Top Items:
New York Times:
From the Start, Trump Has Muddied a Clear Message: Putin Interfered — WASHINGTON — Two weeks before his inauguration, Donald J. Trump was shown highly classified intelligence indicating that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had personally ordered complex cyberattacks to sway the 2016 American election.
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Washington Post:
As Russians describe ‘verbal agreements’ at summit, U.S. officials scramble for clarity — Two days after President Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian officials offered a string of assertions about what the two leaders had achieved.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, MSNBC, Daily Kos, Joe.My.God., ABC News, Political Wire and Associated Press
Spencer Ackerman / The Daily Beast:
U.S. Officials ‘at a Fucking Loss’ Over Latest Russia Sellout … Current and former American diplomats are expressing disgust and horror over the White House's willingness to entertain permitting Russian officials to question a prominent former U.S. ambassador.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Bloomberg, Just Security, Balloon Juice, The Week, New York Times, Mediaite, Raw Story, Crime Russia, Breitbart, MSNBC, Vox and Financial Times
Vivian Salama / Wall Street Journal:
White House Weighs Allowing Russia to Question Ex-U.S. Envoy — Prospect prompts immediate alarm among former diplomats and on Capitol Hill — WASHINGTON—The White House is reviewing a request by Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow Russian investigators to question a number …
Discussion:
MSNBC, NPR, RedState, POLITICUSUSA and Mother Jones
John T. Bennett / Roll Call:
Trump Again Skips Intel Briefing After Siding With Putin
Trump Again Skips Intel Briefing After Siding With Putin
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Outside the Beltway, Fox News and Raw Story
Eleanor Mueller / Politico:
White House: Trump will consider letting Russia question investor, former ambassador
White House: Trump will consider letting Russia question investor, former ambassador
Discussion:
Betsy's Page, American Greatness, ABC News, The Daily Beast, Breitbart and Axios
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
How Trump Turned the Right's Biggest Russia Hawk Into a Dove
How Trump Turned the Right's Biggest Russia Hawk Into a Dove
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal
CBS News:
CBS News poll: Most Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of Putin summit — Only a third of Americans (32 percent) approve of the way Donald Trump handled his summit in Helsinki with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a CBS News poll shows. Sixty-eight percent of Republicans approve.
Discussion:
Washington Post
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Axios:
Poll: Huge GOP majority backs Trump's Putin performance — Republicans overwhelmingly approve of President Trump's handling of his press conference in Helsinki when he seemed not to side with U.S. intelligence agencies instead of Russian President Vladimir Putin over election meddling, according to a new Axios/SurveyMonkey poll.
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post, Washington Times, Sputnik International, AOL, The Daily Caller, Mediaite and Daily Wire
CBS News:
Trump on a 2020 Joe Biden run: “Obama took him out of the garbage heap”
Trump on a 2020 Joe Biden run: “Obama took him out of the garbage heap”
Discussion:
Axios, USA Today and CBS New York
Adam Rawnsley / The Daily Beast:
Accused Russian Spy's Boy Toy Is a Serial Fraud: Lawsuits … This isn't the first time Paul Erickson, the Republican political consultant at the center of a Russian espionage probe, has found himself in middle of some drama. — Erickson—who served as a media advisor to a famously-emasculated porn actor …
Discussion:
Argus Leader, Boing Boing, HuffPost and CNBC
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Vera Bergengruen / BuzzFeed News:
Maria Butina Spent Years Wooing US Conservatives. Here's How She Did It. — It's hard to tell how much of the story 29-year old Maria Butina told Americans about herself for years is real. But it's clear that her persona — a scrappy girl from Siberia fighting for Russian gun rights …
Discussion:
The Trace
Mike Eckel / Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
Guns, Sex, And A ‘Flight Risk’: Behind The Charges Against Maria Butina
Katherine Stewart / New York Times:
What Was Maria Butina Doing at the National Prayer Breakfast?
