Top Items:
New York Times:
White House Envisions Tillerson Ouster From State Dept., to Be Replaced by Pompeo, Within Weeks — WASHINGTON — The White House has developed a plan to force out Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson, whose relationship with President Trump has been strained, and replace him with Mike Pompeo …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, CNN, Joe.My.God., Politico, The Hill, Axios, Wall Street Journal, Vox, ThinkProgress, Mother Jones, Roll Call, ABC News, RedState, Business Insider, National Review, The Root, Bloomberg, On Point with Tom Ashbrook, The Last Refuge, Washington Monthly, No More Mister Nice Blog, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The American Conservative, Weekly Standard, Washington Free Beacon, WTVR-TV, Hit & Run, Common Dreams, The Gateway Pundit, NBC News, The Mahablog, Climate Home, israpundit.org, bizpacreview.com, NPR, IJR, KTLA, Shakesville, Outside the Beltway, CNBC, Shareblue Media, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, FOX31 Denver, CBS New York, The Slot, The Daily Caller, twitchy.com and Right Wing Watch
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Spencer Ackerman / The Daily Beast:
Interrogators Blast Trump's ‘Clueless’ CIA Pick Tom Cotton … The Central Intelligence Agency is set to receive an advocate of waterboarding, sweeping surveillance powers, jailing journalists, and conflict with Iran as its next director. — A combat veteran and first-term Arkansas GOP senator …
Discussion:
Business Insider, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, Mother Jones, bizpacreview.com, RedState and Axios
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
The Rex situation is simple
The Rex situation is simple
Discussion:
Washington Post, Business Insider, Common Dreams, Vox, ABC News and IJR
Nahal Toosi / Politico:
We'll take Pompeo over Tillerson, frustrated diplomats say
We'll take Pompeo over Tillerson, frustrated diplomats say
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Political Wire
David A. Graham / The Atlantic:
Trump Plays Musical Chairs in the Cabinet Room
Trump Plays Musical Chairs in the Cabinet Room
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Business Insider and Politico
MJ Lee / CNN:
Army veteran says Franken groped her during USO tour in 2003 — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — (CNN)An Army veteran says Sen. Al Franken groped her in December 2003, telling CNN that while she was deployed in Kuwait, the Minnesota Democrat cupped her breast during a photo op.
Discussion:
TheBlaze, Axios, The Daily Caller, Business Insider, bizpacreview.com, Washington Post, NPR, AOL and Talking Points Memo
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Anna Merlan / The Slot:
New England Elected Official Says Al Franken Tried to Give Her A ‘Wet, Open-Mouthed Kiss’ Onstage — A former elected official in New England who has requested anonymity tells Jezebel that Al Franken attempted to give her a “wet, open-mouthed kiss” onstage at an event in 2006, shortly before he ran for Senate.
Discussion:
Axios, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze, Rewire, Washington Times, Business Insider, RedState, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Mediaite
Heather Caygle / Politico:
Top House Democrat calls on Franken to resign
Top House Democrat calls on Franken to resign
Discussion:
Washington Post, CBS News, Axios, ThinkProgress, The Daily Caller, KTLA and twitchy.com
Yohana Desta / Vanity Fair:
Graphic, Disturbing Details of Matt Lauer's Alleged Sexual Misconduct — A bombshell Variety report alleges Lauer gave one female colleague a sex toy, and more. — Shocking new allegations have emerged about the sexual misconduct scandal that is quickly enveloping Matt Lauer.
