memeorandum: Top intel Dem: Trump Jr. refused to answer questions about Trump Tower discussions with father (Olivia Beavers/The Hill)

10:40 PM ET, December 6, 2017

Top Items:

Brian Bakst / mprnews.org:

Sen. Al Franken will resign, Democratic official says — A Democratic official who has spoken to Al Franken and key aides says Franken will resign his Minnesota Senate seat on Thursday, the official tells MPR News. — The official spoke to Franken and separately to Franken's staff.

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, New York Times, The Hill, TheBlaze, Politicus USA, Business Insider, Raw Story, Roll Call, fox13now.com, The Daily Caller, The New Civil Rights Movement, Axios, twitchy.com, ABC News, Mediaite and The Gateway Pundit

Tina Dupuy / The Atlantic:

I Believe Franken's Accusers Because He Groped Me, Too — In mid-November, a Los Angeles radio host named Leeann Tweeden stepped forward to claim that Senator Al Franken had shoved his tongue down her throat under the pretext of a rehearsal for a sketch he'd written.

Discussion: Breitbart, RedState, Politico, The Gateway Pundit, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, AOL, ABC News, Power Line, IJR, The Week, Splinter, Axios, Mediaite, NBC News and Washington Times

Heather Caygle / Politico:

Another woman says Franken tried to forcibly kiss her — A former Democratic congressional aide said Al Franken tried to forcibly kiss her after a taping of his radio show in 2006, three years before he became a U.S. senator. — The aide, whose name POLITICO is withholding to protect her identity …

Kirsten Gillibrand:

Senator Franken Should Step Aside — I have been shocked and disappointed to learn over the last few weeks that a colleague I am fond of personally has engaged in behavior towards women that is unacceptable. I consider Senator Franken to be a friend and have enjoyed working with him in the Senate …

Seung Min Kim / Politico:

Inside the demise of Al Franken — Al Franken weathered six women's sexual misconduct allegations without hearing a single resignation call from his fellow Democratic senators. No. 7 broke the dam. — The Democratic women of the Senate had been talking among themselves about the Franken allegations …

Discussion: Associated Press and Axios

Maggie Severns / Politico: Female lieutenant governor expected to replace Franken if he resigns

James Pindell / BostonGlobe.com:
Aide says Warren told Franken he should resign

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, CBS New York, RedState and NTK Network

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Trump Jr. cites attorney-client privilege in not answering panel's questions about discussions with his father — Donald Trump Jr. on Wednesday cited attorney-client privilege to avoid telling lawmakers about a conversation he had with his father, President Donald Trump …

Discussion: Mother Jones and Axios

CNN:

Trump Jr. says he communicated with Hope Hicks, not his father, about Trump Tower response — (CNN)Donald Trump Jr. told House investigators that did not communicate directly with his father when confronted with news reports about his June 2016 Trump Tower meeting, according to multiple sources with knowledge of his testimony.

Discussion: Politico, Reuters, The Hill, Politicus USA, Raw Story, RedState, NBC News, Washington Post, Right Wing Watch and Mediaite

CNN:
Trump Jr. won't tell lawmakers what he and President discussed about Trump Tower meeting

Discussion: Raw Story

Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
Top intel Dem: Trump Jr. refused to answer questions about Trump Tower discussions with father

Discussion: IJR and Raw Story

Brian Bennett / Los Angeles Times:
White House says Trump slurred during his speech about Jerusalem because his throat was dry

Discussion: Daily Mail

New York Times:

Flynn Said Russian Sanctions Would be ‘Ripped Up,’ Whistle-Blower Says — WASHINGTON — Michael T. Flynn, President Trump's former national security adviser, told a former business associate that economic sanctions against Russia would be “ripped up” as one of the Trump administration's first acts …

Discussion: The Atlantic, Reuters, Balloon Juice, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Politicus USA, IJR, Axios, Daily Kos, Mother Jones, Mediaite and The New Civil Rights Movement

Mike Memoli / NBC News:

Whistleblower: Flynn told ex-partner Russia sanctions would be ripped up — WASHINGTON — Donald Trump was just 11 minutes into his presidency when his choice for national security adviser, Michael Flynn, texted a former business partner to say an ambitious U.S. collaboration with Russia …

Discussion: Oversight Democrats, TheBlaze and New York Magazine

New York Times:
Read the Letter That Cummings Sent on Flynn Whistle-Blower

Discussion: Washington Post, The Atlantic and Joe.My.God.

CBS News:
CBS News poll: Americans split on Russia investigation

Discussion: Politicus USA and Politico

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Flynn texted partners about nuclear plan during inauguration, whistleblower says

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Vox, ABC News, Mother Jones, Shareblue Media, RedState and Talking Points Memo

Mark Landler / New York Times:

Trump Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's Capital and Orders U.S. Embassy to Move — WASHINGTON — President Trump on Wednesday formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing nearly seven decades of American foreign policy and setting in motion a plan to move the United States Embassy …

Discussion: Al Jazeera English, URJ, Fox News, Washington Post, Associated Press, ThinkProgress, New York Magazine, IJR, The Atlantic, Common Dreams, RedState, Patterico's Pontifications, Splinter and Tablet Magazine

Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
State Department sets up emergency task force for Jerusalem fallout

Discussion: The Week

Annie Karni / Politico:
Kushner bets he can have it both ways on Jerusalem move

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Axios and Raw Story

Rick Noack / Washington Post:
'It's catastrophic': U.S. allies reject Trump's Jerusalem pronouncement

Discussion: The Hill, BBC, BloombergQuint, The Slot, IJR and Washington Free Beacon