What Was Maria Butina Doing at the National Prayer Breakfast?
Discussion:
Vox, Religion News Service, Mother Jones, Shareblue Media, Raw Story, NPR, Power Line, The Daily Beast, Daily Kos and Joe.My.God.
Erica Werner / Washington Post:
House GOP refuses to renew election security funding as Democrats fume over Russian interference — House Republicans plan to vote Thursday on a spending bill that excludes new money for election security grants to states, provoking a furious reaction from Democrats amid a national controversy over Russian election interference.
Discussion:
ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES and Lawyers, Guns & Money
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Eliana Johnson / Politico:
Trump's Russia spin falls flat with GOP
Trump's Russia spin falls flat with GOP
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Raw Story
Heather Caygle / Politico:
House Dems unveil new midterm campaign slogan
House Dems unveil new midterm campaign slogan
Discussion:
Washington Times, Conservative News Today, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, ABC News, The Daily Caller, Townhall, Axios, Daily Wire, New Republic and twitchy.com
ITV:
‘Russian suspects identified’ from CCTV in Skripal poison attack — Police are believed to have identified the suspected perpetrators of the Novichok attack on Russian former spy Sergei Skripal. — Officers think several Russians were involved in the attempted murder of the former double agent …
Discussion:
Politico and Sputnik International
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Guy Faulconbridge / Reuters:
Britain has identified Russians suspected of Skripal nerve attack: PA
Britain has identified Russians suspected of Skripal nerve attack: PA
Discussion:
The Guardian and The Daily Caller
Vivian Wang / New York Times:
New York Is Said to Open Tax Inquiry Into Trump Foundation — The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance has opened an investigation into whether the Donald J. Trump Foundation violated state tax laws, a move that could lead to a criminal referral for possible prosecution …
Discussion:
Law & Crime and Reuters
Heather Kelly / CNNMoney:
Mark Zuckerberg clarifies his Holocaust comments — Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg tried to clarify his controversial comments about Holocaust deniers Wednesday afternoon, hours after he was quoted saying some deniers who post on Facebook aren't “intentionally getting it wrong.”
Discussion:
The Guardian, LifeZette, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Althouse and CNBC
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Kara Swisher / Recode:
Mark Zuckerberg clarifies: 'I personally find Holocaust denial deeply offensive, and I absolutely …
Mark Zuckerberg clarifies: 'I personally find Holocaust denial deeply offensive, and I absolutely …
Discussion:
Axios, New York Times, Deadline, CBS Dallas, BloombergQuint, Gizmodo, New York Magazine, CNBC, The Outline, The Daily Caller, Raw Story, Hit & Run, ThinkProgress, Engadget and The Week, more at Mediagazer »
Sheera Frenkel / New York Times:
Facebook to Remove Misinformation That Leads to Violence
Facebook to Remove Misinformation That Leads to Violence
Discussion:
Engadget, Gizmodo, Recode, NewsBusters, The Verge, AOL, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Michael Anton / Washington Post:
Citizenship shouldn't be a birthright — Michael Anton is a lecturer and research fellow at Hillsdale College and a former national security official in the Trump administration. — A Supreme Court confirmation fight always raises constitutional hopes and stokes constitutional fears.
Discussion:
Balkinization, Raw Story, Outside the Beltway, Splinter and American Greatness
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Reporters, Facing a Hostile White House, Try a New Tactic: Solidarity — Reporters, Facing a Hostile White House, Try Solidarity — The Town at the Heart of — Nicaragua's Opposition Movement — Masaya is one of the few places in Nicaragua where President Daniel Ortega's crackdown on protesters has faltered.
