Top Items:
NBC News:
Trump, Mueller teams prepare to move forward without presidential interview — WASHINGTON — Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office and President Donald Trump's legal team are now proceeding with strategies that presume a presidential interview will likely not take place as part of the Russia investigation …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, CNBC, emptywheel, Daily Kos, The Right Scoop, Jezebel, Sputnik International, Raw Story, Washington Times, POLITICUSUSA, Law & Crime and Joe.My.God.
RELATED:
CNN:
White House is prepping an effort to undermine Rosenstein — Washington (CNN)The White House is preparing talking points designed to undermine Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein's credibility, according to sources familiar with the plan. — The plan calls on President Donald Trump's allies …
Discussion:
Politico, The Atlantic, Political Wire, ABC News, Fox News Insider, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, POLITICUSUSA, Above the Law, Bloomberg, Mother Jones, Daily Kos, Washington Monthly, VICE News, Hot Air, AOL, Townhall, Common Dreams, ThinkProgress, Media Matters for America, Raw Story, The Daily Caller and HuffPost
The Daily Beast:
James Comey: John Kelly Called Trump ‘Dishonorable’ for Firing Me … Within minutes of his firing in May, former FBI Director James Comey received a call from John Kelly, then the head of the Department of Homeland Security and now the White House chief of staff.
Discussion:
Washington Press, Washington Post, Axios, Vox, Fox News, Talking Points Memo, IJR, ABC News, Raw Story, New York Magazine, Mediaite and Hullabaloo
Ruth Brown / New York Post:
Comey: Trump asked me to investigate ‘pee tape’ to reassure Melania — President Trump wanted James Comey to investigate the infamous “pee tape” allegations — to reassure Melania that he hadn't actually paid Russian hookers to urinate on a hotel bed, the former FBI chief claims in his upcoming book.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, CNN, Raw Story and Splinter
RELATED:
Associated Press:
In new book, Comey says Trump ‘untethered to truth’ — WASHINGTON (AP) — Former FBI Director James Comey blasts President Donald Trump as unethical and “untethered to truth” and calls his leadership of the country “ego driven and about personal loyalty” in a forthcoming book.
Jeff Zeleny / CNN:
Exclusive: Inside the GOP plan to discredit Comey — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump's allies are preparing an extensive campaign to fight back against James Comey's publicity tour, trying to undermine the credibility of the former FBI director by reviving the blistering Democratic criticism …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Fox News, The Hill, Latest from Crooks and Liars, Talking Points Memo, Patterico's Pontifications, TheBlaze, Daily Wire, MSNBC, Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Vox, New Republic, Hot Air, RedState, National Review, New York Magazine, Washington Times, The Week and No More Mister Nice Blog
Philip Rucker / Washington Post:
James Comey's memoir: Trump fixates on proving lewd dossier allegations false … The nation's intelligence chiefs had just finished briefing Donald Trump on Russia's interference in the 2016 election when FBI Director James B. Comey stayed behind to discuss some especially sensitive material …
Rick Klein / ABC News:
Comey book claims President Trump sought loyalty like mafia boss ‘Sammy the Bull’
Comey book claims President Trump sought loyalty like mafia boss ‘Sammy the Bull’
Discussion:
NewsBusters
Ronan Farrow / New Yorker:
The National Enquirer, a Trump Rumor, and Another Secret Payment to Buy Silence — Late in 2015, a former Trump Tower doorman named Dino Sajudin met with a reporter from American Media, Inc., the publisher of the National Enquirer, at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.
Discussion:
The Root, Daily Kos, ABC News, CNN, Mediaite, twitchy.com and Washington Post
RELATED:
Associated Press:
$30,000 rumor? Tabloid paid for, spiked, salacious Trump tip — NEW YORK (AP) — Eight months before the company that owns the National Enquirer paid $150,000 to a former Playboy Playmate who claimed she'd had an affair with Donald Trump, the tabloid's parent made a $30,000 payment …
Discussion:
Politico, Bloomberg, Hullabaloo, POLITICUSUSA, Splinter, Vox, Washington Post, RedState, WGN-TV, IJR, MSNBC, VICE News, Washington Press, The Daily Beast, ThinkProgress, KTLA, fox5sandiego.com, Jezebel, Mediaite, New Republic and CBS Miami, more at Mediagazer »
New York Daily News:
Ex-wife of former Trump building doorman who claimed the President has a love child says he's a liar — The former Trump building doorman who claimed he heard the President has a love child is “a pathological liar,” his ex-wife told the Daily News. — “He's infamous for making up stories …
Discussion:
The Hill, Washington Times, The Gateway Pundit and twitchy.com
Carol D. Leonnig / Washington Post:
National Enquirer paid second source with embarrassing Trump rumor
National Enquirer paid second source with embarrassing Trump rumor
Discussion:
Vox, Mediaite, Raw Story and Joe.My.God.
Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Lawmakers' Letter Claims Further Spending Abuses by the E.P.A. Head, Scott Pruitt — WASHINGTON — Scott Pruitt, the Environmental Protection Agency administrator, insisted on staying in luxury hotels that were costlier than allowed by government standards, while also pushing to fly on an airline …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Mediaite and The Week
RELATED:
Zahra Hirji / BuzzFeed:
A New Bombshell Letter Alleges “Unethical And Potentially Illegal” Acts By EPA Head Scott Pruitt
A New Bombshell Letter Alleges “Unethical And Potentially Illegal” Acts By EPA Head Scott Pruitt
Discussion:
ProPublica, New Republic, HuffPost and Grist
Washington Post:
Scott Pruitt has four different EPA email addresses. Lawmakers want to know why.
Scott Pruitt has four different EPA email addresses. Lawmakers want to know why.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Politico, VICE News, Political Wire and Axios
Eric Levitz / New York Magazine:
Pro-Trump EPA Official: Pruitt Asked Us to Rent Him a Private Plane
Pro-Trump EPA Official: Pruitt Asked Us to Rent Him a Private Plane
Umair Irfan / Vox:
Scott Pruitt's actions at the EPA have triggered a half-dozen investigations
Scott Pruitt's actions at the EPA have triggered a half-dozen investigations
Discussion:
Friendly Atheist
Washington Post:
Trump weighs rejoining Trans-Pacific Partnership amid trade dispute with China — President Trump told top administration officials Thursday to look at rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the multination trade agreement he pulled the United States out of shortly after taking office.
Discussion:
Axios, RedState, Talking Points Memo, Roll Call, TheBlaze, Little Green Footballs, Hullabaloo and Political Wire
RELATED:
Ana Swanson / New York Times:
Trump Reverses Course and Proposes Rejoining Trans-Pacific Partnership — WASHINGTON — President Trump, in a stunning reversal, told a gathering of farm state lawmakers and governors on Thursday morning that he was directing his advisers to look into rejoining the multicountry trade deal known …
Discussion:
Vox, The Atlantic, National Review, Mother Jones, Common Dreams, Daily Wire and Senator Ben Sasse
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Scoop: Ricky Waddell is leaving the White House
Scoop: Ricky Waddell is leaving the White House
Discussion:
Weekly Standard, Washington Post, Politico, The Hill, CNBC, Talking Points Memo, IJR, New Republic, MSNBC, Shareblue Media and HuffPost
Emma Platoff / The Texas Tribune:
Former Texas Congressman Steve Stockman found guilty of 23 felonies — A federal jury in Houston has ruled that Steve Stockman, a conservative former Texas congressman, is guilty of all but one charge in his federal fraud trial. — Steve Stockman, a former Texas congressman …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, RedState, Washington Monthly, Political Wire, Booman Tribune, TheBlaze, Joe.My.God. and Roll Call
Benjamin Wittes / The Atlantic:
The Principle of Professional Law Enforcement Is Now on the Line — Expect President Trump to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in the next few days. Maybe he won't do it. Maybe he'll change his mind. But Trump is apparently livid at Rosenstein and both The Washington Post …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, CNN, Washington Post, VICE News and Media Matters for America
RELATED:
Paul Rosenzweig / The Atlantic:
Firing Rosenstein Won't Save Trump
NBC News:
U.S. officials: Blood samples show nerve agent, chlorine in Syria gas attack — WASHINGTON — The U.S. now has blood and urine samples from last Saturday's deadly attack in Syria that have tested positive for chemical weapons, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the intelligence.
Discussion:
CNBC, New York Times, New York Magazine, IJR, The Daily Caller, NBC News and Axios
RELATED:
Maggie Astor / New York Times:
Holocaust Is Fading From Memory, Survey Finds — For seven decades, “never forget” has been a rallying cry of the Holocaust remembrance movement. — But a survey released Thursday, on Holocaust Remembrance Day, found that many adults lack basic knowledge of what happened …
Washington Post:
FBI raid sought Trump lawyer's communications with bank that loaned him money against his taxi business … A federal investigation into what role President Trump's personal attorney played in facilitating payments to two women who alleged affairs with Trump is also examining the lawyer's interactions …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and POLITICUSUSA
Andrew Kirell / The Daily Beast:
Diamond & Silk Claim Facebook Never Contacted Them. Facebook Emails Prove Otherwise. … Pro-Trump vloggers Diamond & Silk found themselves the center of two high-profile congressional hearings this week lawmakers obsessed over claims the duo were “censored” by Facebook.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Mediaite, Washington Post, HuffPost and VICE News, more at Mediagazer »
Matt Bai / Yahoo:
Fire the special counsel. Please. — Let me put it to you this way, Mr. President. Who are you going to listen to — the voice of the stable genius inside your head, or the timid voices of experience, the ones that said you'd never win? — You know what you want to do. Just do it already.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Chris Sommerfeldt / New York Daily News:
Trump federal judicial nominee refuses to say whether she supports racial segregation in schools — Brown v. Wendy Vitter? — A Louisiana lawyer nominated by President Trump for a federal judgeship refused to affirm whether she's opposed to school segregation during a congressional hearing Wednesday.
