Top Items:
Emma Loop / BuzzFeed:
The Senate's Russia Investigation Is Now Looking Into Jill Stein, A Former Campaign Staffer Says — The Senate Intelligence Committee has asked Green Party candidate Jill Stein's campaign to turn over documents, a former employee says. Stein is expected to release them publicly as well.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, The Right Scoop, Balloon Juice, Mediaite, The Gateway Pundit, Raw Story, Blue Mass Group and Political Wire
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NBC News:
FBI warned Trump in 2016 Russians would try to infiltrate his campaign — WASHINGTON — In the weeks after he became the Republican nominee on July 19, 2016, Donald Trump was warned that foreign adversaries, including Russia, would probably try to spy on and infiltrate his campaign …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, Business Insider, The Week, IJR, RedState, Vox, The Daily Caller and Mediaite
CNN:
Trump predicts exoneration in Russia investigation as allies fear a ‘meltdown’ — STORY HIGHLIGHTS — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump is privately striking a less agitated tone on the Russia investigation, sources say, even insisting he'll soon be cleared in writing.
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Washington Post:
Trump team's meeting with Mueller's office poised to ratchet up tensions … White House lawyers are expected to meet with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's office late this week seeking good news: that his sprawling investigation's focus on President Trump will soon end and their client will be cleared.
Discussion:
Axios, Raw Story, Salon, Hullabaloo, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, The Week and Balloon Juice
Asha Rangappa / Just Security:
Why it's Far Worse for Trump to Fire Rosenstein than to Fire Mueller — All eyes are on what Donald Trump will do, as the oracles on Twitter and the Hill have predicted that the president may fire Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller around the holidays. Trump's lawyers have denied …
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Post, Vox, Shareblue Media, Shakesville, Talking Points Memo, New Republic and RedState
Zeke Miller / Associated Press:
White House temporarily removes petition tool
Jacqueline Thomsen / The Hill:
White House taking down petition website, pledges to launch new one
White House taking down petition website, pledges to launch new one
Discussion:
Politicus USA
Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
More than 100,000 people vow to protest if Trump fires Mueller
Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
Former House Republican: Trump deserves to be ‘impeached’ if he fires Mueller
Former House Republican: Trump deserves to be ‘impeached’ if he fires Mueller
Discussion:
Politico, ABC News, The Gateway Pundit, IJR and Mediaite
Anchorage Daily News:
Track Palin, son of former Gov. Sarah Palin, arrested for assaulting his father — PALMER — Track Palin, the 28-year-old son of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was arrested on assault and burglary charges after he repeatedly hit his father, Todd Palin, at the family home Saturday, charging documents say.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The American Conservative and AOL
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Seema Mehta / Los Angeles Times:
Track Palin charged with beating his father, who court documents say confronted him with a gun — Track Palin, oldest son of Sarah Palin, appears during the Republican National Convention in September 2008 in St Paul, Minn. (Emmanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images)
Discussion:
The Root, The Week, New York Post and CBS Los Angeles
Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Palin's son charged after allegedly beating his father
Palin's son charged after allegedly beating his father
Discussion:
RedState and Los Angeles Times
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
Trump Judicial Nominee Drops Out After Embarrassing Hearing, Per Senate Aide — Matthew Petersen is the president's third court pick to crash and burn over not being qualified to be a federal judge. — WASHINGTON President Donald Trump's judicial nominee Matthew Petersen has withdrawn …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, The Atlantic, LAW.com, BuzzFeed, Politico, Raw Story, The Week, New York Magazine and Washington Post
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John Wagner / Washington Post:
Trump judicial nominee Matthew Petersen pulls out after struggling to answer basic questions — Matthew Petersen, a nominee to the federal judiciary, has withdrawn from consideration days after a video clip showed him unable to answer basic questions about legal procedure, the White House confirmed Monday.
Discussion:
ABC News, Outside the Beltway and TalkLeft
Dan Merica / CNN:
Trump judicial nominee Matthew Petersen withdraws after viral hearing video
Trump judicial nominee Matthew Petersen withdraws after viral hearing video
Discussion:
The Right Scoop
Ellen Nakashima / Washington Post:
U.S. declares North Korea carried out massive WannaCry cyberattack — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (Korea News Service via Associated Press) — The U.S. government is publicly acknowledging that North Korea was behind the WannaCry computer worm that affected more than 230,000 computers in over 150 countries earlier this year.
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Thomas P. Bossert / Wall Street Journal:
It's Official: North Korea Is Behind WannaCry
It's Official: North Korea Is Behind WannaCry
Discussion:
Politico, emptywheel, Gizmodo and BBC, more at Techmeme »
Associated Press:
Amtrak train hurtles off overpass; at least 6 people killed — DUPONT, Wash. (AP) — An Amtrak train making the first-ever run along a faster new route hurtled off an overpass at an estimated 80 mph Monday south of Seattle and spilled some of its cars onto the highway below, killing at least six people, authorities said.
