Top Items:
The Hill:
House chaplain forced out by Ryan — House Chaplain Patrick Conroy's sudden resignation has sparked a furor on Capitol Hill, with sources in both parties saying he was pushed out by Speaker Paul Ryan — (R-Wis.). — Conroy's own resignation announcement stated that it was done at Ryan's request.
Discussion:
ABC News, americamagazine.org, CNN, HuffPost, Washington Press, Washington Post, Daily Kos, Shareblue Media and thenewcivilrightsmovement.com
RELATED:
Jake Sherman / Politico:
Democrats furious at Ryan over ousting of House chaplain — Democrats are outraged over the resignation of the House chaplain, alleging he was unjustly forced out by Republicans. — In the 10 days since Father Pat Conroy resigned, there's been widespread chatter about what prompted the Jesuit priest's unexpected departure.
Discussion:
Splinter
NBC News:
Speaker Paul Ryan forces out the House chaplain, angers lawmakers — WASHINGTON — House Speaker Paul Ryan has ousted the chaplain of the House of Representatives, according to his resignation letter — a move that's angered members of both parties who have come to the defense of the Jesuit priest.
Discussion:
AOL
Paul Kane / Washington Post:
Ryan dismisses House chaplain, leaving lawmakers demanding answers
Ryan dismisses House chaplain, leaving lawmakers demanding answers
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Talking Points Memo
Kaja Whitehouse / New York Post:
Feds seized more than a dozen of Michael Cohen's phones — Manhattan federal prosecutors seized as many as 16 cell phones when the FBI raided the home, office and hotel room of President Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen. — Prosecutor Thomas McKay made the astonishing revelation …
Discussion:
The Root, Political Wire and Washington Press
RELATED:
Travis Gettys / Raw Story:
Attorney Michael Avenatti hints $1.6 million abortion payout was for Trump — not GOP donor — The lawyer for porn actress Stormy Daniels suggested that a $1.6 million hush money payoff to a Playboy model was actually made on behalf of President Donald Trump — and not a Republican donor.
Discussion:
The Root, Hullabaloo and Jezebel
Max Greenwood / The Hill:
Prosecutors use Trump's comments to claim Cohen docs ‘unlikely to contain’ much privileged info
Prosecutors use Trump's comments to claim Cohen docs ‘unlikely to contain’ much privileged info
Discussion:
RedState, New York Times, TheBlaze and HuffPost
Haley Byrd / Weekly Standard:
Here's Why Ben Sasse Voted Against the Mueller Protection Bill — Constitutional concerns were at the center of some conservatives' opposition. — A bipartisan bill that would provide special counsel Robert Mueller legal recourse in the event of his firing passed the Senate Judiciary Committee …
Discussion:
Raw Story
RELATED:
Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:
In Warning to Trump, Senators Advance Bill to Protect Mueller
In Warning to Trump, Senators Advance Bill to Protect Mueller
Discussion:
Associated Press, Hot Air, Washington Monthly and Booman Tribune
Matt Zapotosky / Washington Post:
‘This thing needs to conclude’: Sessions says he understands frustrations with Mueller
‘This thing needs to conclude’: Sessions says he understands frustrations with Mueller
Discussion:
Politico
Sarah N. Lynch / Reuters:
U.S. Attorney General Sessions says Mueller probe has taken on ‘life of its own’
U.S. Attorney General Sessions says Mueller probe has taken on ‘life of its own’
Discussion:
Washington Post and Political Wire
NBC News:
Senate Judiciary Committee passes bill to protect Mueller
Senate Judiciary Committee passes bill to protect Mueller
Discussion:
Washington Post, AOL and MSNBC
Sarah Ellison / Washington Post:
NBC News faces skepticism in remedying in-house sexual harassment … NBC News Chairman Andy Lack had barely slept. Late the night before, he had walked from the art deco headquarters of NBC Universal in Midtown Manhattan to the Upper East Side to fire his most famous employee and longtime friend, “Today” show co-host Matt Lauer.
RELATED:
Sam Stanton / Sacramento Bee:
Relative's DNA from genealogy websites cracked East Area Rapist case, DA's office says — Sacramento investigators tracked down East Area Rapist suspect Joseph James DeAngelo using genealogical websites that contained genetic information from a relative, the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office confirmed Thursday.
RELATED:
Thomas Fuller / New York Times:
How a Genealogy Site Led to the Front Door of the Golden State Killer Suspect
How a Genealogy Site Led to the Front Door of the Golden State Killer Suspect
Discussion:
Law & Crime, Motherboard, Sacramento Bee and Mashable
New York Times:
F.B.I. Letter Casts Further Doubt on White House's Rob Porter Timeline — WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. first gave the White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, a file containing spousal abuse allegations against Rob Porter in March 2017, according to a detailed new timeline the bureau has given …
Discussion:
Splinter, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, Axios, AOL, The Week and Daily Kos
New York Times:
For Many, Life in Trump's Orbit Ends in a Crash Landing — WASHINGTON — Another day, another casualty. Or two. — By the time the sun set Thursday, Dr. Ronny L. Jackson was a failed cabinet nominee whose life had been picked apart for public consumption, and Michael D. Cohen was back in court facing criminal prosecution.
