Top Items:
Michiko Kakutani / New York Times:
James Comey Has a Story to Tell. It's Very Persuasive. — Truth, Lies, and Leadership — 290 pages. Flatiron Books. $29.99. — In his absorbing new book, “A Higher Loyalty,” the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey calls the Trump presidency a “forest fire” …
Discussion:
Mother Jones, twitchy.com, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit and New York Post
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Washington Post:
Trump's allies worry that federal investigators may have seized recordings made by his attorney … President Trump's personal attorney Michael D. Cohen sometimes taped conversations with associates, according to three people familiar with his practice, and allies of the president are worried …
Discussion:
Splinter, Bipartisan Report, Washington Press, The Week, Hot Air, AOL, HuffPost, Daily Kos, Raw Story, Balloon Juice, Mediaite and Political Wire
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.
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 …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, HuffPost, The American Conservative, CNBC, Washington Press, Daily Kos, Bustle, Law & Crime, No More Mister Nice Blog, Mother Jones, The Week and Mediaite
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.
CNN:
FBI may have seized recorded conversations from Trump's attorney — Washington (CNN)Donald Trump's personal attorney often recorded telephone conversations both before and during the 2016 presidential campaign that likely have been scooped up in the FBI raid on attorney Michael Cohen's apartment …
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, Daily Wire, Vox, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Washington Post, Axios, Talking Points Memo and ABC News
Jen Kirby / Vox:
5 eye-popping revelations from James Comey's book excerpts
5 eye-popping revelations from James Comey's book excerpts
Discussion:
Bustle, Joe.My.God. and The Week
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:
The Daily Caller, Bipartisan Report, HuffPost, Raw Story and NewsBusters
Washington Post:
FBI raid sought Trump lawyer's communications with bank that loaned him money against his taxi business
FBI raid sought Trump lawyer's communications with bank that loaned him money against his taxi business
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA, Washington Press and Talking Points Memo
Brooke Singman / Fox News:
GOP launches aggressive ‘Lyin’ Comey' website ahead of release of former FBI chief's book
GOP launches aggressive ‘Lyin’ Comey' website ahead of release of former FBI chief's book
Discussion:
The Guardian, The Gateway Pundit, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Townhall, Breitbart and CBS Chicago
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 …
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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:
Lawfare, USA Today, Fox News Insider, ABC News, Fox News, Bipartisan Report, New York Times, POLITICUSUSA, Above the Law, Breitbart, Media Matters for America, Politico, Washington Post, ThinkProgress, Washington Monthly, Daily Kos, AOL, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, HuffPost, Bloomberg, Political Wire, Washington Times and Common Dreams
David Priess / Lawfare:
What I Learned From Briefing Robert Mueller — When Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed former FBI Director Bob Mueller as special counsel to investigate Russian election interference, I found myself neither surprised that Mueller had been tapped nor shocked when he accepted the call to duty.
Ryan Struyk / CNN:
Republican voters are turning against the Mueller probe
Republican voters are turning against the Mueller probe
Discussion:
ThinkProgress
Benjamin Wittes / The Atlantic:
The Principle of Professional Law Enforcement Is Now on the Line
The Principle of Professional Law Enforcement Is Now on the Line
Discussion:
The Daily Beast
Jonathan Karl / ABC News:
President Trump poised to pardon Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff, sources say — President Donald Trump is poised to pardon Scooter J. Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, according to sources familiar with the president's thinking.
Discussion:
New York Magazine, NBC News, Political Wire, The Daily Caller, The Week, Mediaite, Boing Boing, Washington Times, Daily Kos and WGN-TV
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New York Times:
Trump Plans to Pardon Scooter Libby — WASHINGTON — President Trump plans to pardon I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Jr., who as chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney was convicted of perjury in connection with the leak of a C.I.A. officer's identity, a person familiar with the decision said on Thursday.
