Top Items:
Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump Played Central Role in Hush Payoffs to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal — Federal prosecutors have gathered evidence of the president's participation in deals to buy the silence of a former adult-film actress and an ex-Playboy model. The deals have led Trump's former lawyer …
Wall Street Journal:
FBI Is Investigating Florida Company Where Whitaker Was Advisory-Board Member — Active case is being handled by FBI Miami office; acting attorney general oversees FBI — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is conducting a criminal investigation of a Florida company accused of scamming millions …
RELATED:
Benjamin Wittes / The Atlantic:
It's Probably Too Late to Stop Mueller — At the end of last month, with the midterms looming, I gave a talk before a small private audience in California in which I argued for optimism because—among other things—the moment for firing Robert Mueller had passed.
Discussion:
Politico, Mediaite, Raw Story, Washington Post and CNN
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Momentum builds against acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker — Matt Whitaker has been acting attorney general for just one full day but he's already under extreme pressure. — Why it matters: President Trump, who shocked even some of his senior most staff with the hasty timing of his firing …
Discussion:
CNN, Associated Press, Vox, Observer, Breitbart, Outside the Beltway, The Guardian, The Daily Beast, Politico, CNBC, Hullabaloo and Political Wire
Ruth Marcus / Washington Post:
Matthew Whitaker is a crackpot — The acting attorney general of the United States is a crackpot. — Matthew G. Whitaker, installed in the job by President Trump to replace Jeff Sessions, was asked in 2014, during an ill-fated run in the Republican senatorial primary in Iowa, about the worst decisions in the Supreme Court's history.
Darren Samuelsohn / Politico:
Judges order Mueller to explain impact of Sessions-Whitaker DOJ shakeup
Judges order Mueller to explain impact of Sessions-Whitaker DOJ shakeup
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Atlantic, Talking Points Memo and CNN
Erin Banco / The Daily Beast:
'He's a F*cking Fool': Justice Department Officials Trash Matt Whitaker, Their New Boss
'He's a F*cking Fool': Justice Department Officials Trash Matt Whitaker, Their New Boss
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story, Daily Kos and IJR
Stephen I. Vladeck / New York Times:
Whitaker May Be a Bad Choice, but He's a Legal One
Whitaker May Be a Bad Choice, but He's a Legal One
Discussion:
emptywheel, CNN and The Daily Beast
Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:
Mueller Grand Jury Witness Cryptically Suggests He's In Legal Jeopardy
Mueller Grand Jury Witness Cryptically Suggests He's In Legal Jeopardy
Discussion:
emptywheel, Politico, Washington Post and New York Times
New York Times:
Trump Says 'I Don't Know Matt Whitaker,' Despite Several Oval Office Visits
Trump Says 'I Don't Know Matt Whitaker,' Despite Several Oval Office Visits
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, The Week, Washington Monthly and Hullabaloo
CNN:
Whitaker backlash prompts concern at the White House
Whitaker backlash prompts concern at the White House
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, HuffPost, Lawfare, NPR, Salon, CNBC, Hullabaloo, Breitbart, Mediaite, The Guardian, Daily Kos, Splinter and Raw Story
Katie Benner / New York Times:
Sessions, in Last-Minute Act, Sharply Limits Use of Consent Decrees to Curb Police Abuses
Sessions, in Last-Minute Act, Sharply Limits Use of Consent Decrees to Curb Police Abuses
Discussion:
HuffPost, Hit & Run, theGrio, Common Dreams, Splinter and Shakesville
Judith Miller / Wall Street Journal:
Jeff Sessions's Exit Interview
Jeff Sessions's Exit Interview
Discussion:
CNN, The Daily Caller and Mediaite
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Trump's authoritarian response to Florida shenanigans hints at worse to come — In the run-up to Election Day in 2016, Donald Trump repeatedly and flatly declared that the outcome of the election would be legitimate only if he won. The claim, stripped down to its essence …
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Will Sommer / The Daily Beast:
Republicans Freak Out as New Ballots Threaten Florida Senate Win — New ballots in Broward County have conspiracy theorists — including the state's top elected officials — calling for an investigation of Democrats. — As the Republican margin in the Florida Senate race narrowed …
