Top Items:
Michael Isikoff / Yahoo News:
Mueller preparing end game for Russia investigation — WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller's prosecutors have told defense lawyers in recent weeks that they are “tying up loose ends” in their investigation, providing the clearest clues yet that the long-running probe into Russia's interference …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, The Week, Taylor Marsh, KBZK, POLITICUSUSA and Axios
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Benjamin Weiser / New York Times:
Why Michael Cohen, Trump's Fixer, Confessed to It All — Of all of President Trump's former associates who have come under scrutiny in the special counsel's Russia investigation, his former personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen, has undertaken perhaps the most surprising and risky legal strategy.
USA Today:
Maybe now we know why Donald Trump won't criticize Vladimir Putin: Today's talker — President Donald Trump called for ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to receive a long prison sentence for his admitted crimes. Trump also accused special counsel Robert Mueller of seeking “lies” from witnesses.
Discussion:
The Guardian, HuffPost and Raw Story
Deanna Paul / Washington Post:
Trump's latest tweets cross clear lines, experts say: Obstruction of justice and witness tampering — President Trump took to Twitter Monday morning, haranguing special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and witnesses to his ongoing Russia investigation. His tweets have become a common morning occurrence, particularly in recent weeks.
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story, Mother Jones, Law & Crime, The Week, Hot Air and Vox
Elie Honig / CNN:
Mueller is about to have his say — in a big way — Elie Honig, a former federal and state prosecutor, is a CNN legal analyst and a Rutgers University scholar. The views expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion articles on CNN. — (CNN)Throughout his investigation …
Sarah N. Lynch / Reuters:
Mueller's office to recommend sentencing for ex-Trump aide Flynn — WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller's office will make a sentencing recommendation for former national security adviser Michael Flynn on Tuesday, in a court filing that is expected to shed light …
Discussion:
Political Wire and Raw Story
John Ziegler / Mediaite:
Here's What Trump's ‘Cult 45’ Refuses to Understand About the Michael Cohen Revelations — Whenever there is a new “bombshell” in the Russia probe, it is always important to remember that, unless Trump's base of political support starts to leave him, none of it really matters, except to those who are heading to prison.
Wall Street Journal:
Mike Flynn Report Expected to Shed Light on Mueller Probe — Filing Tuesday could say how the former Trump aide has helped the Russia investigation — WASHINGTON—A new filing Tuesday is expected to detail how former Trump adviser Mike Flynn has been helping federal investigators since pleading guilty …
Discussion:
CNBC
Washington Post:
Did Trump obstruct justice in public on Monday?
Did Trump obstruct justice in public on Monday?
Discussion:
CNN, Lawfare and New York Daily News
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Trump wants the process to be hopelessly tainted
Trump wants the process to be hopelessly tainted
Discussion:
LifeZette, The Guardian, Mediaite and CNN
Allan Smith / NBC News:
Trump hailed Roger Stone for standing up to Mueller. Some legal experts said that's tampering.
Trump hailed Roger Stone for standing up to Mueller. Some legal experts said that's tampering.
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Guardian and Daily Wire
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Republicans plan vote Tuesday on curbing powers of Gov.-elect Tony Evers, limiting early voting — MADISON - Wisconsin lawmakers are set to take up plans Tuesday to diminish the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general that brought opponents to the state Capitol this week …
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Scott Bauer / Associated Press:
Wisconsin Republicans forge ahead with power-stripping bills — MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Republicans moved quickly Monday with a rare lame-duck session that would change the 2020 presidential primary date to benefit a conservative Supreme Court justice and weaken the newly elected Democratic governor and attorney general.
Discussion:
The Week, FOX6Now.com, Hullabaloo, Feeds, CBS Chicago, Political Wire, American Prospect and The Guardian
New York Times:
Stung by Election Losses, Republicans in the States Seek a Way to Neutralize Democrats
Stung by Election Losses, Republicans in the States Seek a Way to Neutralize Democrats
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Crooked Media, Media Matters for America and Raw Story
Donald P. Moynihan / Washington Post:
Wisconsin Republicans are trying to subvert the will of the voters. They're part of a larger trend.
Wisconsin Republicans are trying to subvert the will of the voters. They're part of a larger trend.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Republicans advance plan to limit Democrats' power, drop proposal to move 2020 presidential primary
Molly Beck / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
GOP Senate leader Scott Fitzgerald: 'We don't trust Tony Evers right now'
GOP Senate leader Scott Fitzgerald: 'We don't trust Tony Evers right now'
Discussion:
ABC News, Lawyers, Guns & Money and HuffPost
Joe Bruno / WSOC-TV:
Channel 9 uncovers similarities between absentee ballots in U.S. House District 9 race — BLADEN COUNTY, N.C. - Channel 9 was back in Bladen County, North Carolina Monday, tracking down people involved in the controversy surrounding mail-in-absentee ballots in the U.S. House District 9 election.
