Top Items:
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Inauguration Spending Under Criminal Investigation by Federal Prosecutors — Probe looking into whether committee misspent funds and top donors gave money in exchange for access to the administration — Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are investigating whether President Trump's …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, Al Jazeera, Vox, Raw Story, POLITICUSUSA, Splinter, Daily Wire, The Guardian, HuffPost, Chicks On The Right, Law & Crime, FOX2now.com, Balloon Juice, AOL, Talking Points Memo, Breitbart, Joe.My.God., twitchy.com, The Daily Caller, Axios, Liberty Unyielding, Political Wire, Mediaite and The Crime Report
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Tom Winter / NBC News:
Trump was in the room during hush money discussions, NBC News confirms — A source confirms to NBC News that the “other member of the campaign” present when Michael Cohen and David Pecker agreed to silence women was Donald Trump. — Donald Trump was the third person in the room in August 2015 …
Discussion:
Just Security, HuffPost, ThinkProgress, Washington Press, Hot Air, Law & Crime, Washington Post, Chicks On The Right, LifeZette, Raw Story, Townhall, Joe.My.God., Fox News Insider, Daily Wire, Roll Call, The Gateway Pundit, Bloomberg, RedState, Sputnik International, IJR, Wonkette, New York Times, CNBC, Breitbart, Dan Bongino, ABC News, Mediaite, Wall Street Journal and The Guardian, more at Mediagazer »
New York Times:
Trump Inaugural Fund and Super PAC Said to Be Scrutinized for Illegal Foreign Donations — WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors are examining whether foreigners illegally funneled donations to President Trump's inaugural committee and a pro-Trump super PAC in hopes of buying influence over American policy …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Caleb Ecarma / Mediaite:
Watch Napolitano Debunk All of Fox & Friends' Trump Defenses: ‘John Edwards Case Actually Hurts the President’ — As the co-hosts of Fox & Friends rallied to defend their favorite president, as their colleague, senior judicial analyst Andrew Napolitano, continued to confront them with the implication …
Washington Post:
Trump's falsehoods on hush-money payments are ‘coming home to roost’
Trump's falsehoods on hush-money payments are ‘coming home to roost’
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon and Salon
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
7 quotes that show how blatant the Trump hush money coverup was
7 quotes that show how blatant the Trump hush money coverup was
Discussion:
Washington Press, USA Today, The Hill, Bloomberg, One America News Network, HuffPost, ABC News and Breitbart
CNN:
Trump inaugural committee under criminal investigation, source says
Trump inaugural committee under criminal investigation, source says
Discussion:
Hullabaloo and Raw Story
CNN:
Trump was at August 2015 meeting about hush money payments, source says
Trump was at August 2015 meeting about hush money payments, source says
Discussion:
KXLF-TV and POLITICUSUSA
Associated Press:
As protectors abandon Trump, investigation draws closer
As protectors abandon Trump, investigation draws closer
Discussion:
Media Matters for America
Washington Post:
7-year-old migrant girl taken into Border Patrol custody dies of dehydration, exhaustion — A 7-year-old girl from Guatemala died of dehydration and shock after she was taken into Border Patrol custody last week for crossing into the United States illegally with her father and a large group …
Discussion:
NPR, Associated Press, Balloon Juice, KXLF-TV, Breitbart, Al Jazeera, HuffPost, Splinter, Raw Story, Axios, Seymour Tribune, Media Matters for America and Lawyers, Guns & Money
HuffPost:
Trump Considering Son-In-Law Jared Kushner For Next Chief Of Staff — The president is in the third round of his search for a job not many people seem to want. — WASHINGTON Having run through his first choices for his chief of staff vacancy without any luck, President Donald Trump is considering his own son-in-law for the job.
Discussion:
Reuters, Breitbart, The Daily Beast, Booman Tribune, Raw Story, Hot Air, East Bay Times, Mediaite, Chicks On The Right, KXLF-TV, Spectator USA, Splinter, twitchy.com, Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Townhall, NESN.com, Law & Crime, AOL, Conservative News Today, The Daily Caller and Washington Free Beacon
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Christine Stapleton / Palm Beach Post:
BREAKING: Trump plans 16-day holiday visit to Mar-a-Lago — President Donald Trump is expected to spend 16 days at Mar-a-Lago over the Christmas and New Year's holidays, according to an alert issued by the Federal Aviation Administration this morning. — The alert warns pilots to avoid …
Discussion:
Reuters, Raw Story, ThinkProgress and POLITICUSUSA
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Trump meets with Chris Christie to discuss chief of staff role — President Trump met with Chris Christie on Thursday evening and considers him a top contender to replace John Kelly as chief of staff, according to a source familiar with the president's thinking.
