Top Items:
Eli Lake / Bloomberg:
Kushner Is Said to Have Ordered Flynn to Contact Russia — Now that the retired general has pleaded guilty, the president's son-in-law could be one of the next dominoes to fall. — Former national security adviser Michael Flynn's guilty plea Friday for lying to the FBI is alarming news for Donald Trump.
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Brian Ross / ABC News:
Flynn prepared to testify that Trump directed him to contact Russians about ISIS, confidant says — Retired Lt. Gen Michael Flynn has promised “full cooperation” in the special counsel's Russia investigation and, according to a confidant, is prepared to testify that Donald Trump directed …
Discussion:
Politico, Bloomberg, New Republic, The Hill, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, IJR, The Last Refuge, Mediaite, The Daily Beast, The Week, bizpacreview.com, Outside the Beltway, Mashable, Washington Free Beacon, Business Insider, Shareblue Media, The Guardian, Shakesville, myfox8.com, RedState, FiveThirtyEight, Raw Story, ThinkProgress, Mother Jones, CNN, Common Dreams, Washingtonian and Media Matters for America
Nancy Cook / Politico:
Trump White House caught off guard by Flynn plea — No one in the White House was prepared. — Friday began with the now-routine flurry of tweets from President Donald Trump — two about the acquittal of an undocumented immigrant accused of a 2015 killing in San Francisco, one about his tax legislation.
Discussion:
ABC News and Political Wire
BuzzFeed:
It Was Kushner Who Told Flynn To Make Calls About Israel UN Vote, Source Says — The president's son-in-law prompted the Dec. 22 call to Russia's ambassador that is the focus of Flynn's guilty plea Friday. — Reporting From Washington, DC — WASHINGTON - Jared Kushner …
Discussion:
CNBC, The Hill, New York Magazine, Washington Post and Common Dreams
Bloomberg:
Kushner Is Leaving Tillerson in the Dark on Middle East Talks, Sources Say — Tillerson worries secret plan could plunge region into chaos — White House rejects accusation State Department isn't informed — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is increasingly alarmed by what he sees …
SHennessey / Lawfare:
The Flynn Plea: A Quick and Dirty Analysis — The news that former national security adviser Michael Flynn has reached a cooperation and plea deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller could not come as less of a surprise. Reports of Flynn's bizarre behavior across a wide spectrum …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, New York Times, RedState, Politico, Mother Jones, Business Insider, The Daily Caller, Weekly Standard, TheStreet, Raw Story and Vox
New York Times:
Flynn to Plead Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I. — WASHINGTON — President Trump's former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, will plead guilty on Friday to lying to the F.B.I. about a conversation with the Russian ambassador last December. — The plea was the latest indication …
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Monthly, Right Wing Watch, Democrats.com, East Bay Times, The Gateway Pundit, Business Insider, Shareblue Media, Vox, Joe.My.God., Raw Story, The Root, IJR, Media Matters for America, The Federalist, ThinkProgress, Mashable, AOL, Hullabaloo, The Slot and Politicus USA
Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:
What the Flynn Plea Means — There's less to the news than meets the eye. — Former Trump-administration national-security adviser Michael Flynn is expected to plead guilty today to lying to the FBI regarding his conversations with Russia's ambassador to the United States.
Allegra Kirkland / Talking Points Memo:
Former Prosecutors Break Down What Mike Flynn's Plea Deal Really Means — The explosive news that ousted national security advisor Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials was delivered in a brief, tidy package: a one-and-a-half-page document laying out the single count against him.
