memeorandum: Big Crazy News Out of Montana (Josh Marshall/Talking Points Memo)

12:40 AM ET, May 25, 2017

Top Items:

Greg Gianforte: Fox News team witnesses GOP House candidate ‘body slam’ reporter — The race to fill Montana's sole seat in the U.S. House of Representatives took a violent turn Wednesday, and a crew from the Fox News Channel, including myself, witnessed it firsthand.

Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:

Republican candidate ‘body-slams’ Guardian reporter in Montana — Audio obtained of Greg Gianforte attacking a reporter on the eve of a special election to fill a congressional seat vacated by a member of the Trump administration … The Republican candidate for Montana's congressional seat slammed …

YouTube:

Greg Gianforte ‘Body Slams’ Reporter- video — Montana Republican congressional candidate Greg Gianforte ‘body slammed’ Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs during an interview on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. Subscri...

Discussion: ThinkProgress and Business Insider

Don Gonyea / NPR:

Trump Casts Shadow Over Tightening Montana Special Election — In the closely-watched Montana special congressional election on Thursday, President Trump is the shadow hanging over a race that neither candidate can fully escape — even though they're trying.

Discussion: Politico, Business Insider, The Daily Caller and Real Clear Politics

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

Big Crazy News Out of Montana — Tomorrow is the big special election for the open House seat in Montana. But something wild and really crazy apparently just happened. The GOP candidate Greg Gianforte reportedly body-slammed reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian. “Body slam” is often a loosely even comically used phrase.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

www.bozemandailychronicle.com:
Reporter alleges Greg Gianforte ‘body slammed’ him in Bozeman

Discussion: Raw Story and RedState

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
G.O.P. Candidate in Montana House Race Is Accused of Attacking Reporter

Discussion: NBC News

Henry J. Gomez / BuzzFeed:
National Republican Groups Silent On Montana Altercation

Discussion: Vox and Business Insider

David Wasserman / The Cook Political Report: A Smarter Way to Interpret 2017's Special Elections

Daniella Diaz / CNN:
First on CNN: Trump records robocall for Montana special election

Discussion: Washington Post, Shareblue and Talking Points Memo

Tom Lutey / Helena Independent Record:
Republicans outspending Democrats in final weeks of special election

Discussion: New York Magazine

CBO's Publications:

H.R. 1628, American Health Care Act of 2017 — CBO and JCT estimate that enacting the American Health Care Act would reduce federal deficits by $119 billion over the coming decade and increase the number of people who are uninsured by 23 million in 2026 relative to current law.

Reuters:

Exclusive: McConnell frets about healthcare, hopeful on tax overhaul — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday he does not yet know how Republicans will amass the votes needed to pass legislation now being crafted to dismantle Obamacare, but expressed some optimism …

Discussion: Politico, NPR, The Atlantic, The Daily Caller, Politicus USA, Talking Points Memo and Axios

Haley Byrd / IJR:
CBO on Health Care Bill: Sick People Could Face Higher Premiums and Even Be Priced Out of the Market

Discussion: Fox News, Vox, Equitable Growth and The Week

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Cruz: Franken is ‘obnoxious’ for joking about me in new book

Discussion: The Right Scoop, Washington Post, Mediaite, Hot Air, TheBlaze and IJR

Dylan Scott / Vox:
CBO: final House bill would still leave 23 million more Americans uninsured

Discussion: USA Today, Politico, HuffPost, Talking Points Memo, Axios, Washington Monthly, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, ABC News and KQED News

Bloomberg:
CBO Says GOP Health Plan Will Cut Deficit by $119 Billion

Discussion: Washington Post, Rewire, Axios, Mother Jones, The Daily Caller and The Week

Dylan Matthews / Vox:
This is how Donald Trump's budget cuts could actually become law

Discussion: Politico and The Hill

CNN:

First on CNN: AG Sessions did not disclose meetings with Russian officials, DOJ says — Sources: Russians bragged about using Flynn — Washington (CNN)Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not disclose meetings he had last year with Russian officials when he applied for his security clearance, the Justice Department told CNN Wednesday.

Discussion: New York Times, Daily Kos, Balloon Juice, The Week, Business Insider, Raw Story, Mediaite, Politicus USA, IJR, Political Wire and Talking Points Memo

Mike Levine / ABC News:
Sessions did not disclose meetings with Russian ambassador on security clearance forms

Discussion: Politico and Associated Press

New York Times:

Top Russian Officials Discussed How to Influence Trump Aides Last Summer — WASHINGTON — American spies collected information last summer revealing that senior Russian intelligence and political officials were discussing how to exert influence over Donald J. Trump through his advisers …

Discussion: Business Insider, The Times of Israel, The Atlantic, Taylor Marsh, The Week, Daily Kos, The Daily Caller, IJR, Mediaite, Politicus USA, Hot Air, Talking Points Memo, CNBC, Axios, National Review and Political Wire

Karoun Demirjian / Washington Post:

How a dubious Russian document influenced the FBI's handling of the Clinton probe — In the midst of the 2016 presidential primary season, the FBI received a purported Russian intelligence document describing a tacit understanding between the campaign of Hillary Clinton and the Justice Department …

Discussion: Axios, RedState, emptywheel, New York Magazine, Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice, Raw Story, Althouse, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Business Insider, CBS Miami, The Week, Politicus USA and The Atlantic

Fox News:

Fox News Poll: Trump approval down, voters support special counsel on Russia — American voters disagree with President Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey, think the dismissal was for self-serving reasons, and approve of a special counsel being appointed to investigate Russian government efforts …

Rasmussen Reports:
in Politics — The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll …

Discussion: The Rush Limbaugh Show, AOL, Daily Wire and The Last Tradition

Nancy A. Youssef / BuzzFeed:

The Pentagon Can't Believe Trump Told Another President About Nuclear Subs Near North Korea — “We never talk about subs!” three defense officials told BuzzFeed News after a transcript of a call between President Trump and Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was published.