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Eschaton, Common Dreams, Outside the Beltway and Althouse
RELATED:
Washington Post:
How a week of triumph for Trump was convulsed by chaos and contradiction
How a week of triumph for Trump was convulsed by chaos and contradiction
Discussion:
Politico
Rebecca Leber / Mother Jones:
House Republicans on Scott Pruitt: We're With Him
House Republicans on Scott Pruitt: We're With Him
Discussion:
HuffPost
Associated Press:
Mattis Breaks With Trump, Says Iran Nuclear Deal Includes ‘Robust’ Verification — Without giving his opinion about whether the U.S. should stick with the agreement, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that after reading the deal three times he was struck by how tough it is
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
‘Boss, I Miss You So Much’: The Awkward Exile of Michael Cohen — Donald Trump's self-described ‘fixer’ brooded about failing to get a White House post; now under criminal investigation, he has the president's attention — In the 15 months since Donald Trump shut him out of a White House job …
Discussion:
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Raw Story, Splinter, The Week, CNN, Washington Press, CNBC, Mediaite and New York Magazine
New York Times:
Bill Cosby Found Guilty of Sexual Assault After Years of Accusations — NORRISTOWN, Pa. — A jury found Bill Cosby guilty Thursday of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his home near here 14 years ago, capping the downfall of one of the world's best-known entertainers …
RELATED:
Lee Fang / The Intercept:
Secretly Taped Audio Reveals Democratic Leadership Pressuring Progressive to Leave Race — Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House of Representatives, has for years been a prolific campaigner on behalf of current and potential members of Congress. It was no surprise, then …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Townhall, Politico, Breitbart, Vox, Washington Free Beacon, Splinter and Common Dreams
Megan McArdle / Washington Post:
A farewell to free journalism — Bloomberg, my former employer, is reportedly moving to a paywall. If that turns out to be true, I can't say I'll be surprised. — When I announced that I was leaving Bloomberg View for the Post Opinion section in February, many longtime readers gently reproached …
New York Times:
Senate Confirms C.I.A. Chief Mike Pompeo to Be Secretary of State — WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday easily confirmed Mike Pompeo as the nation's 70th secretary of state, elevating the current C.I.A. director and an outspoken foreign policy hawk to be the nation's top diplomat.
Discussion:
Associated Press, National Review, The Root, Outside the Beltway, The Week, Daily Wire and Political Wire
RELATED:
David Nakamura / Washington Post:
Amid Trump's diplomatic thaw, Otto Warmbier's parents sue North Korea for having ‘brutally tortured and murdered’ their son — The family of Otto Warmbier filed an extraordinary lawsuit against North Korea in federal court Thursday alleging that the 22-year-old college student was …
Discussion:
Politico, The Atlantic, TheBlaze, New York Magazine, HuffPost, Law & Crime, One America News Network, New York Times, The Daily Caller, The Week and Axios
RELATED:
Anna Fifield / Washington Post:
The historic summit of the Koreas hangs on the North's nuclear intentions
The historic summit of the Koreas hangs on the North's nuclear intentions
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, VICE News and Just Security
Mike Debonis / Washington Post:
Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez is ‘severely admonished’ by Ethics Committee, ordered to repay gifts — The Senate Ethics Committee said Thursday that Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who avoided conviction in a federal corruption trial last year, violated federal law and Senate rules …
Discussion:
NPR, New York Times, Bloomberg, CNN, The Week and Washington Free Beacon
RELATED:
Maria Sacchetti / Washington Post:
Top Homeland Security officials urge criminal prosecution of parents crossing border with children … The nation's top immigration and border officials are urging Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen to detain and prosecute all parents caught crossing the Mexican border illegally with their children …
Discussion:
PRI and New York Times
Keith Naughton / Bloomberg:
Ford Is About to Abandon American Sedans — Cars will be just 10% of its North American portfolio by 2020 — Wall Street cheers CEO Hackett's ‘bold and decisive action’ — The Model T, the '32 deuce coupe, the Thunderbird, the Mustang: For much of its 115-year history, Ford Motor Co. has been synonymous with cars.
RELATED:
Keith Naughton / Bloomberg:
Ford Retreats From American Car Business in Penny-Pinching Push
Ford Retreats From American Car Business in Penny-Pinching Push
Discussion:
The Week
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
In Bonkers Interview, Trump Threatens to Seize Control of Justice Department — While many reporters have described President Trump's aggrieved psychology, his phone call this morning on Fox & Friends gave outsiders unfiltered access to the sorts of rants he routinely imposes upon his staff.
Discussion:
Washington Press, HuffPost, Common Dreams and MSNBC
Erik Pedersen / Deadline:
‘Firing Line’: PBS Reloads Public-Affairs Show With Host Margaret Hoover — EXCLUSIVE: PBS is bringing back an iconic property after nearly two decades. The pubcaster said today that a new version of Firing Line, the William F. Buckley-hosted public-affairs show it aired from 1966-99, will premiere in June.
Pew Research Center:
The Public, the Political System and American Democracy — Most say ‘design and structure’ of government need big changes — At a time of growing stress on democracy around the world, Americans generally agree on democratic ideals and values that are important for the United States.
Discussion:
Splinter, Washington Post and Pew Research Center
Laura Jarrett / CNN:
Recovered text messages between FBI officials sent to Congress — Text referred to Russian meddling, not Clinton — (CNN)A batch of recovered text messages exchanged between two top FBI employees who have come under scrutiny for criticizing then-presidential candidate Donald Trump …
Amy Walter / The Cook Political Report:
If Democrats Are Doing so Great, Why Don't They Have a Bigger Lead on Generic Ballot? — Every day, it seems, another warning light goes off on the GOP's dashboard, a blinking reminder of their ensuing troubles for 2018. There are a record number of GOP retirements — including that of House Speaker Ryan.
Eliza Relman / Business Insider:
‘This puts a target on his back’: Ethics experts say the FBI should investigate Trump's budget director for pay for play — Ethics experts say Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director and interim head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, should be investigated for potentially violating federal bribery laws.
Discussion:
The Intercept, New York Times and The Week