memeorandum: Trump Says He Has ‘Complete Power’ to Pardon (Peter Baker/New York Times)

11:25 AM ET, July 22, 2017

Top Items:

Sessions discussed Trump campaign-related matters with Russian ambassador, U.S. intelligence intercepts show … Russia's ambassador to Washington told his superiors in Moscow that he discussed campaign-related matters, including policy issues important to Moscow, with Jeff Sessions during …

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Trump Says He Has ‘Complete Power’ to Pardon — WASHINGTON — President Trump on Saturday asserted the “complete power to pardon” relatives, aides and possibly even himself in response to investigations into Russia's meddling in last year's election even as he came to the defense …

Discussion: The Atlantic, ABC News, CNN, Washington Post, Politico, Business Insider, WFLA-TV, The Daily Gazette, Infowars, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, The Week, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze, Joe.My.God., AOL, NBC News, Daily Kos, IJR, Axios, Raw Story and Washington Monthly

Brandon Carter / The Hill:

Trump: Everyone agrees the president has ‘complete power to pardon’ — President Trump asserted his “complete power to pardon” in a tweet Saturday morning after reports emerged this week that he was discussing his ability to pardon people in the ongoing investigation into ties between his campaign and Russia.

Discussion: RedState, Talking Points Memo, Politicus USA and The Week

Adam Kelsey / ABC News:
Jeff Sessions has no plans to resign amid reports of campaign conversations with Russia: source

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, IJR, ThinkProgress, The Daily Caller, Joe.My.God., The Gateway Pundit and Politicus USA

Mike Allen / Axios:

Trump is building a Cabinet ready for political, legal war — When President Trump makes more changes in his West Wing (insiders suspect August or September, but who knows?), any new faces are likely to be in the mold of Anthony Scaramucci, age 53, the pugilistic Wall Streeter known as …

Discussion: Politico, Raw Story and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Michael C. Bender / Wall Street Journal:

Sean Spicer Faced Myriad Obstacles During Dramatic White House Rise and Fall — The former White House press secretary's briefings became must-see TV, but he was often out of sync with his boss.

Discussion: Raw Story, Mediaite, IJR and Mashable

Josh Dawsey / Politico:

Inside the 24 hours that broke Sean Spicer — Sean Spicer came to the White House on Thursday completely unaware President Donald Trump was planning to meet with Anthony Scaramucci, a longtime Wall Street friend, and offer him the job of communications director.

The Daily Beast:
Anthony Scaramucci Loved Hillary, Gave to Obama, and Deleted Anti-Trump Tweets

Discussion: Raw Story, The Guardian, Business Insider, Common Dreams, Mother Jones, IJR, Washington Post and Bearing Arms, more at Mediagazer »

Benny Johnson / IJR:
Americans Disgusted That Media Ran Live-Feed of Sean Spicer's Family Residence After Resignation

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, The Daily Caller and Daily Wire

Jack Shafer / Politico:
Should You Feel Sorry for Sean Spicer?

Discussion: Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Daily Wire, The Atlantic, Mediaite, RedState, AOL, New York Magazine and Axios

The Daily Beast:
Spicey Bails, White House Flails, As Mooch Prevails

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Mother Jones, Fusion, Raw Story, Politicus USA and IJR

Wall Street Journal:

Jared Kushner Discloses Dozens More Assets in Revised Financial Filing — Ivanka Trump disclosed $2.5 million in salary and severance from her father's businesses — WASHINGTON— Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser, on Friday released …

Discussion: Balloon Juice and Raw Story

New York Times:

Ivanka Trump Received at Least $12.6 Million Since 2016, Disclosure Shows — Ivanka Trump or her trust received at least $12.6 million since early 2016 from her various business ventures and has an arrangement to guarantee her at least $1.5 million a year even as she serves in a top White House position …

Jonathan O'Connell / Washington Post:
In revised filing, Kushner reveals dozens of previously undisclosed assets

Discussion: Politico and The Week

Brandon Carter / The Hill:
Kushner updates financial disclosure after omitting dozens of assets: report

Discussion: RedState

Seung Min Kim / Politico:

McConnell's last-ditch Obamacare strategy — Talking is no longer working. It's time to vote. — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is taking the rare step of forcing his members to take a tough vote on an Obamacare repeal bill, H.R. 1628 (115), that is on track to fail, making them own their votes.

Seung Min Kim / Politico: Parliamentarian rules against key provisions in Obamacare repeal bill

Peter Sullivan / The Hill:
Senate heads to new healthcare vote with no clear plan

Discussion: Wall Street Journal and Talking Points Memo

Nathaniel Weixel / The Hill:
Parliamentarian deals setback to GOP repeal bill

Discussion: ThinkProgress

Dylan Scott / Vox: Senate's budget rules invalidate key provisions in Republican health care bill

Mitch Smith / New York Times:

Minneapolis Police Chief Forced Out After Fatal Shooting of Australian Woman — The Minneapolis police chief, Janee Harteau, resigned on Friday at the mayor's request, less than a week after one of the city's officers fatally shot an unarmed Australian woman who had called 911 for help.

Discussion: Vox, The Atlantic and Star Tribune

Star Tribune:
Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau resigns; protesters shout down mayor at City Hall

Discussion: Power Line, Conservative News Today, WCCO | CBS Minnesota and Joe.My.God.

Washington Post:
Minneapolis police chief forced out after officer's fatal shooting of Australian woman

Discussion: The Daily Caller and New York Times

CBS News:
Minneapolis Police Chief Janeé Harteau resigns in wake of Justine Damond shooting

Discussion: The Root and Mediaite

Matt Richardson / Fox News:
Protests erupt at Minneapolis mayor's press conference announcing police chief resignation

Discussion: The Hill, Geller Report and fox13now.com

Charlie Savage / New York Times:

Can the President Be Indicted? A Long-Hidden Legal Memo Says Yes — WASHINGTON — A newfound memo from Kenneth W. Starr's independent counsel investigation into President Bill Clinton sheds fresh light on a constitutional puzzle that is taking on mounting significance amid the Trump-Russia inquiry …

Foreign Policy:

Trump Assigns White House Team to Target Iran Nuclear Deal, Sidelining State Department — Unhappy with Tillerson over Iran, the president is turning to trusted aides. — After a contentious meeting with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson this week, President Donald Trump instructed a group …

Discussion: The American Conservative and Raw Story

Laurence H. Tribe / Washington Post:

No, Trump can't pardon himself. The Constitution tells us so. — Laurence H. Tribe is the Carl M. Loeb University Professor and Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard Law School. Richard Painter, a law professor at the University of Minnesota, was chief White House ethics lawyer …

Discussion: Raw Story, Mashable and CNN

CNN:

Trump Jr. and Manafort reach deal with Senate panel to avoid public hearing — Washington (CNN)The leaders of the Senate Judiciary Committee have cut a deal with President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort to avoid being subpoenaed …

Mike Allen / Axios:

Dems want to rebrand as the economic party — Senate and House Dems, after an intensive process spanning seven months, on Monday will unveil a new economic agenda, Axios has exclusively learned, meant to counter the perception that Democrats are only the anti-Trump party, with no message of their own.