Discussion:
Politico, FOX13news, Sun-Sentinel, KAJ-TV, Geller Report, IJR, The Gateway Pundit, Joe.My.God., CNN and ThinkProgress
Matt Dixon / Politico:
After Scott requested investigation, law enforcement says no voter fraud allegations found — TALLAHASSEE — After the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said Thursday night it would investigate two local election officials at the request of Gov. Rick Scott, the agency …
Discussion:
Reuters, POLITICUSUSA, Hill Reporter, Washington Free Beacon and electionlawblog.org
miamiherald:
Rick Scott sues Broward, Palm Beach elections supervisors over ballot delays — TALLAHASSEE — A visibly frustrated Gov. Rick Scott on Thursday accused “unethical liberals” of trying to steal a U.S. Senate seat from him, as his campaign filed two lawsuits against Broward County Supervisor …
Discussion:
NBC News, Vox, Tampa Bay Times, WEAR-TV, Mediaite, Tampa Bay Times, Politico, CNN and HuffPost
Allegra Kirkland / Talking Points Memo:
Florida Law Enforcement: We Have No Voter Fraud Allegations To Investigate
Florida Law Enforcement: We Have No Voter Fraud Allegations To Investigate
Discussion:
RealClearPolitics
Ben Domenech / The Federalist:
Broward County Is An Embarrassment, And The Potential For A Stolen Florida Election Is Real
Broward County Is An Embarrassment, And The Potential For A Stolen Florida Election Is Real
Discussion:
Townhall, Geller Report and Conservative News Today
Jared Holt / Right Wing Watch:
Is Roger Stone Scheming Another ‘Brooks Brothers Riot’ in Florida?
Is Roger Stone Scheming Another ‘Brooks Brothers Riot’ in Florida?
Discussion:
Joe.My.God., Washington Post, miamiherald and Breitbart
Nathaniel Rakich / FiveThirtyEight:
Something Looks Weird In Broward County. Here's What We Know About A Possible Florida Recount.
Something Looks Weird In Broward County. Here's What We Know About A Possible Florida Recount.
Discussion:
ABC News, Florida Politics, NPR and Law & Crime
Caitlin Oprysko / Politico:
Trump, without evidence, accuses Democrats of ‘election theft’ in Florida Senate race
Trump, without evidence, accuses Democrats of ‘election theft’ in Florida Senate race
Discussion:
ABC News, RedState, Mother Jones, Political Wire and Breitbart
Patricia Mazzei / New York Times:
Rick Scott Cites Rampant Fraud in Florida, as Senate and Governor Races Tighten
Rick Scott Cites Rampant Fraud in Florida, as Senate and Governor Races Tighten
Ari Berman / Mother Jones:
Rick Scott Falsely Accuses Democrats of Trying to Steal Florida Senate Race, Seeks Law Enforcement Intervention
Rick Scott Falsely Accuses Democrats of Trying to Steal Florida Senate Race, Seeks Law Enforcement Intervention
Discussion:
Washington Post, New York Magazine, Tampa Bay Times and Daily Kos
Miles Parks / NPR:
As Florida Races Narrow, Trump And Scott Spread Claims Of Fraud Without Evidence
As Florida Races Narrow, Trump And Scott Spread Claims Of Fraud Without Evidence
Discussion:
USA Today, The Federalist, RT, The Hill and VICE News
Kansas City Star:
Inside Kris Kobach's losing Kansas campaign: ‘Check logic and reason at the door’ — Kris Kobach blamed money. He blamed history. He didn't blame himself for losing a race for governor in a state where Republicans outnumber Democrats nearly 2 to 1. — “Obviously, if we'd had more money …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Raw Story and Mediaite
Brian Schwartz / CNBC:
Trump is telling people he wants to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by the end of the year — President Donald Trump is telling people he wants to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross by the end of the year, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
Political Wire and Law & Crime
Katherine Faulders / ABC News:
Tensions rising between Mueller, Manafort over level of cooperation: Sources — Talks between Special Counsel Robert Mueller and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort have grown increasingly tense over Manafort's apparent lack of cooperation with the investigation, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Raw Story
Amy Walter / The Cook Political Report:
Why Aren't Democrats More Excited About the 2018 Results — For a party that had a great night on Tuesday, Democrats aren't really acting like it. Yes, they lost at least three Senate incumbents, but given the exposure they were up against, this is not such a bad result.