Discussion:
Washington Post and The Guardian
Joel B. Pollak / Breitbart:
‘Over By Thanksgiving’: White House Lawyer Ty Cobb Was Disastrously Wrong — Ty Cobb, the Beltway lawyer brought to the White House to handle the Russia investigation, predicted in August that Special Counsel Robert Mueller would be done with his work by Thanksgiving: “I'd be embarrassed …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Noah Feldman / Bloomberg:
How the Flynn Charges Box In Trump — Keeping the focus on advisers' Russia contacts helps Mueller keep his job. — The news that Michael Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to Russia-related offenses is striking, for several reasons. The lies he told the FBI were about asking the Russian ambassador …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Washington Post, Raw Story, Mashable, BloombergQuint, Vox and ThinkProgress, more at Mediagazer »
Associated Press:
The Latest: WH cancels Trump media event after Flynn plea
The Latest: WH cancels Trump media event after Flynn plea
Discussion:
CNBC, Business Insider, AOL, Raw Story and Axios
Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:
Facing mounting legal vulnerabilities, Flynn turned to a deal
Lachlan Markay / The Daily Beast:
Donald Trump Suspected for Weeks That Mike Flynn Would Flip
Donald Trump Suspected for Weeks That Mike Flynn Would Flip
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, Raw Story, Politicus USA and ABC News
CNN:
Sources: Kushner was the ‘very senior’ transition member mentioned in court filing
Sources: Kushner was the ‘very senior’ transition member mentioned in court filing
Discussion:
ThinkProgress and emptywheel
Garrett M. Graff / Wired:
MICHAEL FLYNN'S GUILTY PLEA SHOWS THAT ROBERT MUELLER IS CLOSING IN
MICHAEL FLYNN'S GUILTY PLEA SHOWS THAT ROBERT MUELLER IS CLOSING IN
Discussion:
CNBC
Josh Delk / The Hill:
Flynn to testify Trump ‘directed him to make contact with the Russians’: report
Flynn to testify Trump ‘directed him to make contact with the Russians’: report
Discussion:
Politico, New Republic, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Business Insider and Shareblue Media
Josh Dawsey / Washington Post:
Michael Flynn charged with making false statement to the FBI
Michael Flynn charged with making false statement to the FBI
Discussion:
New Republic, The Atlantic, NBC News, CNBC, The Hill, Media Matters for America, ABC News and ThinkProgress
Jeff Poor / Breitbart:
Limbaugh: Timing of Flynn Charges ‘May Not Be Coincidental’ — ‘Look at All the News It Has Swept Off the Front Pages’
David French / National Review:
There Is No Evidence of ‘Collusion’ in Michael Flynn's Offense Statement
There Is No Evidence of ‘Collusion’ in Michael Flynn's Offense Statement
Discussion:
New York Times, IJR, The Guardian, BloombergQuint, Mother Jones, The Atlantic and Vox
The Daily Beast:
‘Very Senior’ Trump Official Authorized Flynn's Russia Outreach
‘Very Senior’ Trump Official Authorized Flynn's Russia Outreach
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Raw Story and New York Times
Kate Brannen / Just Security:
What Does Flynn Plea Deal Mean?
What Does Flynn Plea Deal Mean?
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Post, Raw Story, NBC News, Business Insider, Politicus USA and Roll Call
CNBC:
Stocks fall sharply on report that Michael Flynn was directed by Trump to talk to Russians
Stocks fall sharply on report that Michael Flynn was directed by Trump to talk to Russians
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
Sarah Westwood / Washington Examiner:
Trump lawyer: ‘Nothing’ in Michael Flynn's guilty plea implicates Trump or White House
David French / National Review:
The Michael Flynn Charge: Monstrous Injustice or Prelude to Bigger Things?
The Michael Flynn Charge: Monstrous Injustice or Prelude to Bigger Things?
