O'Reilly — Popular host has been implicated in a sexual-harassment scandal — Fox News is preparing to cut ties with its biggest star, Bill O'Reilly, according to people close to the situation. — A final decision on Mr. O'Reilly's fate could come …

Marisa Guthrie / Hollywood Reporter:
Fox News Picks Tucker Carlson for 8 p.m. Slot

Discussion: Reuters and AOL

Stephen Battaglio / Los Angeles Times:
Fox News has severed ties with its star anchor Bill O'Reilly

Discussion: Mother Jones

Elliot Smilowitz / The Hill:
Fox News moves Tucker Carlson up to O'Reilly time slot

Discussion: Infowars

Media Matters for America: As He Leaves Fox, Here Are Bill O'Reilly's Worst Moments On The Air

CNNMoney:
Bill O'Reilly out at Fox News

Discussion: KTLA and TheBlaze

Alexis Levinson / BuzzFeed:

Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz Will Not Seek Re-Election — The Utah Republican, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, will step down at the end of this congress. — Rep. Jason Chaffetz will not seek re-election in 2018, two sources who have been informed of his decision tell BuzzFeed News.

Discussion: CNBC, Raw Story, Common Dreams, TheBlaze and Washington Free Beacon

Amber Phillips / Washington Post:

Why is Jason Chaffetz suddenly retiring from Congress? One word: Ambition. — One of the most high-profile House Republicans is rather abruptly stepping out of politics. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced Wednesday …

Discussion: Raw Story, Heat Street and Balloon Juice

Jason Chaffetz:

Thank you! — Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Representative in the United States House of Representatives. Serving is an honor and a privilege that I have never taken for granted. — After long consultation with my family and prayerful consideration, I have decided I will not be a candidate for any office in 2018.

Discussion: NPR, The Hill, IJR, Common Dreams, Talking Points Memo, TheBlaze, Politicus USA, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Daily Kos, Politico, Hot Air, Morning Consult, Business Insider and Washington Free Beacon

McKay Coppins / The Atlantic:
Jason Chaffetz's Abrupt Exit

Discussion: Washington Post and IJR

New York Times:
Jason Chaffetz, Powerful House Republican, Won't Run in 2018

Discussion: RedState, Washington Post, Roll Call, Outside the Beltway and The Resurgent

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:

Democrats begin to wonder: When do we win? — As it became clear late Tuesday evening that Jon Ossoff would fall just short of the 50-percent mark in the first round of voting in a suburban Atlanta special election, Democrats back in Washington started leafing through their calendars and asking: When does the winning start?

Sean Trende / Real Clear Politics:
Five Takeaways From the Georgia Special Election

Discussion: Daily Wire and New York Times

Erick Erickson / The Resurgent:
The Truth About What Happened in the GA-06 Special Election is Different From Either Party's Spin

Discussion: The Atlantic, New York Magazine, Politico, RedState and Newsmax

NBC News:
Inside the Numbers, the Georgia Election Is Still a Boost for Dems

Discussion: USA Today, Fox News, Political Insider, FiveThirtyEight and Political Wire

New York Times:
Jon Ossoff, a Democrat, Narrowly Misses Outright Win in Georgia House Race

David M. Drucker / Washington Examiner:
How Ryan's super PAC stopped an Ossoff upset

Discussion: Townhall.com and The Resurgent

Chun Han Wong / Wall Street Journal:

‘Duped by Trump’: U.S. Taunted Over Carl Vinson Aircraft Carrier Tale — Criticism rises after the U.S. Navy says it hadn't sent the USS Carl Vinson directly to North Korea after all — Alastair Gale aboard the USS Ronald Reagan — The revelation that the Pentagon didn't send …

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Post, Occupy Democrats, ThinkProgress, Stars & Stripes, Business Insider, Daily Kos and Patterico's Pontifications

Kelsey Sutton / Politico:
Lindsey Graham heaps praise on Trump: ‘I am all in’