Discussion:
HuffPost, The Hill, twitchy.com, The Daily Beast, Daily Kos and Joe.My.God.
RELATED:
Ariane de Vogue / CNN:
Trump judicial nominee refuses to say if landmark civil rights opinion was correctly decided
Trump judicial nominee refuses to say if landmark civil rights opinion was correctly decided
Discussion:
Townhall, ABC News, HuffPost, ThinkProgress, theGrio, Talking Points Memo, IJR, Bustle, PerezHilton, twitchy.com and Political Wire
Madeleine Marr / miamiherald:
This Parkland teacher left his gun in a public bathroom. It was loaded, BSO says. — Not the most normal sight: a gun left in the bathroom stall. — But that's exactly what went down on Sunday in a men's room at the Deerfield Beach Pier. — The circumstances of how the Glock 9mm got there are unusual.
Discussion:
ABC News, New York Times, WPLG-TV, KFOR-TV, KTLA, CBS San Francisco, NPR, Vox, Orlando Weekly, Bearing Arms, Washington Press, Bustle, The Root, Splinter, National Review, TheBlaze, The Week, The Daily Caller, Law & Crime and twitchy.com
Fox News:
Biblical prophecy claims the Rapture is coming April 23, numerologist says — Is the Rapture finally here? One Christian numerologist says a biblical sign strongly suggests it. — David Meade tells the U.K.'s Daily Express newspaper that on April 23, the sun and moon will be in Virgo, as will Jupiter, which represents the Messiah.
Discussion:
Sploid, Mashable, AOL, BGR, Friendly Atheist and CBS Philly
James Oliver Cury / Hollywood Reporter:
Charlie Rose's Life Now: “Broken,” “Brilliant” and “Lonely” — Before the devastating allegations of sexual misconduct hit, Rose was a legendary man-about-town. Now, the former CBS and PBS star, one of TV's most feted journalists, is hiding out on Long Island with occasional …
Discussion:
Mediaite
Rob Haskell / Vogue:
Disney CEO Bob Iger On Taking the Biggest Risk of His Career — Disney's plan to acquire 21st Century Fox is about keeping up with a rapidly changing world. “The status quo, to me, is a joke,” says Iger, photographed at home in Los Angeles. — Photographed by Mark Peckmezian, Vogue, May 2018.
Discussion:
BloombergQuint, The Daily Caller and Deadline
Adam Schefter / ESPN:
Seahawks postpone visit after Colin Kaepernick won't say if he'll stop kneeling — After arranging for Colin Kaepernick to work out for the Seattle Seahawks this week, team officials postponed the trip when the quarterback declined to say he would stop kneeling during the national anthem next season …
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Mediaite, TheBlaze, AOL, The Root and Daily Wire
Cameron Easley / Morning Consult:
America's Most and Least Popular Senators — There's good news and bad news for Senate Democrats up for re-election — Sanders (I-Vt.) and McConnell (R-Ky.) remains the most popular and unpopular senators, respectively. — 2018's first quarter was a volatile one for several senators …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Booman Tribune and Washington Free Beacon
The Right Scoop:
Former FEC Chairman tells Mark Levin why Stormy Daniels hush money CANNOT be an in kind campaign contribution — Last night Mark Levin interviewed a former FEC Chairman who explained why a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels cannot be considered an in kind contribution to the Trump campaign, thus violating campaign finance law.
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion
Axios:
Ryan may be forced to leave speakership by summer — Paul Ryan said he plans to remain as speaker and not call an early leadership election, but well-wired Republicans tell Jonathan Swan and me that Ryan may be forced out sooner. — What we're hearing: One source close to leadership told us …
Discussion:
Fox News, RedState, New York Magazine, New York Times, The Daily Beast, Politico, Raw Story, Roll Call, TheBlaze and Outside the Beltway
Pema Levy / Mother Jones:
Member of Trump's Voter Fraud Commission Sued for Voter Intimidation — J. Christian Adams claimed eligible voters in Virginia were part of an illegal “alien invasion.” … A conservative activist and voter fraud alarmist is facing a federal lawsuit Thursday over dubious allegations of massive voter fraud in Virginia.