Top Items:
New York Times:
Trump Ordered Mueller Fired, but Backed Off When White House Counsel Threatened to Quit — WASHINGTON — President Trump ordered the firing last June of Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel overseeing the Russia investigation, according to four people told of the matter …
Discussion:
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Washington Post:
Trump moved to fire special counsel Mueller in June, bringing the White House's top lawyer to the brink of quitting — President Trump sought the firing of Robert S. Mueller III last June, shortly after the special counsel took over the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Raw Story and Business Insider
Ed Henry / Fox News:
Trump was talked out of firing Mueller last June, source says — President Trump told top officials this past June that he wanted to fire special counsel Robert Mueller, but was talked out of doing so by White House counsel Don McGahn and other aides, a source close to the White House told Fox News late Thursday.
CNN:
8 times since June the White House denied Trump was considering firing Mueller — NYT: Trump called for Mueller's firing in June 2017 — (CNN)President Donald Trump considered firing special counsel Robert Mueller last June, but backed down after White House counsel Don McGahn threatened to quit …
Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:
Trump's Attorney Says No Decision to Talk to Mueller — John Dowd, a lawyer for President Donald Trump, told The Daily Beast on Wednesday he will be the one to decide whether or not Trump sits down for an interview with special counsel Robert Mueller. Dowd also said he hasn't made any decision …
Discussion:
Palmer Report, Mediaite and Joe.My.God.
Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:
Mueller Wasn't Interested in Bannon Until ‘Fire and Fury,’ Source Says
Mueller Wasn't Interested in Bannon Until ‘Fire and Fury,’ Source Says
Discussion:
RedState and Political Wire
Timothy L. O'Brien / Bloomberg:
I've Watched Trump Testify Under Oath. It Isn't Pretty.
I've Watched Trump Testify Under Oath. It Isn't Pretty.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, CNN, Raw Story and Weekly Standard
Kaili Joy Gray / Shareblue Media:
White House doesn't deny it: Trump tried to fire Mueller and failed
White House doesn't deny it: Trump tried to fire Mueller and failed
Discussion:
Raw Story, Palmer Report and Mediaite
Lorraine Woellert / Politico:
White House jumps back into Dreamer battle with citizenship offer — President Donald Trump on Monday will propose a pathway to citizenship for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children — a key concession to Democrats that he hopes will win their support for a massive border wall with Mexico.
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Sahil Kapur / Bloomberg:
Cruz Blasts Citizenship Path for Dreamers Suggested by Trump — Senator Ted Cruz blasted the idea of giving young undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, a day after President Donald Trump said he was open to the idea as part of immigration legislation being negotiated in Congress.
New York Times:
Trump Immigration Plan Demands Tough Concessions From Democrats
Trump Immigration Plan Demands Tough Concessions From Democrats
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, New York Magazine and Outside the Beltway
Tal Kopan / CNN:
White House proposes path to citizenship for 1.8 million people
White House proposes path to citizenship for 1.8 million people
Discussion:
KTLA, The Daily Signal, National Review, Talking Points Memo and Politicus USA
Paul Schwartzman / Washington Post:
The Trumps asked to borrow a Van Gogh for the White House. The Guggenheim offered an 18K gold toilet instead. — The emailed response from the Guggenheim's chief curator to the White House was polite but firm: the museum could not accommodate a request to “borrow” a painting by Vincent Van Gogh …
Discussion:
Politico, Vox, Washington Press, New York Times, The A.V. Club, KTLA, Boing Boing, The Daily Caller, Addicting Info, Raw Story, AOL, The Root, Talking Points Memo, IJR, The Guardian, Splinter, thecut, Common Dreams, VICE, theGrio, Mediaite and 444
Jonathan Tamari / Philly.com:
Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection after sexual harassment furor — Rep. Pat Meehan will not seek reelection amid a furor over his use of taxpayer dollars to settle a sexual harassment claim against an aide, and the national response to his describing the woman as his “soul mate.”
Sharyl Attkisson / The Hill:
As walls close in on FBI, the bureau lashes out at its antagonists — BY SHARYL ATTKISSON, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 01/25/18 01:50 PM EST THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY CONTRIBUTORS ARE THEIR OWN AND NOT THE VIEW OF THE HILL — What happens when federal agencies accused of possible wrongdoing — also control the alleged evidence against them?
Discussion:
Power Line, Breitbart, American Greatness, The Daily Caller, Business Insider, bizpacreview.com, Daily Wire and IJR
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Craig Timberg / Washington Post:
Russians got tens of thousands of Americans to RSVP for their phony political events on Facebook
Russians got tens of thousands of Americans to RSVP for their phony political events on Facebook
Discussion:
Political Wire
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Trump and the great GOP abdication
Trump and the great GOP abdication
Discussion:
The Hill, Politico, RedState and Little Green Footballs
Huib Modderkolk / De Volkskrant:
Dutch agencies provide crucial intel about Russia's interference in US-elections — Hackers from the Dutch intelligence service AIVD have provided the FBI with crucial information about Russian interference with the American elections. For years, AIVD had access to the infamous Russian hacker group Cozy Bear.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice, Washington Press and emptywheel
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Ryan J. Reilly / HuffPost:
‘Secret Society’ FBI Text Actually Began With A ‘Beefcake’ Putin Calendar — The backstory to the message that's been blowing up conservative media is pretty funny. — WASHINGTON It was hours after Donald Trump became the president-elect, and two FBI officials, like many of their fellow citizens, were flabbergasted.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Politicus USA, Hit & Run, Mediaite, IJR, The Guardian, Salon, Hullabaloo and Joe.My.God.