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Tanya Sinkovits / Q13 FOX News:
At least six dead after Amtrak train derails, leaving rail cars dangling above I-5
At least six dead after Amtrak train derails, leaving rail cars dangling above I-5
Discussion:
Fox News, New York Post, ABC News, Washington Post, NBC News, CNBC, AOL and The Gateway Pundit
Del Quentin Wilber / Wall Street Journal:
In FBI Agent's Account, ‘Insurance Policy’ Text Referred to Russia Probe — Agent's text was meant to convey the FBI needed to aggressively investigate allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and Russia — An FBI agent's reference to “an insurance policy” in a much-debated text message …
Discussion:
Axios, Project Republic, Raw Story, Townhall.com, emptywheel, Washington Post and twitchy.com
Edward-Isaac Dovere / Politico:
Franken urged to reverse his resignation — At least four senators are urging Al Franken to reconsider resigning, including two who issued statements calling for the resignation two weeks ago and said they now feel remorse over what they feel was a rush to judgment.
Discussion:
Althouse, CNN, Washington Post, Business Insider, The Hill, MichelleMalkin.com, Washington Free Beacon, bizpacreview.com, The Week, Townhall.com, National Review, Shakesville, IJR, AOL, twitchy.com, Mediaite, Outside the Beltway, Instapundit, NBC News, Splinter, RedState, Scared Monkeys, TheBlaze, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller, Politicus USA, Raw Story, Washington Times and JustOneMinute
Thomas Smith / Disney Parks Blog:
The Hall of Presidents Reopens at the Walt Disney World Resort After Year-Long Transformation — Following a year-long transformation, The Hall of Presidents will officially reopen at Magic Kingdom Park on Tuesday, December 19, with enhancements that will bring the story of the American presidency to life as never before.
Discussion:
abc7ny.com, Gizmodo and Mediaite
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Dewayne Bevil / Orlando Sentinel:
Disney: Trump set for Hall of Presidents debut
Disney: Trump set for Hall of Presidents debut
Discussion:
Business Insider, The Week and WHNT-TV
Dylan Matthews / Vox:
The Republican tax bill got worse: now the top 1% gets 83% of the gains — In its last year, the bill raises taxes on more than 53 percent of Americans. — By 2027, more than half of all Americans — 53 percent — would pay more in taxes under the tax bill agreed to by House and Senate Republicans …
Discussion:
USA Today, New York Magazine, taxpolicycenter.org and Business Insider
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David Leonhardt / New York Times:
A Tax Plan to Turbocharge Inequality, in 3 Charts
A Tax Plan to Turbocharge Inequality, in 3 Charts
Discussion:
Washington Post, Washington Monthly, Splinter and Viking Pundit
Ashley Parker / Washington Post:
Trump talked about rescinding Gorsuch's nomination — President Trump welcomes Neil M. Gorsuch during a the announcement of his nomination to the Supreme Court on Jan. 31. The judge is kissing his wife, Marie Louise. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)
ESPN MediaZone:
News Regarding John Skipper — ESPN President John Skipper announced today that he is resigning from his position, citing a substance addiction problem. Former ESPN President and Executive Chairman George Bodenheimer (who worked at ESPN from 1981-2014) will serve as Acting Chair of the company …
Discussion:
Japan Times, NBC News, Deadspin, The Ringer, IJR, New York Times, Politico, NPR and The Week
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CRFB Papers and Blog Posts:
Final Tax Bill Could End Up Costing $2.2 Trillion — The final conference committee agreement of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) would cost $1.46 trillion under conventional scoring and over $1 trillion on a dynamic basis over ten years, leading debt to rise to between 95 percent and 98 percent …
Discussion:
Tax Foundation, National Review, Hit & Run, ThinkProgress, Axios and Wall Street Journal
Charles C. W. Cooke / National Review:
Jennifer Rubin Is Everything She Hates about Trump Worshippers — The Washington Post columnist stands out among Trump-obsessed zealots who add nothing to our discourse. — The era of Trump has been as hard on the mind as it has been good for the muscles in the chest.
Discussion:
alicublog
New York Times:
Rebelling Republican Suburbs Offer Democrats Path to House Control — HOUSTON — As she sat with a glass of sauvignon blanc waiting for a women-focused Democratic fund-raiser to begin, Nancy Sharp let loose in a Texas-seasoned drawl why she and so many other onetime supporters of the Bush family were abandoning the Republicans.
Discussion:
Daily Kos
Chad Felix Greene / The Federalist:
I Turned My Coworker Into HR When She Gave Me A Christmas Card, And She Changed My Heart — For years I have been one of the only Jewish people at my places of employment. I am currently the only Jew who wears a kippah at my office every day. In my heavily Southern Baptist and rural town …
Jason Koebler / Motherboard:
Internal FCC Report Shows Republican Net Neutrality Narrative Is False — The story of net neutrality as an Obama-led takeover of the internet was refuted by an Inspector General investigation whose findings were not made public prior to Thursday's vote. — A core Republican talking point during …
John Bresnahan / Politico:
House to unveil massive $81 billion disaster aid package — The House plans to release a staggering $81 billion disaster aid package, the largest single funding request for natural calamities in U.S. history. — If approved, Congress will have spent more than $130 billion on a spate …
Benny Johnson / The Daily Caller:
NY Democrat Calls For Investigation Into Allegation That Linda Sarsour Covered Up Sexual Assault — ‘This Should Concern Everyone’ — NY Democrat Calls For Investigation Into Allegation That Linda Sarsour Covered Up Sexual Assault — POLITICS | BENNY JOHNSON — Here's The One Team Driving The National Anthem Protest
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit