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.
Discussion:
Business Insider, New York Times, BloombergQuint, Raw Story, Mediaite, National Review, The Daily Beast, ABC News, The Guardian, IJR, Mother Jones, The Last Refuge, Vox, The Rush Limbaugh Show, AOL, New York Magazine, twitchy.com, Coffee House, Common Dreams, The Atlantic, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, TheBlaze and RedState
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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 …
Discussion:
RedState, IJR, Raw Story and BloombergQuint
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, The Daily Beast, Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, National Review, Washington Post, Axios, MichelleMalkin.com, CNBC, New York Post, RedState, The Hill, Towleroad, BuzzFeed, CNNMoney, New Republic, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, ThinkProgress, The Last Refuge, Shareblue Media, The Week, Business Insider, Mashable, TheBlaze, The Atlantic, IJR, FiveThirtyEight, Outside the Beltway, CNN, Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite, twitchy.com, bizpacreview.com, Mother Jones, Politicus USA, The Guardian, Shakesville, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Common Dreams, myfox8.com, Washingtonian and RealClearPolitics
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 …
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, Washington Post and Mashable
CNN:
Russia investigation ‘wearing’ on White House, despite spin — Source: White House ‘totally in a bubble’ — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump, who was already incensed by the idea that his accomplishments weren't getting the credit they deserve …
Discussion:
The Hill, Raw Story, IJR, The Atlantic and New York's PIX11
Oliver Darcy / CNNMoney:
ABC News corrects bombshell Flynn report — Trump's praise of Michael Flynn over the years — ABC News on Friday evening corrected an explosive special report that aired in the morning saying that Donald Trump, as a candidate for president, had asked Michael Flynn to make contact with Russians.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Mediaite and twitchy.com
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, Washington Post, Common Dreams, New York Magazine and Vox
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
Allegra Kirkland / Talking Points Memo:
Former Prosecutors Break Down What Mike Flynn's Plea Deal Really Means
Former Prosecutors Break Down What Mike Flynn's Plea Deal Really Means
Discussion:
The Guardian and Washington Post
Noah Feldman / Bloomberg:
How the Flynn Charges Box In Trump
How the Flynn Charges Box In Trump
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Politico, BloombergQuint, Washington Post, Raw Story, Mashable and Daily Kos, more at Mediagazer »
Washington Post:
Mueller's swift moves signal mounting legal peril for the White House
Mueller's swift moves signal mounting legal peril for the White House
Discussion:
New York Times, Politico and Media Matters for America
New York Times:
Flynn to Plead Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I.
Flynn to Plead Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I.
Discussion:
Business Insider, Media Matters for America, Right Wing Watch, Talking Points Memo, Democrats.com, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, ThinkProgress, Shareblue Media, Booman Tribune, East Bay Times, Politico, National Review, AOL, IJR, Vox, The Federalist, Joe.My.God., TalkLeft, The Root and The Week
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:
Raw Story, Shareblue Media and Politicus USA
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:
Politico
Jeff Poor / Breitbart:
Limbaugh: Timing of Flynn Charges ‘May Not Be Coincidental’ — ‘Look at All the News It Has Swept Off the Front Pages’
Associated Press:
The Latest: WH cancels Trump media event after Flynn plea
The Latest: WH cancels Trump media event after Flynn plea
Discussion:
Business Insider, CNBC, AOL, ThinkProgress and Raw Story
Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:
Facing mounting legal vulnerabilities, Flynn turned to a deal
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:
NBC News, KTLA, ThinkProgress and emptywheel
Kate Brannen / Just Security:
What Does Flynn Plea Deal Mean?
What Does Flynn Plea Deal Mean?
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Post, NBC News, Raw Story, Business Insider, Roll Call and Balloon Juice
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:
Washington Post, Politico, Business Insider, Talking Points Memo, New Republic, Axios, ABC News, RedState and The Week
Sarah Westwood / Washington Examiner:
Trump lawyer: ‘Nothing’ in Michael Flynn's guilty plea implicates Trump or White House
Trump lawyer: ‘Nothing’ in Michael Flynn's guilty plea implicates Trump or White House
Discussion:
IJR
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:
ABC News, AOL, Politico, The Nevada Independent, USA Today, Roll Call, Daily Kos, Washington Post, The Gateway Pundit, New York Magazine, KTLA, Axios, Washington Free Beacon and Mediaite
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:
Dallas Morning News, NBC News, New York Times, Washington Post, The Texas Tribune, Townhall.com, RedState, Allied Progress, IJR, New York Magazine, The Guardian, Daily Kos, The Slot, TheBlaze, ThinkProgress, The Daily Beast, Roll Call, Talking Points Memo, PinkNews, ABC News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, AOL, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Washington Times, Joe.My.God., twitchy.com, NY State of Politics, Axios, The Root, Raw Story, Washington Free Beacon and The Week
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:
Shareblue Media, The Hill and Business Insider
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.
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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:
New York Times, Associated Press, Washington Post, IJR, CNN, TVNewser, NBC News, Vox and TMZ.com, 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, Washington Free Beacon, TheBlaze and The Daily Caller
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:
IJR, CBS San Francisco and Washington Free Beacon
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Lee Fang / The Intercept:
Special Giveaways in Tax Cut Bill Benefit Family Members, Colleagues of Key GOP Senators — The tax plan before Congress, though sold as broad legislation to reduce rates and end favoritism in the tax code, contains targeted provisions designed to benefit special interest groups …
Discussion:
Joe.My.God.
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, KTLA and The Week
Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
Trump administration asks Supreme Court to overrule decision on DACA documents — (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court Friday to overrule a lower court's decision that officials turn over internal documents that led to the decision …
Discussion:
Politico