Discussion:
Political Wire, Washington Times, Breitbart and Fox News, more at Mediagazer »
Los Angeles Times:
Trump increasingly isolated as aides leave, friends flip and investigations advance … It was almost noon Thursday when a Marine suddenly appeared outside the West Wing doors, a sign that President Trump had belatedly reported to the Oval Office. — For the second day in a row …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Rebecca Morin / Politico:
David Bossie emerges as divisive chief of staff hopeful
David Bossie emerges as divisive chief of staff hopeful
Discussion:
One America News Network, Liberty Unyielding, Chicks On The Right, The Last Refuge, Breitbart and RedState
Grace Segers / CBS News:
Jared Kushner under consideration for White House chief of staff
Jared Kushner under consideration for White House chief of staff
Discussion:
Breitbart, Joe.My.God., Raw Story and HuffPost
Dan Morain / CALmatters:
Chief justice of the California Supreme Court leaves the Republican Party, citing Kavanaugh — California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye has quietly given up her Republican registration and re-registered as a no-party-preference voter, saying Thursday she had become increasingly uncomfortable …
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Morgan Gstalter / The Hill:
Chief Justice of California Supreme Court leaves GOP over Kavanaugh confirmation — The Chief Justice of California's Supreme Court announced on Thursday that she had left the Republican Party following the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Discussion:
At the Lectern
Jason Schwartz / Politico:
Washington Post to run full-page ad on Khashoggi killing — The Washington Post plans to run a full-page ad Friday drawing attention to the death of columnist Jamal Khashoggi, part of a broader push that publisher Fred Ryan told POLITICO would continue “until meaningful action is taken” over Saudi Arabia's role in the killing.
Discussion:
CNN, Associated Press and VICE News
RELATED:
New York Times:
Senate Votes to End Aid for Yemen Fight Over Khashoggi Killing and Saudis' War Aims
Senate Votes to End Aid for Yemen Fight Over Khashoggi Killing and Saudis' War Aims
Discussion:
Hot Air, The Atlantic, VICE News, CNN and The Hill
Alex Emmons / The Intercept:
Sen. Tom Cotton Is Trying to Cripple a Bill to End U.S. Support for the War in Yemen
Sen. Tom Cotton Is Trying to Cripple a Bill to End U.S. Support for the War in Yemen
Discussion:
NPR, Common Dreams, Vox, ThinkProgress, Al Jazeera, Breitbart and Middle East Eye
Karoun Demirjian / Washington Post:
Senate votes to condemn Saudi crown prince for Khashoggi killing, end support for Yemen war
Senate votes to condemn Saudi crown prince for Khashoggi killing, end support for Yemen war
Discussion:
Power Line, Joe.My.God., VTDigger, Political Wire and Axios
Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
Sanders and Warren Meet and Agree: They Both Are Probably Running — WASHINGTON — Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders met Wednesday night at her condominium in Washington to discuss their political intentions but did not reach any accord about coordinating …
Discussion:
The Intercept, Joe.My.God., BostonGlobe.com and CNN
RELATED:
Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:
Democrats in New Jersey Have a Firm Grip on Power. They Want Even More.
Democrats in New Jersey Have a Firm Grip on Power. They Want Even More.
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and Mother Jones
New York Times:
Behind CBS's Secret $9.5 Million Settlement With the Actress Eliza Dushku — In March 2017, Eliza Dushku, an actress known for her work on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” signed on to play a major role in three episodes of the CBS prime-time drama “Bull,” and there were plans to make her a full-time cast member.
Discussion:
twitchy.com and IndieWire, more at Mediagazer »
CNN:
Alleged Russian spy Maria Butina admits to engaging in conspiracy against US — Washington (CNN)Alleged Russian spy Maria Butina admitted in federal court Thursday morning to engaging in a conspiracy against the United States. — Butina, 30, was accused of working to infiltrate Republican …
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Washington Post:
Russian Maria Butina pleads guilty in effort to forge Kremlin bond with U.S. conservatives
Russian Maria Butina pleads guilty in effort to forge Kremlin bond with U.S. conservatives
Discussion:
Above the Law, Politico and The Mahablog
Matthew Rosenberg / New York Times:
Maria Butina Pleads Guilty to Role in a Russian Effort to Influence Conservatives
Maria Butina Pleads Guilty to Role in a Russian Effort to Influence Conservatives
Discussion:
The Atlantic and Daily Kos
Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:
Mueller Target Raised $25,000 In Charity To Pay Cancer Doctor Who Doesn't Appear To Exist — Business records and evidence from social media raise questions about a cancer fundraiser touted during the summer by Jerome Corsi, the right-wing author ensnared in the Mueller probe.