Discussion:
Chicago Sun-Times
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:
New York Magazine, BuzzFeed, Vox, Shareblue Media, Washington Press, Friendly Atheist, The Week, ProPublica and The Daily Caller
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The Daily Beast:
Scott Pruitt's Lobbyist Landlord Being Pressured to Leave His Firm
Scott Pruitt's Lobbyist Landlord Being Pressured to Leave His Firm
Discussion:
Splinter
Alex Guillén / Politico:
Pruitt's security chief goaded spending, employees say
Pruitt's security chief goaded spending, employees say
Discussion:
The Intercept, CNBC, Breitbart, Bloomberg and ABC News
Michael D. Shear / New York Times:
Trump, Having Denounced Amazon's Shipping Deal, Orders Review of Postal Service — WASHINGTON — President Trump abruptly issued an executive order on Thursday demanding an evaluation of the Postal Service's finances, asserting the power of his office weeks after accusing Amazon …
Discussion:
Mediaite and Washington Times
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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:
National Review, Common Dreams, New York Magazine, The Atlantic, Daily Wire and Outside the Beltway
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Zeeshan Aleem / Vox:
Trump is desperately looking for ways to save farmers from his trade war with China
Trump is desperately looking for ways to save farmers from his trade war with China
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Senator Ben Sasse and One America News Network
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, Bustle, Hot Air, Washington Times, twitchy.com, Daily Wire, Splinter, Vox and The Gateway Pundit, more at Mediagazer »
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Greg Price / Newsweek:
Trump had affair with housekeeper that produced a child, former doorman claims
Trump had affair with housekeeper that produced a child, former doorman claims
Discussion:
New York Times and Mediaite
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:
Washington Post, Mediaite, Media Matters for America and VICE News
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Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:
Diamond and Silk's Facebook censorship claim is a hoax
Diamond and Silk's Facebook censorship claim is a hoax
Discussion:
Media Matters for America, Washington Post, HuffPost, Mediaite and twitchy.com, more at Mediagazer »
Washington Post:
Confirm Mike Pompeo — MIKE POMPEO'S confirmation hearing to become secretary of state arrived at a moment when the Trump administration is grappling with a chaotic confluence of actual and looming foreign crises — including some of its own making. President Trump is contemplating military strikes …
Discussion:
The Hill, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Breitbart, Bustle, The Atlantic, USA Today, The Daily Beast, New Republic, Politico and VICE News
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Caroline Orr / Shareblue Media:
CIA director can't remember if Trump asked him to obstruct Russia probe
CIA director can't remember if Trump asked him to obstruct Russia probe
Discussion:
Washington Post, HuffPost, Crooked Media, Mother Jones and CNN
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:
RedState, Talking Points Memo, Booman Tribune, TheBlaze, Raw Story, Washington Monthly, Joe.My.God., Roll Call and Political Wire
CBS Los Angeles:
Proposal To Break California Into 3 States Could Make November Ballot — LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Voters could get a chance to decide whether California should be split into three states this November. — Venture capitalist Tim Draper, who authored an initiative to break up the Golden State …
Discussion:
Fox News Insider, The Right Scoop, Louder With Crowder and Daily Wire
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
Ed Pilkington / The Guardian:
Revealed: Secret rightwing strategy to discredit teacher strikes … A nationwide network of rightwing thinktanks is launching a PR counteroffensive against the teachers' strikes that are sweeping the country, circulating a “messaging guide” for anti-union activists that portrays the walkouts …
Discussion:
Common Dreams and Splinter
Joseph Cox / Motherboard:
Cops Around the Country Can Now Unlock iPhones, Records Show — A Motherboard investigation has found that law enforcement agencies across the country have purchased GrayKey, a relatively cheap tool for bypassing the encryption on iPhones, while the FBI pushes again for encryption backdoors.
Discussion:
Mashable, The Week and 9to5Mac, more at Techmeme »
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, BGR, Faithwire, Friendly Atheist, CBS Philly and AOL
Pema Levy / Mother Jones:
Member of Trump's Voter Fraud Commission Sued for Voter Intimidation — A conservative activist and voter fraud alarmist is facing a federal lawsuit Thursday over dubious allegations of massive voter fraud in Virginia. A civil rights group and four Virginia voters filed a suit …