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T r u m p ' s L i e s — Many Americans have become accustomed to President Trump's lies. But as regular as they have become, the country should not allow itself to become numb to them. So we have catalogued nearly every outright lie he has told publicly since taking the oath of office.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Raw Story, Bipartisan Report, Joe.My.God., Mediaite and Boing Boing


Trump called Cruz to press him on ObamaCare repeal bill: report — President Trump has joined the effort led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — (R-Ky.) to get the 50 votes needed for the Senate GOP bill to repeal ObamaCare, according to a new report.
Discussion:
RedState, Politico and Washington Post
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Fifth GOP senator announces opposition to ObamaCare repeal bill
Discussion:
Politico, ABC News, IJR and The Daily Caller

Pro-Trump group launches seven-figure ad buy against GOP senator opposing repeal bill
Discussion:
Politicus USA, twitchy.com, RedState, Axios, Washington Post and Joe.My.God.

Heller Blasts Senate O'Care Bill As He Announces His Opposition To It
Discussion:
The Nevada Independent and Daily Kos


Why ‘Mattis in charge’ is a formula for disaster — “It's all under control: Mattis is in charge.” That, or words to that effect, is what U.S. national security officials have been telling European allies in recent days. Don't worry. There won't be any surprises.
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White House frustration grows with Tillerson over jobs for Trump allies
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Raw Story and Political Wire


CNN deletes, retracts story linking Trump and Russia — On Thursday evening, CNN investigative reporter Thomas Frank published a potentially explosive report involving an investigation of a Russian investment fund with potential ties to several associates of President Donald Trump.
Discussion:
CNN, Infowars, Instapundit and The Last Tradition, more at Mediagazer »

Attorney General Becerra: Alabama, Kentucky, South Dakota and Texas Added to List of Restricted State Travel — Contact: (415) 703-5837, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov — California will prohibit state-funded and state-sponsored travel due to discriminatory legislation enacted in each state
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, The Root, KTLA, Christian News Network and IJR
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California attorney general adds 4 states to state travel ban
Discussion:
SBNation.com, Washington Times, The Daily Caller and Sacramento Bee

California restricts state travel to Texas, other states over LGBT laws
Discussion:
Bipartisan Report and The Gateway Pundit


‘Trump Is What Happens When a Political Party Abandons Ideas’ — Almost two years ago, I wrote an article for Politico endorsing Donald Trump for president. It was a tongue-in-cheek effort—I “supported” Trump only because I thought he would lose to Hillary Clinton, disastrously …


Op-Ed Kamala Harris: I can help you understand Trumpcare, but I can't defeat it alone — U.S. Senator Kamala Harris speaks at a rally to protest the national effort by Republican lawmakers to rescind the Affordable Care Act outside Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center in Los Angeles on January 15.
Discussion:
Raw Story
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Our Fake Democracy — We tell ourselves stories in order to live, as Joan Didion said.
Discussion:
The Mahablog

How The Senate O'Care Repeal Is Even More Radical Than The House's
Discussion:
Axios and Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times


There's a Health Care Lesson for Republicans in the Shooting of Steve Scalise — The GOP is attempting to expose millions of Americans to the kind of financial ruin that he has avoided—for now. — It has been nine days since a gunman opened fire on Republican members of Congress during …
Discussion:
twitchy.com, IJR, WDTN-TV and Daily Kos
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Public support for ‘single payer’ health coverage grows, driven by Democrats
Discussion:
American Greatness and American Power


‘Woefully incomplete’ universal health bill dead for the year in California — Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon put the brakes on a sweeping plan to overhaul the health care market in California Friday, calling the bill “woefully incomplete.” — Rendon announced plans to park the bill …


With cameras banned, CNN sends sketch artist to White House briefing — The White House has been prohibiting cameras at some press briefings, so on Friday CNN got creative and sent a sketch artist. — Bill Hennessy, the network's regular sketch artist for Supreme Court proceedings …


Gowdy won't use Oversight gavel to probe Russia — Newly minted House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy — (R-S.C.) said Friday he has no plans to call fired FBI Director James Comey before his panel or demand the bureau hand over memos that Comey wrote detailing his interactions with President Trump.
Discussion:
RedState
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Poll: More Americans Believe Comey Over Trump
Discussion:
NBC News, Business Insider, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos, The Week, CNBC, Washington Post, Mother Jones and Axios

Poll: Voters grow weary of Russia probes
Discussion:
Breitbart, The Lid, Liberal Values, Daily Wire, The Daily Caller and Washington Times


Making America scared again won't make us safer — Sally Q. Yates served in the Justice Department from 1989 to 2017 as an assistant U.S. attorney, U.S. attorney, deputy attorney general and, briefly this year, as acting attorney general. — In today's polarized world …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Mediaite and The Cannabist

How Twitter Pornified Politics — This is the column in which I formally forswear Twitter for good. I'll keep my Twitter handle, and hopefully my followers, but an editorial assistant will manage the account from now on. I'll intercede only to say nice things about the writing I admire, the people I like and the music I love.
Discussion:
Althouse


California activist Tom Steyer adds health care to his brand — Joining the drug price battle could boost the political fortunes of the California billionaire. — SAN FRANCISCO — California billionaire activist Tom Steyer made his name as an environmental activist, worked with Democratic groups …

Judiciary Committee Probes Reported Lynch Assurances to Stifle Clinton Email Investigation — WASHINGTON - Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein, Crime and Terrorism Subcommittee Chairman Lindsey Graham and Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse sought information …
Discussion:
CNN, TheBlaze, USA Today, The Root, ZeroPointNow, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon, AOL, Raw Story, The Week and IJR
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Why Hasn't Trump Actually Nominated an FBI Director?
Discussion:
Raw Story


Frustrated Dems say Obama botched Russia response — The Obama administration is under fresh scrutiny for its response to Russian meddling in the election after new details emerged this week about how the White House weighed its actions against the 2016 political environment.
Discussion:
CANNONFIRE, The Week, Politicus USA, KTLA, Mediaite and Esquire


Justice Department, FBI seem at odds over budget — The firing of FBI Director James Comey isn't the only thing top Justice Department officials and FBI leaders disagree about at the moment. — They also don't see eye to eye about something else always of great import in Washington: money.
Discussion:
Raw Story


Johnny Depp apologizes for ‘bad joke’ about Trump: ‘I intended no malice’ — Johnny Depp has apologized after making controversial comments about President Donald Trump, which caused the White House to issue a statement condemning him. — “I apologize for the bad joke I attempted last night …
Discussion:
Bipartisan Report, The Daily Caller, Daily Mail and Mediaite
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Johnny Depp Apologizes for Joking About Trump Assassination: ‘I Intended No Malice’
Discussion:
Infowars, Daily Mail, Fox News Insider, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, TheBlaze, Vox, The Hill, AOL, NBC News, National Review, Mashable, IJR, Washington Times, Variety, New York Times, Deadline and Press Association