Reid J. Epstein / Wall Street Journal:
Democrats Plan to Pursue Most Aggressive Gun-Control Legislation in Decades — Focus spurred by an incoming class of lawmakers with ‘F’ NRA ratings who campaigned on the issue — WASHINGTON—Democrats say they will pass the most aggressive gun-control legislation in decades when they become …
Will Oremus / Slate:
A Vox Co-Founder Got Doxed on Twitter by a Hate-Spewing Incel, and Twitter Allowed It — If verified users with huge followings can't get Twitter to enforce its safety rules, what hope does everyone else have? — It Took Me Less Than an Hour to Find Illegal Animal Products at a Chinese Traditional Medicine Market
Discussion:
New York Post, Bearing Arms, Breitbart and The Daily Banter
Ashley Feinberg / HuffPost:
Leak: Axios Editor Concedes Problems With HBO ‘S**tshow’ But Assures Staff That Haters Are Just Jealous — “They hate ya cause they ain't ya,” one employee wrote. — Their weekly staff meeting had become a crisis debriefing, and Axios employees were wondering where things had gone wrong.
Discussion:
Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:
Trump Threatens to Retaliate Against Reporters Who Don't Show ‘Respect’ — President Trump said on Friday that he might revoke the credentials of additional White House reporters if they do not “treat the White House with respect,” lobbing another threat at the news media two days …
RELATED:
Andrew Sullivan / New York Magazine:
America's Fever Is Still Rising — Tuesday, if you step back, was an ordinary election in an extraordinary time. The swing against the president's party in the first midterm election was not far off the historical range. The average loss for the president's party in the House two years into a first term over the last century is 29.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and Vox
Washington Post:
Zinke is the Cabinet official most vulnerable to Democratic probe, White House fears — White House officials have identified Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as the Cabinet member most vulnerable to a congressional probe under a Democratic majority in January, putting the colorful secretary closer …
Discussion:
Political Wire, Politico and Raw Story
Spiegel Online:
'We Can't Stop Brexit' — Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn believes that politics have left young people behind. In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, he speaks about Brexit, the crisis of social democracy in Europe and the uphill battle to unite his party. — The man upon whom the hopes …
Discussion:
Jo Johnson, Politico and The Guardian
CBS Los Angeles:
Thousand Oaks Gunman's High School Coach Speaks About Sexual Assault — NEWBURY PARK (CBSLA) — The Thousand Oaks shooter's high school track coach says that he assaulted her. — “I turned on the news and I was watching it and when they said his name my jaw just dropped,” said Dominique Colell.
Discussion:
Axios, AOL, POLITICUSUSA, VICE News, Shakesville, CNN, Raw Story, BuzzFeed News and Jezebel
The White House:
Presidential Proclamation Addressing Mass Migration Through the Southern Border of the United States — The United States expects the arrival at the border between the United States and Mexico (southern border) of a substantial number of aliens primarily from Central America who appear …
Emma Roller / HuffPost:
Scott Walker Tried To Get Me Fired. Now He's Out Of A Job. — In the fall of 2011, I was an unemployed recent journalism school graduate in a country still clawing its way back from recession. At a family reunion, my grandma pulled out a piece of paper with a list of signatures …
Discussion:
Raw Story