Discussion: Political Wire and ABC News

Louis Nelson / Politico:
White House deflects responsibility for aircraft carrier confusion

Discussion: Mother Jones, NPR and The Diplomat

Louis Nelson / Politico:
Pence: Misstatements about U.S. aircraft carrier location not intentional

Discussion: ABC News

Bloomberg:

Silicon Valley's $400 Juicer May Be Feeling the Squeeze — One of the most lavishly funded gadget startups in Silicon Valley last year was Juicero Inc. It makes a juice machine. The product was an unlikely pick for top technology investors, but they were drawn to the idea of an internet-connected device …

Discussion: Mother Jones, New York Magazine, Mashable, Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Verge

Wall Street Journal:

300 km — The State Department is among the U.S. government agencies that have a say on Exxon's waiver application, according to current and former U.S. officials. — Mr. Tillerson is recusing himself from any matters involving Exxon for two years, and won't be involved with any decision …

Discussion: New York Magazine, Business Insider, Daily Wire, Common Dreams, Reuters and Axios

CBS Boston:

Aaron Hernandez Kills Himself In Prison — SHIRLEY - Former New England Patriot and convicted killer Aaron Hernandez killed himself in prison overnight, authorities said Wednesday morning. — Read: Keller: Think Before You Comment On Suicide — Here is the message sent out by Christopher Fallon …

Discussion: CBS Pittsburgh, Hot Air and CBS New York

Evan Allen / BostonGlobe.com:
In wake of suicide, Aaron Hernandez conviction will be voided

Discussion: Washington Post

Tal Kopan / CNN:

Dispute over whether US deports first DACA recipient — Cops: Abuse victims scared of deportation — His lawyers say he had active protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — (CNN)Advocates on Tuesday accused the government of improperly deporting a young man …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Breitbart, USA Today, Daily Kos, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, KFOR-TV, Hot Air, ThinkProgress, RedState, Washington Free Beacon, The Hill and New York Times

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
DHS says Dreamer deportation valid; caught hopping border fence

Discussion: Vox, Washington Post, Common Dreams, Shakesville, Refinery29 and John Hawkins' Right Wing News

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

A Requiem for ‘Girls’ — The romance between this newspaper and the HBO show “Girls” is somewhat legendary. Between its debut in 2012 and its finale last Sunday, according to some exhaustive data journalism from The Awl, The New York Times published 37 articles about the show, its fans …

Discussion: Taylor Marsh

Tom Precious / The Buffalo News:

How did Cuomo make $783,000 on memoir that sold 3,200 copies? — ALBANY - Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo reported his income last year more than doubled from the previous year, thanks to another round of royalty payments on a 2014 HarperCollins memoir that saw lackluster sales.

Discussion: Hot Air and Political Wire

Rex W. Tillerson / US Department of State:

Trump Administration Undergoing Interagency Review of Iran Deal — The U.S. Department of State certified to U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan today that Iran is compliant through April 18th with its commitments under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action however, the Secretary also raised concerns …

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, ThinkProgress, NPR, Geller Report, The Daily Caller and Daily Wire

New York Times:

Lawsuit Accuses Alt-Right Leader of ‘Terror Campaign’ Against a Jewish Woman — The Southern Poverty Law Center filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the publisher of a popular alt-right website, claiming that he orchestrated a “terror campaign” against a Jewish woman in Montana.

Discussion: NBC News

Yahoo:

Images show North Koreans playing volleyball at nuclear test site — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. experts who have been forecasting an imminent North Korean nuclear test said on Tuesday they were surprised when they viewed their latest satellite images of the country's nuclear test site and saw volleyball games under way.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, New York Magazine, Axios and Political Wire

New York Times:

Why Are Republicans Making Tax Reform So Hard? — In the aftermath of the health care blowup, President Trump and the Republicans need a legislative victory. Tax reform probably should have gone first, but now is the time to move it forward with urgency. — Unfortunately, the White House seems all over the map on the subject.

Discussion: Washington Post