Top Items:
Garrett M. Graff / Wired:
The Mueller Investigation Nears the Worst Case Scenario — WE ARE DEEP into the worst case scenarios. But as new sentencing memos for Trump associates Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen make all too clear, the only remaining question is how bad does the actual worst case scenario get?
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New York Times:
Is This the Beginning of the End for Trump? — Sentencing memos reveal damning evidence about collusion and campaign finance violations. — Mr. Berke is a lawyer specializing in white-collar criminal defense. Mr. Bookbinder is a former federal corruption prosecutor.
Discussion:
Politico, ThinkProgress, Salon, ABC News, Washington Monthly, The Guardian, Fox News Insider and NPR
The Daily Beast:
Mueller Is Telling Us: He's Got Trump on Collusion — The special counsel is connecting the dots and it doesn't paint a pretty picture for Trump. — For nearly two years, since the U.S. intelligence community released its report on the Russian campaign to assist Donald Trump in the 2016 election …
Discussion:
Politico, POLITICUSUSA, The Guardian, Raw Story, USA Today, Associated Press, Mother Jones, ABC News and Algemeiner.com
Lawfare:
‘Totally Clears the President’? What Those Cohen and Manafort Filings Really Say — President Trump responded to today's filings from federal prosecutors in the cases of Michael Cohen and Paul Manafort with a Twitter cry of triumph: … Don't spend a lot of time looking through …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, NPR, Balloon Juice, Townhall and The Gateway Pundit
Mikhaila Fogel / Lawfare:
Document: Special Counsel's Office Files Submission in Support of Breach Determination in Manafort Case — Today, the Special Counsel's Office filed a submission in support of its determination that Paul Manafort allegedly breached his plea agreement. The filing is available here and below:
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
David French / National Review:
The Special Counsel's Cohen Sentencing Brief Is Ominous for Trump — Friday evening, the Special Counsel's Office and the Southern District of New York filed three key documents: two sentencing memos for former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and a sentencing memo for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Discussion:
Associated Press, FOX6Now.com, Washington Press and Raw Story
Adam Rawnsley / The Daily Beast:
Mueller: Manafort Lied About Contacts With Trump Officials — Trump's ex-campaign chairman allegedly contacted someone to get them to 'speak with an Administration official on Manafort's behalf.' — Former Trump campaign chief Paul Manafort lied to prosecutors about direct contacts …
Just Security:
Mueller's Roadmap: Major Takeaways from Cohen and Manafort Filings — Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) and from the Office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller filed significant documents in the criminal cases of President Donald Trump's former personal attorney …
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
The Department of Justice Calls Donald Trump a Felon — Federal prosecutors released sentencing recommendations for two alleged criminals who worked closely with Donald Trump: his lawyer Michael Cohen, and campaign manager Paul Manafort. They are filled with damning details.
Discussion:
CNN, Vox, Washington Press, Common Dreams, The Guardian and The American Conservative
Washington Post:
New Mueller filing says Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen was in touch with a Russian seeking ‘political synergy’ with campaign — BREAKING NEWS: The unidentified Russian said that a meeting between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin could have a “phenomenal” impact …
Discussion:
HuffPost, Townhall and The Atlantic
Dana Bash / CNN:
Giuliani says Mueller has accused Manafort of lying about Trump — Washington (CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller's team has made clear to Paul Manafort's attorneys that they believe the former Trump campaign chair is lying to them about President Donald Trump, according to the President's attorney Rudy Giuliani.
Discussion:
emptywheel, Raw Story, Law & Crime, Daily Caller News Foundation, Observer, Hot Air, Washington Times, Joe.My.God., Daily Wire and Talking Points Memo
Washington Post:
Mueller says Manafort told ‘discernible lies,’ …
Mueller says Manafort told ‘discernible lies,’ …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, emptywheel, Politico, The Daily Beast, One America News Network, Joe.My.God., Vox and Axios
New York Times:
Michael Cohen, Trump's Ex-Fixer, Should Get Prison Term of About 4 Years, Prosecutors Say
Michael Cohen, Trump's Ex-Fixer, Should Get Prison Term of About 4 Years, Prosecutors Say
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Contemptor, The Root, The Week, Mediaite, Common Dreams, Mother Jones and New Republic
Paul Waldman / Washington Post:
The latest filings show that nobody can save Trump now
The latest filings show that nobody can save Trump now
Discussion:
The Week, Hot Air and Patterico's Pontifications
Timothy L. O'Brien / Bloomberg:
Mueller Weaves Trump, Manafort and Cohen Ever Closer
Mueller Weaves Trump, Manafort and Cohen Ever Closer
Discussion:
National Review, NPR and CNN
The Daily Beast:
Michael Cohen Was Paid More Than $4 Million by Promising Access to Trump, Prosecutors Say
Michael Cohen Was Paid More Than $4 Million by Promising Access to Trump, Prosecutors Say
Aidan McLaughlin / Mediaite:
Dershowitz Says Michael Cohen Sentencing Memo Sends Message: Don't Cooperate With Mueller
Dershowitz Says Michael Cohen Sentencing Memo Sends Message: Don't Cooperate With Mueller
Discussion:
Law & Crime
Zachary Basu / Axios:
Read the two Michael Cohen sentencing memos
Read the two Michael Cohen sentencing memos
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Breitbart, Raw Story, Politico and Washington Post
Washington Post:
New Mueller filing says Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen was in touch with a Russian seeking …
CNN:
Exclusive: Mueller investigators questioned John Kelly in obstruction probe
Exclusive: Mueller investigators questioned John Kelly in obstruction probe
Discussion:
Axios, Washington Press, ABC News, Law & Crime, Daily Kos, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Daily Mail, Joe.My.God., CNBC, Talking Points Memo, emptywheel, The Daily Caller, POLITICUSUSA, Mediaite, Breitbart and The Resurgent
CNN:
Ex-FBI Director James Comey exasperated after closed-door interview on Capitol Hill — (CNN)Former FBI Director James Comey, after facing aggressive questioning from members of Congress on Friday, expressed exasperation that he had been dragged to a private setting on Capitol Hill …
Discussion:
RedState, The Atlantic, HuffPost, The Guardian, New York Times, USA Today, American Prospect, Fox News, Vox, Mediaite and Daily Wire
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Associated Press:
House GOP unhappy with Comey's answers behind closed doors
House GOP unhappy with Comey's answers behind closed doors
Discussion:
Shareblue Media
New York Times:
Trump Will Nominate William Barr as Attorney General
Trump Will Nominate William Barr as Attorney General
Discussion:
The Intercept, The Daily Signal, CNN, Rewire.News, Raw Story, IJR, Friendly Atheist, The Guardian and Outside the Beltway
Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
Nadler: I'm ending investigation into FBI, DOJ when I become chairman
Nadler: I'm ending investigation into FBI, DOJ when I become chairman
Discussion:
Breitbart
New York Times:
Mattis Erupts Over Niger Inquiry and Army Revisits Who Is to Blame — WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was livid last month when he summoned top military officials to a video conference at the Pentagon to press them about an investigation into a 2017 ambush in Niger that killed four Americans on a Green Beret team.