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Post, East Bay Times, Vox, Shareblue Media, Washington Monthly and Patterico's Pontifications
Matt Egan / CNNMoney:
Wall Street rocked by Michael Flynn, tax debate
Wall Street rocked by Michael Flynn, tax debate
Discussion:
CNN, The Atlantic and myfox8.com
Rachael Bade / Politico:
Lawmaker behind secret $84K sexual harassment settlement unmasked — Rep. Blake Farenthold used taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment claim brought by his former spokesman — the only known sitting member of Congress to have used a little-known congressional account to pay an accuser …
Discussion:
Townhall.com, NBC News, ABC News, Washington Post, The Texas Tribune, RedState, New York Times, The Daily Beast, ThinkProgress, IJR, New York Magazine, Allied Progress, The Daily Caller, PinkNews, The Week, Joe.My.God., Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Talking Points Memo, The Guardian, Daily Kos, Raw Story, The Slot, TheBlaze, Mediaite, New Republic, Washington Times, Roll Call, NY State of Politics, Axios, AOL, The Root and Washington Free Beacon
BuzzFeed:
She Says She Quit Her Campaign Job After He Harassed Her. Now He's In Congress. — Last year, a 25-year-old woman left her job on Democratic Rep. Ruben Kihuen's campaign because of what she says were repeated unwanted propositions for dates and sex. Responding to these allegations …
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post, The Nevada Independent, USA Today, Axios, New York Magazine, The Gateway Pundit, KTLA, Roll Call, Daily Kos, Washington Free Beacon and Mediaite
Jeff Stein / Washington Post:
GOP eyes post-tax-cut changes to welfare, Medicare and Social Security — High-ranking Republicans are hinting that, after their tax overhaul, the party intends to look at cutting spending on welfare, entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, and other parts of the social safety net.
Discussion:
Politico
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Washington Post:
McConnell says Senate has the votes to pass GOP tax bill
McConnell says Senate has the votes to pass GOP tax bill
Discussion:
Power Line, Senator Susan Collins, New York Times, Common Dreams, Washington Monthly, emptywheel and Shareblue Media
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Corker to vote no on GOP tax bill
Alice Ollstein / Talking Points Memo:
GOP Leaders Claim They've Sewn Up 50 Votes For Tax Bill
GOP Leaders Claim They've Sewn Up 50 Votes For Tax Bill
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Slate, ThinkProgress and Axios
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Top GOP senators say they have the votes to pass tax bill
Top GOP senators say they have the votes to pass tax bill
Discussion:
Axios, The Daily Caller and National Review
Elise Viebeck / Washington Post:
Gowdy, Benghazi panel settled wrongful firing suit with $150,000 in public funds — Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C. (Alex Brandon/AP) — As chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) used $150,000 in taxpayer dollars to settle with a former aide who alleged …
Discussion:
The Hill, Business Insider and Shareblue Media
Emily Smith / Page Six:
The ‘Today’ show was a ‘total boys’ club' during Lauer's tenure — Top NBC News execs received complaints about Matt Lauer's alleged sexual misconduct long before he was fired for harassment — but chose to protect him, current and former staffers told The Post on Thursday.
Discussion:
Vox, CNN, Decider, NBC News, IJR, bizpacreview.com and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »
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John Bowden / The Hill:
Clinton on Matt Lauer: ‘Every day I believe more in karma’
Clinton on Matt Lauer: ‘Every day I believe more in karma’
Discussion:
PhillyVoice, TheBlaze and Washington Free Beacon
Brian Stelter / CNNMoney:
NBC News source says Matt Lauer will not receive a payout
Max Greenwood / The Hill:
DOJ issues arrest warrant for undocumented immigrant acquitted in Kate Steinle killing — A federal warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Mexican immigrant acquitted Thursday evening of murder charges in the 2015 killing of Kate Steinle. — Steinle's death has been taken up by opponents of so-called sanctuary cities.
Discussion:
CBS San Francisco, IJR and Washington Free Beacon
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Sarah Rumpf / RedState:
Have We Been Lied to About the Kate Steinle Case?
Have We Been Lied to About the Kate Steinle Case?
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Mercury News, Washington Post, bizpacreview.com, CNN, National Review, New York Times, Damian J. Penny, New Republic and CBS News
New York Times:
Former N.S.A. Employee Pleads Guilty to Taking Classified Information — BALTIMORE — A former National Security Agency employee admitted on Friday that he had illegally taken from the agency classified documents believed to have subsequently been stolen from his home computer by hackers working for Russian intelligence.
Discussion:
Reuters, Business Insider and KTLA