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Dell Cameron / Gizmodo:
Kris Kobach's Office Leaks Last 4 Social Security Digits of Nearly Every Kansas Lawmaker and Thousands of State Employees, Including Kris Kobach — This is starting to just get sad. — Prior to receiving notice from Gizmodo this morning, Kris Kobach's office was leaking sensitive information belonging …
Discussion:
Mother Jones and New York Magazine
David Edwards / Raw Story:
GOP Senate candidate flips out over 'women's rights': ‘I want to come home to a cooked dinner every night’ — Republican U.S. Senate candidate for Missouri Courtland Sykes blasted “women's rights” this week. — In a statement posted to Facebook on Tuesday, Sykes said that he had been asked if he “supports women's rights.”
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Page Six:
NBC stunned by how far Megyn Kelly went with Fonda attack — Megyn Kelly got approval from higher-ups at NBC before launching her hair-raising attack on Jane Fonda, Page Six has learned — but we're told that prominent members of the organization were then stunned by how far the broadside went.
Discussion:
Breitbart, thecut, Splinter, Hullabaloo and Washington Free Beacon
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Mark Krikorian / National Review:
The Art of the Choke — The White House immigration outline was released today and it's not good. It could change tomorrow, for all we know, but as it stands now, this is a preemptive surrender on several issues. — The enforcement component is fine, as far as it goes - there's no E-Verify …
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Daily Wire
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Johnny Manziel / ESPN:
Vince McMahon: XFL to return in 2020 without gimmicks — WWE founder and chairman Vince McMahon announced Thursday he is giving a professional football league another go. — It will be called the XFL, the same name of the league McMahon and NBC tried for one season in 2001 …
Discussion:
The Wrap, Daily Wire, IJR, Breitbart, The Big Lead, NESN.com, The Guardian, The Daily Caller, The Comeback, USA Today and Mediaite
Mike Fleming / Deadline:
Casey Affleck Withdraws From Oscars: Won't Present Best Actress Award — EXCLUSIVE: Casey Affleck has withdrawn from presenting the Best Actress Award at the upcoming Oscars, Deadline hears. He has notified the Academy he will not be attending the event, sources said.
Discussion:
Hollywood Reporter, Mashable, thecut, Mediaite, NPR, The Ringer, Daily Wire, East Bay Times, The A.V. Club, Decider, Glamour and The Daily Caller, more at Mediagazer »
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
CNN reinstates Ryan Lizza — CNN is reinstating Ryan Lizza, the Washington political reporter who was fired from the New Yorker for alleged sexual misconduct. “Upon learning of The New Yorker's decision to sever ties with Ryan Lizza in December, CNN pulled him from future on-air appearances …
Discussion:
Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
BostonGlobe.com:
Joe Kennedy to deliver Democratic response to State of the Union address — WASHINGTON - Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, one of the Democratic Party's rising political stars, has been tapped by top party leaders to deliver the official Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address next week.
Ian Kerner / CNN:
Cuckolding can be positive for some couples, study says — (CNN)In our current political climate, the term “cuck” — short for “cuckservative” — has become an insult of the so-called alt-right, aimed at men they view as spineless and emasculated. The slur has its roots in the concept of cuckolding, or having an adulterous partner.
Discussion:
Daily Wire, NewsBusters, The Daily Caller, Breitbart and Towleroad
Esme Cribb / Talking Points Memo:
The Photo That Never Saw The Light of Day: Obama With Farrakhan In 2005 — A journalist announced last week that he will publish a photograph of then-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D) and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan that he took in 2005 at a Congressional Black Caucus meeting …
Discussion:
bizpacreview.com, Townhall.com, The Daily Caller, Instapundit, The Gateway Pundit, IJR, National Review, Geller Report, Breitbart and Daily Wire
Steven T. Dennis / Bloomberg:
Grassley Says ‘Spooked’ Kushner Won't Agree to Russia Interview — Committee to release other transcripts on Trump Tower meeting — ‘That section of our investigation is done,’ senator says — A “spooked” Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media and Palmer Report
Fred Imbert / CNBC:
Trump says dollar will get ‘stronger and stronger,’ Mnuchin was misinterpreted — “The dollar is going to get stronger and stronger and ultimately I want to see a strong dollar,” Trump told CNBC in an exclusive interview. — On Wednesday, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he welcomed …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, WTVR-TV, RealityChek, Breitbart, Washington Monthly, Business Insider, Politico and myfox8.com