Discussion:
Task & Purpose
Washington Post:
Self-professed neo-Nazi James A. Fields Jr. convicted of first-degree murder in car-ramming that killed one, injured dozens — CHARLOTTESVILLE — An avowed supporter of neo-Nazi beliefs who took part in the violent and chaotic white supremacist “Unite the Right” rally in this city last year …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, NBC News, Common Dreams, KBZK, HuffPost, The Root, The Week, Daily Kos, Joe.My.God., Balloon Juice, Shareblue Media, Little Green Footballs, Axios and Splinter
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Denise Lavoie / Associated Press:
Man who drove into crowd convicted of first-degree murder
Man who drove into crowd convicted of first-degree murder
Discussion:
New York Times and New Republic
CNN:
VA secretary praised Confederate president as a “martyr to ‘The Lost Cause’” in 1995 speech — (CNN)Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie praised Confederate States President Jefferson Davis effusively in a 1995 speech, calling him a “martyr to ‘The Lost Cause’” and an “exceptional man in an exceptional age.”
Discussion:
Washington Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money, HuffPost, Task & Purpose, Raw Story, Splinter, New Republic and Mediaite
Nick Ochsner / Popular Information:
Vice Chair of Bladen County Board of Elections abruptly resigns — The election scandal engulfing North Carolina's 9th district, where Republican Mark Harris leads Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes, took an unusual turn on Friday night. Jens Lutz, the Vice Chair of the Bladen County Board …
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Rich Lowry / National Review:
Yes, Voter Fraud Is Real
Yes, Voter Fraud Is Real
Discussion:
Mother Jones, Slate and New Republic, more at Mediagazer »
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Trump leans on McConnell to vote on criminal justice reform — President Donald Trump pressured Senate Majority Leader Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday to pass criminal justice reform, hoping to push a reluctant McConnell to put it on the floor during a crowded lame duck session.
Discussion:
Breitbart, Washington Post and United States Senate Committee …
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Christina Cauterucci / Slate:
I'm So Sorry to Report that Ted Cruz's New Beard Looks Great — I have no particular fondness for this subject and it brings me no pleasure to cover it. But as a truth-seeking journalist, I feel I must write what follows: Sen. Ted Cruz's new beard looks great.
Discussion:
Althouse
Dana Carvey / New York Times:
Dana Carvey Remembers George Bush, From Muse to Friend — Late on Nov. 8, 1988, the phone rang. I answered, and a familiar voice said: “Well, congratulations. You won.” — “I won? What do you mean I won?” — “Bush won, so you won,” he answered. — “Jon?” — “YES, it's me! JON LOVITZ!
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Annie Karni / New York Times:
Eric Trump Weighs In on Kellyanne Conway's Husband. He Doesn't Like Him. — WASHINGTON — George Conway, a prominent conservative lawyer, is married to Kellyanne Conway, a White House counselor well known to cable viewers as a passionate defender of President Trump.
Mairead McArdle / National Review:
Virginia Teacher Fired after Refusing to Call Trans Student by Preferred Pronoun — A Virginia high-school teacher was fired on Thursday after refusing to address a transgender student by the student's preferred pronoun. — The school board of the West Point Consolidated School District …
Discussion:
The American Conservative
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Graham Moomaw / Richmond Times-Dispatch:
Virginia high school teacher fired for refusing to use transgender student's new pronouns
Virginia high school teacher fired for refusing to use transgender student's new pronouns
Discussion:
WTVR-TV, IJR, WWBT-TV, WRIC-TV, FRC, TheBlaze, ThinkProgress, Law & Crime and The Daily Signal
Jack Crowe / National Review:
Academic Stabbed to Death for ‘Insulting Mohammed’ During Lecture — An Irish lecturer was stabbed to death by a student outside the Paris university where he taught on Wednesday for allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammed by displaying a drawing of him during class.
Discussion:
Daily Mail, Voice of Europe and Daily Caller News Foundation