Kate Irby / McClatchy Washington Bureau:
Nunes used political dollars for $15K in Celtics tickets, winery tours and Vegas trips — WASHINGTON — Rep. Devin Nunes used political donations to pay for nearly $15,000 in tickets to Boston Celtics basketball games as well as winery tours and lavish trips to Las Vegas …
Portal Vlade Crne Gore:
Government of Montenegro: we are proud of our history, our friendship and alliance with USA is strong and permanent — The Government of Montenegro, taking into account the interest of numerous domestic and foreign media to comment on yesterday's statement by US President Donald Trump given …
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
Senate GOP breaks record on confirming Trump picks for key court — Senate Republicans broke a record on Wednesday for the number of appeals court judges confirmed during a president's first two years. — Senators voted 50-49 on Andrew Oldham's nomination to be a judge on the 5th Circuit …
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
CNN:
A GOP congressman once lamented not being able to call women ‘sluts’ anymore — (CNN)A Republican congressman from Minnesota has a long history of making deeply misogynistic comments on the radio, including lamenting that women can no longer be called “sluts.”
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Post, Vox, HuffPost, Bustle, Talking Points Memo, The Week and Raw Story
Maura Dolan / Los Angeles Times:
State Supreme Court removes measure to split California into three states from November ballot — The California Supreme Court decided Wednesday to remove from the November ballot a measure aimed at dividing California into three states. — In a brief order, the court said it acted …
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, The Week, HuffPost, Axios, Mother Jones, Curbed LA, Joe.My.God., Political Wire, KTLA and BuzzFeed News
Joseph Bernstein / BuzzFeed News:
Alt-Right Troll To Father Killer: The Unraveling Of Lane Davis — Lane Davis was a far-right, pro-Trump media figure looking for his big break. Then he stabbed his father to death. — Nearly everyone on Samish Island knew Chuck Davis, a bighearted retiree who lived in the handsome gray shingle house …
EU Press Room:
Brexit: European Commission publishes Communication on preparing for the UK's withdrawal from the EU — The European Commission has today adopted a Communication outlining the ongoing work on the preparation for all outcomes of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Politico and The Guardian
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Kevin Collier / BuzzFeed News:
Democrats Say The Final Russian Computer Intrusion Netted Nothing For The Hackers — Russian intelligence officers were probably seeking information on likely Hillary Clinton voters when they hacked into a leased Democratic Party computer server just two months before the 2016 election …
Ryan Hutchins / Politico:
Christie to offer ‘frank appraisals’ of Trump allies in new book — Chris Christie's got some complaining to do. — The former New Jersey governor, fired as chairman of President Donald Trump's transition team and passed over for top administration jobs, is promising to dish about everyone …
Discussion:
Political Wire and HuffPost
Khaleda Rahman / Daily Mail:
Man who is 90 per cent covered in tattoos has his genitals removed because they spoiled the view of his body art — A cancer survivor who tattooed almost 90 per cent of his body has had his genitals removed - because they spoiled the view of his body art. — Adam Curlykale, 32 …
David Ettinger / At the Lectern:
Governor who has kept Supreme Court waiting for a new justice asks court to expedite his case — Today is Day 497 since Justice Kathryn Werdegar announced that she would be retiring from the Supreme Court and it's been almost 11 months since she actually left the court.
Discussion:
The American Spectator
CBS Philly:
Bacon Is Bad For Your Mental Health, Say Researchers — According to researchers at Johns Hopkins, people who eat meats cured with nitrates are three times more likely to experience a manic episode.
Ryan Browne / CNN:
Trump's military parade expected to cost nearly as much as ‘tremendously expensive’ canceled war games — Here's how other countries do military parades — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump's military parade in DC is likely to cost nearly as much as the now canceled military exercise …
Discussion:
FiveThirtyEight, Joe.My.God. and Axios
Astead W. Herndon / New York Times:
The Districts Are Mostly White. The Candidates Are Not. — NORTH AURORA, Ill. — Most of the room's occupants looked nothing like Lauren Underwood, but no one seemed to care. — Ms. Underwood, the Democratic congressional nominee in northern Illinois's pivotal 14th District …