Discussion:
Variety, New York Times, Page Six, Washington Post, TheBlaze, Indianapolis Star, Mashable, Fox News Insider, Politico, New York Magazine, The Daily Caller, AOL, Business Insider, Chicago Boyz, Media Matters for America, The Week, RedState, bet.com, Talking Points Memo, Townhall.com, bizpacreview.com, Hot Air, Mediaite and Fox News, more at Mediagazer »
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Kathleen Joyce / Fox News:
Matt Lauer had ‘huge bag of sex toys’ in his office, Meredith Vieira jokes in resurfaced video — Former “Today” show co-host Meredith Vieira laughed with Matt Lauer about the time she went into his office and found a “huge bag of sex toys,” in a resurfaced video from 2016.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Gateway Pundit, TMZ.com, Advocate and bizpacreview.com
Jill Disis / CNNMoney:
Read Matt Lauer's full apology
Read Matt Lauer's full apology
Discussion:
Business Insider, Deadline and bizpacreview.com, more at Mediagazer »
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Matt Lauer Offers Apology (With a Caveat)
Matt Lauer Offers Apology (With a Caveat)
Discussion:
Jewish Telegraphic Agency and NY State of Politics
Mike Allen / Axios:
The White House expects Trump to get even more outrageous — Exhausted by the Trump presidency? Brace yourself: White House officials expect Trump to be even more outrageous and cocksure in coming months. — What we're hearing: Officials tell us Trump seems more self-assured …
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John Bowden / The Hill:
White House maintenance orders reveal cockroaches, ants and mice infestations
White House maintenance orders reveal cockroaches, ants and mice infestations
Discussion:
The Week
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Corker: Report of Tillerson ouster ‘bogus’
Corker: Report of Tillerson ouster ‘bogus’
Discussion:
Politico, RedState and Fox News Insider
Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:
Scarborough: Trump allies told me he has dementia
Scarborough: Trump allies told me he has dementia
Discussion:
RedState
Chris Riotta / Newsweek:
White House bars one of few black journalists from attending Christmas party
White House bars one of few black journalists from attending Christmas party
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, bizpacreview.com and AOL
Jenny Lumet / Hollywood Reporter:
Writer Jenny Lumet: Russell Simmons Sexually Violated Me (Guest Column) — The screenwriter of ‘Rachel Getting Married’ and ‘The Mummy’ (and the daughter of filmmaker Sidney Lumet) details a terrifying encounter with the legendary music producer, who says he is stepping down from his businesses in the wake of the new claims.
Washington Post:
Britain furious, Trump unapologetic as fallout swells from anti-Muslim videos … LONDON — The British backlash to President Trump picked up steam Thursday with parliament members openly deriding him and Britain's prime minister standing by her denunciations of Trump's retweets of a fringe anti-Muslim group.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, American Prospect, Business Insider, Common Dreams and New York Magazine
RELATED:
Talal Ansari / BuzzFeed:
Here's Where That False Anti-Muslim Video Trump Retweeted Came From
Here's Where That False Anti-Muslim Video Trump Retweeted Came From
Discussion:
New York Times, Media Matters for America, The Guardian and Snopes.com
Katie Leslie / Dallas Morning News:
Rep. Joe Barton: I will not seek re-election — WASHINGTON — Rep. Joe Barton, whose private life came under national scrutiny after sexual images he shared in an extramarital relationship were made public, won't seek re-election. — The Ennis Republican announced his retirement in an interview …
Discussion:
Vox, RedState, ThinkProgress, Washington Post, The Hill, Washington Times, Daily Kos, Washington Free Beacon, The Week, IJR and Axios
Washington Post:
Woman's effort to infiltrate The Washington Post dated back months … The failed effort by conservative activists to plant a false story about Senate candidate Roy Moore in The Washington Post was part of a months-long campaign to infiltrate The Post and other media outlets in Washington and New York …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, more at Mediagazer »
Tracey Longo / fa-mag.com:
Rubio: Offset Tax Cuts By Reducing Social Security, Medicare Benefits — Tax reform is only one piece of the overall puzzle needed to revitalize the American economy, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told a group of Washington, D.C., lobbyists and policy analysts this morning at a Politico Playbook …
Discussion:
Vox and Talking Points Memo
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Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Collins: Health-care fix will pass before tax bill
Collins: Health-care fix will pass before tax bill
Discussion:
Politico, FOX6Now.com, The Federalist and The Daily Caller
Aram Roston / BuzzFeed:
The Trump Administration Is Mulling A Pitch For A Private “Rendition” And Spy Network — A private company has proposed that the US government pay it millions to undertake intelligence and covert operations. — Reporting From Washington, DC — WASHINGTON — The White House and CIA …
Washington Post:
Senate GOP tax bill would add $1 trillion to the deficit, Congress' analysts conclude — Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) … The Republican plan for a massive tax overhaul steamed toward Senate passage on Thursday, even as a nonpartisan congressional scorekeeper …
Discussion:
Mother Jones and New York Magazine
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Robert S. McElvaine / Washington Post:
I'm a Depression historian. The GOP tax bill is straight out of 1929.