Washington Post:
N.C. congressional candidate sought out aide, despite warnings over tactics — North Carolina congressional candidate Mark Harris (R) directed the hiring of a campaign aide now at the center of an election-fraud investigation, according to three individuals familiar with the campaign …
Discussion:
CNN
George F. Will / Washington Post:
This candidate may be the optimum challenger to Trump in 2020 — “The money man dealing himself a hot royal flush. Then giving you and me a phony hand like a pair of tens or something.” — Clifford Odets, 1935 — With his gravelly voice and his lack of senatorial sheen …
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA
Pete Thamel / Yahoo! Sports:
How Craig James went from the voice of college football to TV pariah to seminary graduate — DALLAS - Craig James' square jaw, perfectly coiffed hair and All-American charisma helped make him one of the most recognizable faces of college football for nearly two decades.
Tommy Christopher / Mediaite:
Former Apprentice Staffer Claims Trump Was ‘Speed Freak,’ Invited Teen Beauty Queens to His Suite — A former staffer on The Apprentice and current stand-up comic named Noel Casler claims that Donald Trump was a “speed freak” who snorted crushed-up Adderall, and also says that Trump invited …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Joe.My.God. and Balloon Juice
Allan Smith / NBC News:
McCaskill's parting shot: Too many ‘embarrassing uncles’ serving in the Senate — The Democrat said that the U.S. Senate is no longer the world's greatest deliberative body and lawmakers should stop claiming that. — In her farewell speech on the Senate floor, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill …
WJBK-TV:
FOX 2 meteorologist Jessica Starr passes away — (FOX 2) - Last night we were informed of the heartbreaking news that our friend and colleague, meteorologist Jessica Starr took her life. All of us here at FOX 2 are in deep shock and cannot believe that such a wonderful, bright and intelligent individual will no longer be with us.
Discussion:
Detroit Free Press, Detroit Metro Times and abc7ny.com
Sarah McGregor / Bloomberg:
U.S. Budget Deficit Hits Widest on Record for Month of November — Federal outlays double revenue collections, Treasury data show — U.S. ran largest fiscal gap in six years in fiscal 2018 — The U.S. posted the widest November budget deficit on record as spending doubled revenue.
Discussion:
Mother Jones
David Corn / Mother Jones:
Did Michael Flynn Try to Strike a Grand Bargain With Moscow as It Attacked the 2016 Election? — In early December, special counsel Robert Mueller, in preparation for the upcoming sentencing of Michael Flynn, submitted two memos outlining his recommended punishment for President Donald Trump's former national security adviser.
Discussion:
Raw Story, Shakesville, Talking Points Memo, CANNONFIRE and Bloomberg
RELATED:
Sara Carter / Sara A. Carter:
FBI Violated Policy in Flynn's Case, Judge Demands All Exculpatory Evidence
FBI Violated Policy in Flynn's Case, Judge Demands All Exculpatory Evidence
Discussion:
Fox News, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Townhall, The Federalist, RedState and PJ Media Home
Peter Aldhous / BuzzFeed News:
The Cities Where The Cops See No Hate — The victims were beaten or threatened with deadly weapons. They were taunted with racist or anti-gay abuse. Yet the police decided these weren't hate crimes. — The dispute ended in a severe beating on the street in Irving, Texas …
Stephen Robinson / Wonkette:
Totally Non-Evil ICE Arrests 170 Immigrants Trying To Save Babies From Baby Jails — It's the holiday season, and in between debating the merits of Love Actually and “Baby It's Cold Outside,” you've probably wondered what's going on with all those migrant children the Trump administration separated from their families.
Jessica Contrera / Washington Post:
The boy on the bridge … Story by Jessica Contrera Video by Joyce Koh — There was no way she could have seen him, the boy on the bridge. — Marisa Harris was driving her Ford Escape down a Northern Virginia highway, heading home after a peaceful afternoon hike at Burke Lake.