memeorandum: American man questioned after human head found in suitcase (The Asahi Shimbun)

1:30 PM ET, February 26, 2018

Top Items:

The Latest: Trump says he had lunch with NRA leaders — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump's meeting with the nation's governors (all times local): — President Donald Trump says he had lunch during the weekend with key leaders of the National Rifle Association …

Discussion: CNBC, Daily Kos, Raw Story and VICE News

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:

Trump: I would have run into school during shooting even without a gun … on Monday claimed he would have run into a Florida high school to prevent a gunman from carrying out this month's mass shooting. — “I really believe I'd run in there even if I didn't have a weapon,” Trump told a gathering of governors at the White House.

Discussion: Politico, Axios and Political Wire

Jeff Schultz / myajc:

Chipper Jones, avid hunter, denounces assault rifles — Chipper Jones was five or six years old when his father taught him how to shoot a gun, this coming before he had even played his first game of Little League baseball. He grew up loving one as much as the other, becoming not only a Hall …

Discussion: Breitbart and Deadspin

Devan Cole / CNN:
Trump campaign emails photo of Parkland survivor, asks for donations

Discussion: AOL, The Hill, Washington Press, Joe.My.God., Breitbart, RedState, Shakesville and Mediaite

Betsy Klein / CNN:
Melania Trump ‘heartened’ by student activists in wake of shooting

Discussion: Politicus USA

Nicole Lafond / Talking Points Memo:
Trump On Shooting Response: 'I Really Believe I'd Run In There' Even Without Gun

Discussion: Washington Press and Washington Free Beacon

USA Today:

Supreme Court snubs Trump, keeps DACA immigration program in place for now — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court refused Monday to review a federal judge's order that the Trump administration continue a program protecting undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.

Discussion: RedState and Althouse

Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
Supreme Court declines Trump request to take up DACA controversy now

Discussion: Axios, The Hill, IJR and The Root

Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Justices Turn Down Trump's Appeal in ‘Dreamers’ Case

Discussion: Above the Law and Outside the Beltway

Sam Baker / Axios:
Public-sector unions prepare to be kneecapped at the Supreme Court

Discussion: ABC News, Politico and Breitbart

Politico:
Gorsuch mum as Supreme Court rehears public employee union fight

Discussion: ABC News and Breitbart

David G. Savage / Los Angeles Times:
Supreme Court extends relief for ‘Dreamers,’ refuses to rule now on Trump immigration plan

Discussion: Mother Jones

Dara Lind / Vox:
The Supreme Court may have just kept DACA on life support for several more months

Discussion: Mother Jones

Bloomberg: U.S. Supreme Court Rebuffs Trump, Won't Hear Immigration Appeal

CNN:

In Russia probes, Republicans draw red line at Trump's finances — Mueller charges lawyer with lying about Gates interaction — (CNN)Top Republicans on Capitol Hill have made a concerted decision in their Russia inquiries: They are staying away from digging into the finances of President Donald Trump and his family.

Discussion: Axios, Raw Story and Political Wire

Aidan McLaughlin / Mediaite:

David Hogg: Gov. Rick Scott Should Be ‘Held Accountable’ For Sheriff's Deputies That Didn't Confront Shooter — David Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland, Florida high school shooting, told Morning Joe on Monday that he thinks Gov. Rick Scott should be “held accountable” for the failure of three sheriff's deputies to confront the gunman.

Discussion: RedState, IJR, NBC News, Shareblue Media and Joe.My.God.

David Ovalle / miamiherald:
I'm no coward, says deputy who didn't go inside Parkland school during massacre

Discussion: Politico and USA Today

Catherine Lucey / Associated Press:

Ivanka Trump believes father's denials of sexual misconduct — WASHINGTON (AP) — Ivanka Trump says she believes her father's denials of sexual misconduct, arguing that questions to her on the topic are “pretty inappropriate.” — Trump serves as a senior adviser in President Donald Trump's administration …

Discussion: Washington Post, Mediaite and Jezebel

Phil McCausland / NBC News:
Ivanka Trump: Arming teachers an option that ‘needs to be discussed’

Discussion: BuzzFeed, Politico, The Root, Talking Points Memo, NBC News, VICE News, IJR and Joe.My.God.

Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
An attack on North Korea would be massive - and massively stupid

Discussion: Just Security and The American Conservative

Matt Flegenheimer / New York Times:

How Long Can John Kelly Hang On? — Last year, Democrats and Republicans alike agreed that if anyone could bring order to the Trump administration, it was the retired four-star Marine general. Were they wrong? — On a Saturday afternoon last July, the day after John Kelly agreed …

Eliana Johnson / Politico:

Kelly and Kushner stuck at an impasse after Trump's punt on clearance — The chief of staff is unlikely to grant the president's son-in-law a permanent clearance, but isn't likely to quit over the issue, either. — President Donald Trump's decision to punt the issue of whether Jared Kushner …

Discussion: New York Magazine, Raw Story and Outside the Beltway

Gene Maddaus / Variety:

Weinstein Co. to Declare Bankruptcy After Sale Collapses — The Weinstein Co. announced Sunday that it will declare bankruptcy after a $500 million deal to sell the company collapsed. — The deal-breaker appears to have been the bid group's refusal to put up cash imminently to keep the company afloat.

Discussion: CNNMoney, KTLA and Mediaite

Ryan Faughnder / Los Angeles Times:
Weinstein Co. is set to file for bankruptcy after sale talks collapse

Discussion: AOL, Associated Press and NPR, more at Mediagazer »

Stephanie M. Lee / BuzzFeed:

The Inside Story Of How An Ivy League Food Scientist Turned Shoddy Data Into Viral Studies — Brian Wansink won fame, funding, and influence for his science-backed advice on healthy eating. Now, emails show how the Cornell professor and his colleagues have hacked and massaged low-quality data …

Discussion: Marginal REVOLUTION

NBC News:

Collusion or not, Russia probe is worst political scandal in decades — First Read is your briefing from Meet the Press and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political stories and why they matter — Trump responds to Democrats' release of controversial memo 2:47

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Politico and Axios

TMZ.com:

Heather Locklear — Arrested for Domestic Violence — EXCLUSIVE DETAILS — Heather Locklear was arrested Sunday night for felony domestic violence and battery on a cop. — The incident occurred Sunday night. Deputies responded to a home in Thousand Oaks, CA ... someone reported domestic violence.

Discussion: CBS Los Angeles, Daily Wire, Jezebel and AOL

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Exclusive: Trump privately pushing personal pilot to run FAA — The president's personal pilot is on the administration's short list to head the Federal Aviation Administration. Trump has told a host of administration officials and associates that he wants John Dunkin — his longtime personal pilot …

Discussion: ABC News, Talking Points Memo, RedState, AOL, No More Mister Nice Blog, New York Magazine, Gizmodo, Washington Press, Washington Post, FOX2now.com, Mediaite and Joe.My.God.

Alex Horton / Washington Post:

A CDC researcher left work sick two weeks ago — then vanished … Dr. Timothy J. Cunningham had been a rising official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. — The Harvard-educated epidemiologist was promoted in July at the U.S. Public Health Service in Atlanta and contributed …

Christina Caron / New York Times:
C.D.C. Employee Is Missing Nearly Two Weeks After Leaving Work Sick

Discussion: CBS New York and Washington Post

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:

Elizabeth Warren's stealth campaign to shed ‘Pocahontas’ — Elizabeth Warren's surprise address this month on her disputed Native American heritage was just one piece of a concerted campaign by the Massachusetts senator and potential 2020 hopeful to put the controversy behind her.

Discussion: National Review and Daily Wire

Doug Mills / New York Times:

From the White House to the Slopes: A Times Photographer's Olympic Trials — PYEONGCHANG, South Korea — I spend 90 percent of my time covering the White House and Capitol Hill, where I wait around for hours for photo ops and news conferences. The Olympics, on the other hand …