I'm a Depression historian. The GOP tax bill is straight out of 1929.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
Yvonne Abraham / BostonGlobe.com:
Four men allege sexual misconduct by Senate president's husband — He was a policy advocate who made his living trying to persuade legislators on Beacon Hill to help nonprofit groups. He was exhausted after a working dinner with a group of senators and their spouses on that fall night in 2015.
Discussion:
Political Wire
CBS Detroit:
John Conyers Hospitalized For Stress-Related Illness Amid Sex Scandal — DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - U.S. Congressman John Conyers is hospitalized for a stress-related illness. — Family spokesperson Sam Riddle confirmed Thursday morning that the 88-year-old Detroit Democrat is seeking treatment …
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Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
Paul Manafort Reaches Bail Deal With Mueller — A month after turning himself in for charges he faces connected to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's Russia probe, former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort reached a bail deal with Mueller's team, according to court documents filed by Manafort's lawyers Thursday.
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Alan Rappeport / New York Times:
Ahead of Vote, Promised Treasury Analysis of Tax Bill Proves Elusive — WASHINGTON — In pitching the $1.5 trillion tax overhaul, Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, has said repeatedly that the plan will pay for itself through a surge of economic growth and that over 100 people in Treasury are …
Discussion:
The Hill, Mother Jones, Vox, New York Magazine, Axios, Washington Post, mccain.senate.gov, IJR, Common Dreams, Daily Kos, Splinter and Shareblue Media
Justin Fishel / ABC News:
Congress secretly paid near $100,000 to settle harassment claims against disgraced congressman — The Congressional Office of Compliance secretly paid close to $100,000 in taxpayer funds to settle sexual harassment claims from at least two young male staffers who worked for disgraced former …
Discussion:
Political Wire and The Gateway Pundit
Wall Street Journal:
White House Considering Plan for Relocating Embassy in Israel — Administration plan may provide for a move in the future — WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is considering a plan to formally recognize Jerusalem as the “undivided” capital of Israel and to move the U.S. Embassy there in the future …
Discussion:
Axios, ABC News and The Daily Caller
RELATED:
Herb Keinon / Jerusalem Post:
Report: Trump to recognize Jerusalem as capital, staff to prepare embassy move
Report: Trump to recognize Jerusalem as capital, staff to prepare embassy move
Discussion:
IJR
Tully Borland / The Federalist:
Why Alabamians Should Vote For Roy Moore — I am going to argue for the very unpopular, even shocking, view that, even if Roy Moore did what he is accused of doing, Alabamans are within their rights to vote for him, and they shouldn't let Democrats and Never Trumpers shame them into not voting.
Discussion:
National Review, Hit & Run, Washington Post, Mediaite, Weekly Standard and RedState, more at Mediagazer »
Jessica Bennett / New York Times:
Nine Women Accuse Israel Horovitz, Playwright and Mentor, of Sexual Misconduct — In 1986, Maddie Corman was a 16-year-old actress performing Off Broadway as her mother lay dying in a hospital bed, hours after having a stroke. Backstage, Ms. Corman was consoled by Israel Horovitz, the show's 47-year-old playwright and her mentor.
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Consequence of Sound and Jewish Telegraphic Agency