Top Items:
Washington Post:
Trump advisers vent frustrations about 2018 strategy as president listens … Within hours of celebrating President Trump's biggest legislative achievement, at the South Portico of the White House on Wednesday, his aides and outside advisers had a spirited, and at times tense …
Discussion:
Axios, Political Wire, Business Insider and ABC News
RELATED:
Michael C. Bender / Wall Street Journal:
Trump Deputy Chief of Staff to Step Down — Rick Dearborn, latest high-profile departure from West Wing, plans to pursue private sector work — WASHINGTON—Rick Dearborn, one of President Donald Trump's top aides, will step down early next year to pursue private-sector work …
Discussion:
bizpacreview.com, Political Wire, Washington Free Beacon, Business Insider and Mediaite
Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
Dispute Over Political Strategy Erupts Inside the White House — An Oval Office meeting involving President Trump and his top advisers on Wednesday devolved into a heated exchange between his former campaign manager and the White House political director, people briefed on the discussion said.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
Republicans warn Trump of 2018 bloodbath — A few weeks before Alabama's special Senate election, President Donald Trump's handpicked Republican National Committee leader, Ronna Romney McDaniel, delivered a two-page memo to White House chief of staff John Kelly outlining the party's collapse with female voters.
Discussion:
The Week
Annie Karni / Politico:
Trump eyes former aides as West Wing staffers depart — Behind closed doors, the president has lately been talking up the outside advisers who helped usher him into the White House, fueling speculation about new additions in 2018. — President Donald Trump is basking in the first big legislative victory …
Discussion:
ABC News
Gabriel Sherman / Vanity Fair:
“I Have Power”: Is Steve Bannon Running for President? — On a whirlwind tour around the globe, Trump's former aide and alter ego reveals what really went down in the White House, his unfettered thoughts on Javanka, his complicated relationship with his erstwhile boss—and his own political ambitions.
CNN:
Top FBI official grilled on Comey, Clinton in Hill testimony — Washington (CNN)FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe faced numerous questions this week about his interactions, conversations and correspondence with his one-time boss, former FBI Director James Comey, spanning both the FBI's Russia investigation …
Discussion:
Townhall.com, RedState, The Week, IJR, Politicus USA and Mediaite
RELATED:
Ryan Struyk / CNN:
Most Americans doubt Trump on Russia probe, while Mueller approval tilts positive
Most Americans doubt Trump on Russia probe, while Mueller approval tilts positive
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, Hullabaloo, Politico and TheBlaze
Natasha Bertrand / Business Insider:
A trio of House Republicans lobbing attacks on Mueller have been in touch with the White House
A trio of House Republicans lobbing attacks on Mueller have been in touch with the White House
Discussion:
New York Times, Raw Story, Daily Kos, RedState, Shakesville, IJR, TheBlaze, Fox News, AOL and Hullabaloo
Mike Allen / Axios:
Warner sees fire in Russia probe — Robert Mueller isn't the only one hot on the trail of the Russians' election interference and Facebook manipulation. — Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, tells us that based on witness testimony and documents …
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Robert Pear / New York Times:
Obamacare Sign-ups at High Levels Despite Trump Saying It's ‘Imploding’
Obamacare Sign-ups at High Levels Despite Trump Saying It's ‘Imploding’
Kelsey Snell / NPR:
McConnell Ready To ‘Move On’ From Obamacare Repeal, Others In GOP Say Not So Fast
McConnell Ready To ‘Move On’ From Obamacare Repeal, Others In GOP Say Not So Fast
Discussion:
Politico, Political Wire, The Hill, Talking Points Memo, IJR, Washington Post, Balloon Juice and Axios
United Nations:
General Assembly demands all States comply with UN resolutions regarding status of Jerusalem — By an overwhelming majority, Member States in the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday “demanded” that all countries comply with Security Council resolutions regarding the status of Jerusalem …
Discussion:
The Hill
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Farnaz Fassihi / Wall Street Journal:
U.N. Vote Rebukes U.S. for Jerusalem Move
U.N. Vote Rebukes U.S. for Jerusalem Move
Discussion:
Just Security
Washington Post:
U.N. resoundingly rejects U.S. decision on Jerusalem in pointed rebuke
U.N. resoundingly rejects U.S. decision on Jerusalem in pointed rebuke
Discussion:
DCReport.org, Booman Tribune, The Guardian, Al Jazeera English and Just Security
Nicole Gaouette / CNN:
Despite Haley threat, UN votes to condemn Trump's Jerusalem decision
Despite Haley threat, UN votes to condemn Trump's Jerusalem decision
Discussion:
Al Jazeera English, RedState and Mediaite
Associated Press:
Russian hackers targeted more than 200 journalists globally — PARIS (AP) — Russian television anchor Pavel Lobkov was in the studio getting ready for his show when jarring news flashed across his phone: Some of his most intimate messages had just been published to the web.
