Top Items:
Brian Beutler / New Republic:
Keep the Trump Leaks Coming — The president is too incompetent to serve, and Congress must be pressured into removing him. — Both in content and in context, the official transcripts of Donald Trump's January phone calls with Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull …
Discussion:
Fox News, Washington Post, Mediaite, The Hill, Business Insider, IJR, The Atlantic, CNBC, The Diplomat and The Guardian
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New York Times:
John Kelly Quickly Moves to Impose Military Discipline on White House — WASHINGTON — In his six months as Homeland Security secretary, John F. Kelly often described the White House as one of the most dysfunctional organizations he had ever seen, complained to colleagues and allies about its meddling …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Defense One, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Week and Washington Free Beacon
Franco Ordoñez / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Diplomats laughing at Trump over leaked Mexico transcript — When Jorge Guajardo, one of Mexico's most senior and seasoned foreign policy hands, got out of bed Thursday morning, a couple of interesting messages were waiting on his cell phone. — One was a link shared by a U.S. diplomat …
The Daily Caller:
National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster is thwarting President Donald Trump's foreign policy prescriptions, two former senior NSC officials told The Daily Caller News Foundation. — “Everything the president wants to do, McMaster opposes,” a former senior official said in a wide-ranging interview.
Discussion:
BuzzFeed
Michael Warren / Weekly Standard:
The Real Reason McMaster Let Susan Rice Keep Her Security Clearance — White House Watch: It wasn't the Deep State. Plus, Mueller starts a grand jury and Kelly reassures Sessions. — One story going around among conservatives online Thursday was the production of a letter …
Wall Street Journal:
Special Counsel Mueller Impanels Washington Grand Jury in Russia Probe — Expansion beyond Flynn grand jury is a sign the investigation in election meddling is ramping up — Special Counsel Robert Mueller has impaneled a grand jury in Washington to investigate Russia's interference in the 2016 elections …
Discussion:
Vox, Washington Post, Politico, Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, Axios, Shareblue, Refinery29, Sputnik International, NBC News, Outside the Beltway, New York Times, Hullabaloo, The New Civil Rights Movement, Just Security, The Week, The Daily Caller, NPR, CNN, Media Matters for America, CBS New York, The Washington Journal, CNBC, The Hill, The Gateway Pundit, BuzzFeed, Mashable, Balloon Juice, France 24, Business Insider, IJR, New York Magazine, FiveThirtyEight, Weekly Standard, The Atlantic, JustOneMinute, Fox News Insider, ThinkProgress, The Guardian, Right Wing Watch, Patterico's Pontifications, Politicus USA, alicublog, Shakesville, Splinter, Daily Kos, Booman Tribune, The Resurgent, VICE News, Raw Story, The Root, TheStreet, Taylor Marsh, ABC News, Power Line, Washington Free Beacon, Reuters, RedState, Washington Monthly, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Real Clear Politics, CANNONFIRE, Boing Boing, The Stranger …, Mother Jones and Above the Law
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Joe Concha / The Hill:
Gingrich says Mueller represents ‘deep state’ at worst — Former Speaker Newt Gingrich ripped Robert Mueller on Thursday night, telling Fox's Sean Hannity that the special counsel in the Russia investigation represents “the deep state at its very worst.” — The Gingrich commentary came hours …
Discussion:
RedState, The Gateway Pundit and USA Politics Today
David Smith / The Guardian:
Trump blasts Russia investigation as Mueller convenes grand jury
Trump blasts Russia investigation as Mueller convenes grand jury
Discussion:
Washington Post and Shakesville
CNN:
One year into the FBI's Russia investigation, Mueller is on the Trump money trail
One year into the FBI's Russia investigation, Mueller is on the Trump money trail
Discussion:
IJR, Just Security, Raw Story, Infowars, Mediaite, The Washington Journal, The Daily Caller, RedState, National Review, Business Insider, The Week, Axios, Politicus USA, The Gateway Pundit, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Washington Monthly, BuzzFeed, CNBC, Vox, Daily Kos, NPR, New York Magazine, The Mahablog, ThinkProgress and Associated Press
James Hohmann / Washington Post:
The Daily 202: Mueller impaneling a grand jury makes it more politically difficult for Trump to fire him
The Daily 202: Mueller impaneling a grand jury makes it more politically difficult for Trump to fire him
Discussion:
Infowars, The Daily Caller, CNN, The Washington Journal and Politico
Heidi M. Przybyla / USA Today:
Poll: Americans in battleground districts would strongly oppose Trump firing special counsel Robert Mueller
Poll: Americans in battleground districts would strongly oppose Trump firing special counsel Robert Mueller
New York Times:
Leak Investigations Triple Under Trump, Sessions Says — Washington — Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced on Friday that the Justice Department was now pursuing three times as many leak investigations as the previous administration, a significant devotion of law enforcement resources …
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Anthony Man / Sun-Sentinel:
Exclusive: Wasserman Schultz talks about arrested aide Imran Awan — “I believe that I did the right thing, and I would do it again,” Wasserman Schultz said in an interview with the Sun Sentinel about her decision to keep Imran Awan employed as information technology aide for six months …
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Kimberley A. Strassel / Wall Street Journal:
The Scandal That Matters — Democratic IT staff who had access …
Paul Krugman / New York Times:
Obamacare Rage in Retrospect — I guess it ain't over until the portly golfer sings, but it does look as if Obamacare will survive. In the end, Mitch McConnell couldn't find the votes he needed; many thanks are due to Senators Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and John McCain …
Discussion:
bradford-delong.com and Business Insider
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David Herzig / Washington Post:
This Trump real estate deal looks awfully like criminal tax fraud — Two tax lawyers break down the president's sale of two condos to his son. … President Trump clearly doesn't want to release his income tax returns to the public. Members of the public and commentators …
Eddie Scarry / Washington Examiner:
CNN insiders rip Jim Acosta's antics as ‘auditions’ for his own show — Jim Acosta is suddenly one of CNN's most controversial figures even among some of his CNN colleagues, who say his public battles with the Trump administration are going too far. — One of Acosta's colleagues …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
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Economist:
How to avoid nuclear war with North Korea — There are no good options to curb Kim Jong Un. But blundering into war would be the worst — IT IS odd that North Korea causes so much trouble. It is not exactly a superpower. Its economy is only a fiftieth as big as that of its democratic capitalist cousin, South Korea.
Discussion:
The Week
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Michelle Nichols / Reuters:
U.S. may soon expand U.N. talks on North Korea sanctions, signaling China deal: diplomats
U.S. may soon expand U.N. talks on North Korea sanctions, signaling China deal: diplomats
Discussion:
Sputnik International
Associated Press:
APNewsBreak: Flynn details tie to data firm, transition pay — https://www.apnews.com/a250d1088af44a3b 8b55275dc97de608 — Link copied! — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, is revealing a brief advisory role with a firm related …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Political Wire
Robin Eberhardt / The Hill:
Newsweek: Trump is a ‘Lazy Boy’ — Newsweek's latest issue calls President Trump a “Lazy Boy,” showing him on the cover lounging in a chair watching TV. — The cover, which was released Thursday, shows Trump in a recliner, his suit stained from Cheetos while juggling a fast food bag and a soda.
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Alexander Nazaryan / Newsweek:
TRUMP, AMERICA'S BOY KING: GOLF AND TELEVISION WON'T MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
TRUMP, AMERICA'S BOY KING: GOLF AND TELEVISION WON'T MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN
Discussion:
The Washington Journal and AOL
Ali Watkins / Politico:
Hunt for Trump dossier author inflames Russia probe — Two Republican House Intelligence Committee staffers traveled to London earlier this summer to track down the former British intelligence operative who compiled a controversial dossier on President Donald Trump and Russia, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
CANNONFIRE
Amber Phillips / Washington Post:
West Virginia's governor is switching parties. And Democrats just hit a new low. — In November, Republicans solidified and/or expanded their majorities at all levels of governance, and it looked like things couldn't get worse for Democrats. Except, it just did.
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Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
The Note: Reality closing in on Trump with grand jury investigation
The Note: Reality closing in on Trump with grand jury investigation
Discussion:
Politico, The Week and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »
TMZ.com:
Sean Spicer Turns Down ‘Dancing with the Stars’ — Sean Spicer will NOT be bringing his dancing talents — or lack thereof — to the “Dancing with the Stars” ballroom ... TMZ has learned. — Sources close to Spicer tell us the former White House Press Secretary was flattered by the opportunity …
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Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Senate blocks Trump from making recess appointments over break — The Senate blocked President Trump from being able to make recess appointments on Thursday as lawmakers leave Washington for their summer break. — Sen. Lisa Murkowski — (R-Alaska), doing wrap up for the entire Senate …
Discussion:
Raw Story, Axios, IJR, The Week, Capitol Confidential, The Washington Journal, ThinkProgress and Political Wire
Julie Bykowicz / Associated Press:
COMPLAINT: TRUMP STRATEGIST MAY HAVE IMPROPER PR ARRANGEMENT — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Campaign Legal Center is complaining in a letter to the White House that a top adviser to President Donald Trump may be illegally accepting outside professional services.