Discussion: and that's the way it was, AOL, Balloon Juice, The Diplomat, Outside the Beltway, The Moderate Voice and Business Insider

Karen Lema / Reuters:
Trump tells Duterte of two U.S. nuclear subs in Korean waters: NYT

Discussion: ThinkProgress, RedState, The Daily Caller and Hot Air

CNN:

Spicer's absence in papal visit reveals Trump's family-first rule — Vatican City (CNN)At the most highly anticipated meeting on President Donald Trump's first foreign odyssey, the ever-shifting pecking order of a tumultuous White House was on full display.

Discussion: Business Insider, Mashable, The Week and Mother Jones

Annie Karni / Politico:
Spicer left out of Vatican visit

Discussion: Raw Story, Business Insider, Mediaite and Fusion

Liam Quinn / Daily Mail:

White women's burrito shop is forced to close after being hounded with accusations it was ‘culturally appropriating Mexican food and jobs’ — 'They wouldn't tell us too much, but we were peeking into the windows of every kitchen, fascinated by how easy they made it look,' Connelly told a magazine

Michael Bartiromo / Fox News:
Portland burrito shop forced to close amid accusations of cultural appropriation, stealing recipes

Discussion: Daily Wire, The Daily Caller and IJR

BuzzFeed:

Sean Hannity's Seth Rich Obsession Just Cost Him Two Advertisers — Cars.com and Peloton pulled their ads in light of Sean Hannity pushing a conspiracy theory surrounding the death of a DNC staffer. — Originally posted on October 15, 2064 — Cars.com and Peloton on Wednesday pulled advertising …

Discussion: Media Matters for America, ThinkProgress, Mediaite, The Right Scoop, The Week, The Wrap, Washington Post, Politico, Media Matters for America, TheBlaze, Business Insider and TVNewser, more at Mediagazer »

Joseph Bernstein / BuzzFeed:
The Man Behind The Seth Rich Private Investigation Has A White House Connection

more at Mediagazer »

C. J. Chivers / New York Times:

Found at the Scene in Manchester: A Detonator, Shrapnel and a Battery — The bomber in the Manchester terrorist attack appeared to have carried a powerful explosive in a lightweight metal container concealed either within a black vest or a blue Karrimor backpack, and to have held a small detonator …

Discussion: Breitbart, BBC, The Guardian, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Times of Israel, NBC News, Geller Report, Deadline and The Daily Caller

NBC News:
Manchester Bomber Known to U.S. Authorities Before Attack; Father, Brother Arrested

Discussion: Daily Mail, NBC News, The Atlantic and Washington Free Beacon

Fox News:
Manchester bomber Salman Abedi's father and brothers arrested, linked to ISIS, Al Qaeda

Discussion: The Daily Caller, New York Times, Reuters, Breitbart, The Independent, Telegraph, The Right Scoop, Daily Mail, ABC News, The Week, Weasel Zippers, Geller Report, New York Magazine, TheBlaze and NPR

Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:

Donald Trump's Base Is Shrinking — A widely held tenet of the current conventional wisdom is that while President Trump might not be popular overall, he has a high floor on his support. Trump's sizable and enthusiastic base — perhaps 35 to 40 percent of the country — won't abandon him any time soon …

Discussion: Hullabaloo and Mediaite

Tarini Parti / BuzzFeed:

A Top Mar-A-Lago Employee Is Quietly Doing Government Work For Trump's Foreign Trip — Heather Rinkus, the guest reception manager at Trump's “Winter White House” and wife of a twice-convicted felon, is in Italy with Trump's logistics team and has been outfitted with a government-issued phone and email.

Discussion: Raw Story and Political Wire

USA Today:

He plowed his field; now he faces a $2.8 million fine … RED BLUFF, Calif. — A farmer faces trial in federal court this summer and a $2.8 million fine for failing to get a permit to plow his field and plant wheat in Tehama County. — A lawyer for Duarte Nursery said the case is important …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Washington Times:

Obama admin knew gang members were part of illegal immigrant surge: Whistleblower — The Obama administration knowingly let in at least 16 admitted MS-13 gang members who arrived at the U.S. as illegal immigrant teenagers in 2014, a top senator said Wednesday, citing internal documents …

Discussion: Breitbart, The Right Scoop, The Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers

Jose A. Delreal / Washington Post:

Ben Carson calls poverty ‘a state of mind’ during interview — In an interview released Wednesday, Housing Secretary Ben Carson said that a “certain mindset” contributes to people living in poverty, pointing to habits and a “state of mind” children take from their parents at a young age.