Matt Zapotosky / Washington Post:
Sessions rescinds Justice Dept. letter asking courts to be wary of stiff fines and fees for poor defendants — Attorney General Jeff Sessions is rescinding an Obama-era Justice Department letter that asked local courts across the country to be wary of slapping poor defendants with fines …
Discussion:
bizpacreview.com and BuzzFeed
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Ryan J. Reilly / HuffPost:
All 6 Defendants Not Guilty In Key Felony Trial Of Trump Inauguration Protesters
All 6 Defendants Not Guilty In Key Felony Trial Of Trump Inauguration Protesters
Discussion:
New York Magazine and The Stranger …, more at Mediagazer »
Joseph Pisani / Associated Press:
Papa John's Founder To Step Down As CEO After Backlash Over NFL Comments — NEW YORK (AP) — Papa John's founder John Schnatter will step down as CEO next month, about two months after he publicly criticized the NFL leadership over national anthem protests by football players — comments for which the company later apologized.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Balloon Juice
RELATED:
Julie Jargon / Wall Street Journal:
Papa John's Founder to Step Down as CEO
Papa John's Founder to Step Down as CEO
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, IJR and The Daily Caller
Washington Post:
FBI's top lawyer said to be reassigned … The FBI's top lawyer, James Baker, is being reassigned — one of the first moves by new director Christopher A. Wray to assemble his own team of senior advisers as he tries to fend off accusations of politicization within the bureau.
Discussion:
Shareblue Media
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Judge dismisses suits claiming Trump violated emoluments clause — A federal judge on Thursday dismissed a pair of lawsuits claiming that President Donald Trump's failure to divest himself of his real estate empire and other business holdings violated the Constitution's provision banning receipt of foreign …
Discussion:
Political Wire, Washington Post, RedState and The Week
RELATED:
Sharon LaFraniere / New York Times:
Judge Dismisses Suit Against Trump Over Business Dealings
Judge Dismisses Suit Against Trump Over Business Dealings
Discussion:
CNNMoney and New York Magazine
David Harsanyi / New York Post:
A deafening media silence on the Obama-Hezbollah scandal — Politico published a jaw-dropping, meticulously sourced investigative piece this week detailing how the Obama administration had secretly undermined US law-enforcement agency efforts to shut down an international drug-trafficking ring run by the terror group Hezbollah.
Caroline Orr / Shareblue Media:
Trump just gave a bigger Christmas gift to Putin than corporate America — while no one was watching — In a move that went largely unnoticed last week, Donald Trump quietly handed Russian President Vladimir Putin the best Christmas gift he could possibly ask for — an invitation …
New York Times:
Trump Administration Considers Separating Families to Combat Illegal Immigration — The Trump administration is considering a new policy that would separate parents from their children when families are caught entering the country illegally, according to officials who have been briefed on the plans.
Discussion:
Splinter and New York Magazine
Cora Lewis / BuzzFeed:
Five Women Are Accusing A Top Left-Leaning Media Executive Of Sexually Harassing Them — Don Hazen, the executive editor of AlterNet, was placed on “indefinite leave” after BuzzFeed News asked his oversight board about accusations that he inappropriately touched employees, sent lewd emails, and showed them explicit photographs.
Discussion:
NewsBusters and The Daily Caller, more at Mediagazer »
Andrea Fuller / Wall Street Journal:
Hundreds of People Made Gifts of Stock With Great Timing — Michael Milken is among investors who gave shares near peak prices or before drops, a WSJ analysis shows — When Michael Milken donated $27 million of stock to charity in September 2013, the former junk-bond financier's timing scarcely …
Jack Heretik / Washington Free Beacon:
Air Tests Positive for Alcohol at Frat House — Indoor air at a Maryland frat house tested positive for alcohol. — The booze-filled party location's air was found to have an alcohol concentration of 0.01. 0.08 is the legal blood alcohol limit for driving.
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, The Week, KFOR-TV and WKRN-TV
Philip Pullella / Reuters:
Callista Gingrich becomes Trump's envoy to pope as differences mount — VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Callista Gingrich, wife of the former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, on Friday became U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, which is at odds with Washington over immigration, climate change and Jerusalem.
Steven Hayward / Power Line:
The Deep Racism of the Left — Very revealing little dustup on Wednesday after the White House celebration of the tax cut bill. Andy Ostroy of the Puffington Host tweeted out that South Carolina Republican Senator Tim Scott, who spoke prominently at the Rose Garden rally, was a Republican “prop,” because Scott is black.
Matthew Chapman / Shareblue Media:
Ex-CIA director Brennan goes there, compares Trump to “narcissistic, vengeful autocrats” — Foreign relations have been in a tailspin since Donald Trump upended decades of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and declared America would recognize Jerusalem solely as the capital of Israel.
Discussion:
New York Times, bizpacreview.com, IJR, twitchy.com and National Review
Yashar Ali / HuffPost:
The Miss America Emails: How The Pageant's CEO Really Talks About The Winners — Internal correspondence reveals name-calling, slut-shaming and fat-shaming in emails between the Miss America CEO, board members and a pageant writer. — In late August 2014, the CEO of the Miss America Organization …