Discussion:
Jamie Dupree - AJC, Popular Information, TheBlaze and Political Wire
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Washington Post:
North Carolina election-fraud investigation centers on operative with criminal history who worked …
North Carolina election-fraud investigation centers on operative with criminal history who worked …
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA and WSOC-TV
Ruth Graham / Slate:
Don't Spend Your Emotional Energy on Sully H.W. Bush — In January 2009, a pilot named Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger steered his struggling aircraft to a safe landing in the Hudson River and became a national hero. Almost 10 years later, a dog named for the pilot has become a beloved “hero” …
Discussion:
TheBlaze, The Resurgent, CBS New York, WGN-TV, France 24, The Daily Caller, Mediaite, AOL, Washington Times, Townhall, Associated Press, Washington Free Beacon, Click2Houston.com, NPR, ABC News, Mashable, CNN, Breitbart and LifeZette
Shawn Donnan / Bloomberg:
Trump's Advisers Struggle to Explain Deal He Says He Cut With Xi — President hails ‘extraordinary’ dinner with Chinese leader — Kudlow says China made ‘commitments’ to ‘presumably implement’ — President Donald Trump left his top advisers scrambling on Monday to explain …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Splinter, Fox News Insider, Vox, CleanTechnica, Wall Street Journal, The Daily Caller, Electrek and Political Wire
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Jim Puzzanghera / Los Angeles Times:
Senior aides push back on Trump's claim that China agreed to cut auto tariffs
Senior aides push back on Trump's claim that China agreed to cut auto tariffs
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, CNBC, Washington Post, Mother Jones and The Verge
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
White House corrects Kudlow: 90-day U.S.-China trade truce began Dec. 1
White House corrects Kudlow: 90-day U.S.-China trade truce began Dec. 1
Discussion:
One America News Network and Breitbart
Jolyon Maugham / The Guardian:
Britain can legally cancel Brexit. That's EU advice - but will parliament agree? — A senior adviser to the EU court of justice has said the UK can revoke article 50. The path to remain is hard - but now clearer — We can cancel Brexit. That's what the advocate general to the court …
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Zoya Sheftalovich / Politico:
EU top judge: UK can unilaterally withdraw Article 50
EU top judge: UK can unilaterally withdraw Article 50
Discussion:
Al Jazeera and One America News Network
New York Times:
Manafort Tried to Broker Deal With Ecuador to Hand Assange Over to U.S. — WASHINGTON — In mid-May 2017, Paul Manafort, facing intensifying pressure to settle debts and pay mounting legal bills, flew to Ecuador to offer his services to a potentially lucrative new client — the country's incoming president, Lenín Moreno.
Discussion:
Washington Post, CNN, RT, Axios and CNBC
Eliana Johnson / Politico:
Trump handles Bush's death with abnormal normality — A taboo-busting president who has often trashed the Bush clan observes traditional norms of etiquette after its patriarch's passing. — For President Donald Trump, there was once no worse insult than being “a Bushie.”
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Washington Post
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Tami Abdollah / Associated Press:
Subpoenas to begin for Trump records in emoluments case — WASHINGTON (AP) — The attorneys general of the District of Columbia and Maryland say they're moving forward with subpoenas for records in their case accusing President Donald Trump of profiting off the presidency.
Discussion:
Political Wire
Lisa Hagen / The Hill:
Beto O'Rourke seen as a top contender in 2020: poll — Rep. Beto O'Rourke (D-Texas) is considered one of the top Democratic contenders for the White House in 2020 even among more well-known potential hopefuls, according to a Harvard CAPS/Harris poll released exclusively to The Hill.
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Times, Townhall, Hot Air, Political Wire and Wall Street Journal
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Lisa Hagen / The Hill:
Majority of Americans believe House Dems should release Trump's tax returns: poll
Majority of Americans believe House Dems should release Trump's tax returns: poll
Discussion:
Political Wire
Adam Nossiter / New York Times:
France Suspends Fuel Tax Increase That Spurred Violent Protests — PARIS — In a major concession by President Emmanuel Macron, France will suspend for six months a tax increase on gasoline and diesel fuel that had been slated for January, in an attempt to quell weeks of protests and rioting by the so-called Yellow Vests movement.
Discussion:
The Week, Business Insider, The Daily Caller and TheBlaze
Wall Street Journal:
CIA Director Gina Haspel to Brief Lawmakers Tuesday on Saudi Journalist's Death — CIA Director Gina Haspel will brief lawmakers on Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death on Tuesday. Several on Capitol Hill had criticized the Trump administration after she was absent from a briefing on the killing last week.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Splinter, The Atlantic, Mediaite and Talking Points Memo, more at Mediagazer »
Rachel Weiner / Washington Post:
Ex-Marine admits he lured Seth Rich conspiracy theorist Jack Burkman to a hotel parking garage, then shot him — A man who worked as an investigator for conspiracy theorist Jack Burkman will serve nine years in prison for shooting and wounding his ex-boss in a complicated plot involving a fake FBI exposé.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money, Law & Crime and Talking Points Memo
Sarah K. Burris / Raw Story:
After losing women in midterms — Republicans will let Violence Against Women Act expire as their final act of Congress — One of the final acts of the Republicans in the House and Senate will be to allow the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to expire in two weeks before their recess.
Discussion:
Roll Call, KBZK and Shareblue Media