Christopher Dickey / The Daily Beast:
Trump's Jerusalem Speech Won't Kill the Mideast Peace Process: It's Already Dead

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Post and Politico

Jake Gibson / Fox News:

‘Over 10,000 texts’ between ex-Mueller team officials found, after discovery of anti-Trump messages — Justice Department officials are reading through “over 10,000 texts” between FBI officials Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, Fox News has learned, after it emerged Strzok was removed …

Discussion: Axios, The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit

Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:
Republicans hammer Mueller, FBI as Russia investigation intensifies

Discussion: Balloon Juice

David D. Kirkpatrick / New York Times:

The Mysterious Buyer of the $450 Million Leonardo da Vinci? A Saudi Prince — LONDON — He is a little-known Saudi prince from a remote branch of the royal family, with no history as a major art collector, and no publicly known source of great wealth. But the prince, Bader bin Abdullah …

Discussion: The Daily Caller and Hyperallergic

NBC News:

John Conyers III arrested but not prosecuted in domestic abuse case — LOS ANGELES — John Conyers III, a Detroit hedge fund manager named as a possible successor to his scandal-rocked father, Rep. John Conyers, was arrested in Los Angeles this year on suspicion of domestic violence …

Discussion: Splinter, The Daily Caller, Politico, Business Insider, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Free Beacon and twitchy.com

New York Times:

Paris Review Editor Resigns Amid Inquiry Into His Conduct with Women — Lorin Stein, the editor of The Paris Review, the prestigious magazine that for more than 60 years has acted as an international literary tastemaker, resigned on Wednesday, amid an internal investigation into his behavior toward female employees and writers.

more at Mediagazer »

Tommy Christopher / Shareblue Media:

Watch GOP lawmaker go into gay panic because a Democrat touched his arm — Apparently, when Republican elected officials aren't practicing or enabling sexual predation, they're busy projecting it onto others. At least, that's what appears to have happened this week when state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe …

Discussion: Philly.com and The New Civil Rights Movement

Heather Timmons / Quartz:

The three ultra-rich families battling for control of the Republican party — This week, the House and Senate will work to reconcile their different versions of the tax bill into something that president Donald Trump can sign into law. As they do, dozens of protests and rallies against the bill …

Discussion: Washington Monthly

Politico:

VA cuts program for homeless vets after touting Trump's commitment — Two days after Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin held a big Washington event to tout the Trump administration's promise to house all homeless vets, the agency did an about-face, telling advocates it was pulling resources from a major housing program.

Discussion: The Hill, HUD.gov, Military Times, Shareblue Media and Raw Story

Zeke Faux / Bloomberg:

Millions Are Hounded for Debt They Don't Owe. One Victim Fought Back, With a Vengeance — Andrew Therrien wanted payback. He got it—and uncovered a conspiracy. — On the morning a debt collector threatened to rape his wife, Andrew Therrien was working from home …

CNN:

Fire closes I-405, rages near Bel Air, Getty museum in Los Angeles — Los Angeles (CNN)A new wildfire closed Interstate 405 early Wednesday near Los Angeles' posh Bel Air area and prompted evacuations — one in a series of blazes that have scorched more than 83,000 acres …

Oobah Butler / VICE:

I Made My Shed the Top Rated Restaurant On TripAdvisor — Once upon a time, long before I began selling my face by the acre for features on VICE dot com, I worked other jobs. There was one in particular that really had an impact on me: writing fake reviews on TripAdvisor.

Discussion: American Digest, The Week and Eduwonk

Nashville Post:

Bredesen running for Senate — Former governor jumps in the Democratic primary — Former Gov. Phil Bredesen is entering the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. — According to multiple sources, Bredesen began calling major donors this afternoon to confirm that he is in the race.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and Tennessean.com

Avery Anapol / The Hill:

CEO says late changes to Senate tax-cut bill ‘wipes out’ what Trump has done for coal — The CEO of one of the nation's largest coal companies ripped the Senate tax-reform bill, saying late changes to the bill would “wipe out” coal mining jobs. — Robert Murray, founder and CEO of Murray Energy …

Discussion: CNNMoney and IJR

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Attorney General Brad Schimel wants sanctions and contempt proceedings over Gov. Scott Walker John Doe leak — MADISON - State Attorney General Brad Schimel has recommended contempt proceedings for a prosecutor and eight other officials over their handling of material from a secret probe of Gov. Scott Walker's campaign.

Josh Dawsey / Washington Post:

Trump wants LePage to challenge King in Maine Senate race — President Donald Trump is pushing Maine Gov. Paul LePage to run for the U.S. Senate, according to White House advisers. — Trump has told advisers he plans to call Mr. LePage, the bombastic governor who endorsed him in February 2016 …

Discussion: Joe.My.God.

Linda Blackford / Lexington Herald-Leader:

Kim Davis denied him a marriage license. Now he wants to take her job. — MOREHEAD — David Ermold, one of the men denied a same-sex marriage license by Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in 2015, hopes to challenge her for the clerk's seat next year, he announced Wednesday.

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Post, IJR, Towleroad, TheBlaze, The Hill, Friendly Atheist, Splinter and The Daily Caller

Hayley Krischer / New York Times:

We're Going to Need More Gabrielle Union — “I think the floodgates have opened for white women,” the actress and rape survivor said of the #MeToo movement, which coincided with her new memoir. — In a penthouse suite at the Gramercy Park Hotel on a cloudy fall day not long ago …

Discussion: The Root

The Hill:

Trump rips Dems a day ahead of key White House meeting — President Trump on Wednesday ripped into Democratic congressional leaders one day before a critical White House meeting, claiming the party is looking to shut down the government with its demands on immigration.

Discussion: IJR