Top Items:
Washington Post:
Trump's bewildering national emergency press conference, annotated — President Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border on Friday — but not without making a scene full of false claims, offbeat comments and tense exchanges. — Below is the full transcript, with annotations in yellow.
Discussion:
Mother Jones and Althouse
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Jeff Greenfield / Politico:
Why Trump's Going to Win on the National Emergency — All through the 2016 campaign Donald Trump warned about the menace of immigration by reciting the lyrics of a song called “The Snake,” about a kind woman who takes a snake into her home, only to die when he bites her.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast and Breitbart
Joe Battenfeld / Boston Herald:
Bill Weld launches GOP presidential exploratory committee — Announces in NH he's eyeing run against Trump — Former Massachusetts Gov. William F. Weld is launching a presidential exploratory committee to challenge President Trump in the Republican primaries, saying the country is …
Discussion:
Bloomberg, FiveThirtyEight, Conservative Review, Vox, Hill Reporter, The Week, Talking Points Memo, NTK Network and Instapundit
Washington Post:
Shutdown averted: President Trump has signed a sweeping spending bill hours before funding expired for parts of the government — BREAKING: Another shutdown is averted. President Trump has signed a sweeping spending bill hours before funding expired for parts of the government.
Discussion:
ABC News, ThinkProgress, CityLab, Bloomberg, NPR, The Week, Mother Jones, Orlando Weekly and CNBC
Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Trump liked the idea of a national emergency because it's the maximalist, most dramatic option — President Trump liked the idea of declaring a national emergency because it's the maximalist, most dramatic option. — Between the lines: Trump never gravitates towards complexity.
Discussion:
Politico, Washington Monthly, ABC News, Washington Post and Breitbart
Victoria Albert / The Daily Beast:
Ann Coulter: National Emergency Designed ‘for Trump to Scam the Stupidest People in His Base’ — Conservative provocateur Ann Coulter fired shots at Trump on Friday for saying he'll sign a bill that would avert another government shutdown and instead declaring a national emergency to build his Mexico border wall.
Peter Baker / New York Times:
Trump Declares National Emergency to Build Border Wall — WASHINGTON — President Trump declared a national emergency at the border on Friday to access billions of dollars to build a border wall that Congress refused to give him, transforming a highly charged policy dispute into a fundamental confrontation over separation of powers.
Glenn Thrush / New York Times:
In a Divided Washington, Congress Averted a Shutdown — but at a Price — WASHINGTON — Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, went to bed Wednesday night cautiously optimistic that a shutdown crisis that had stretched back to December had finally ended.
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, illegal immigration …, Breitbart and POLITICUSUSA
The Bulwark:
A Defining Moment for the GOP — President Trump's emergency declaration is a red line for Republicans. — Now that President Trump has declared a national emergency to circumvent Congress and build his wall, Republican legislators face a time for choosing: Support Trump or the rule of law.
Discussion:
Raw Story and Hill Reporter
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Trump Keeps Doubling Down On The Same Failed Strategy — President Trump will declare a national emergency and seek money to build a border wall, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday, moments before the U.S. Senate passed a compromise spending bill that didn't include wall funding.
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
There's an emergency — and it's Trump's power grab
There's an emergency — and it's Trump's power grab
Discussion:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Protect Democracy and Orlando Sentinel
Erwin Chemerinsky / American Prospect:
Trump's ‘Emergency’ Action: Unlawful and Unconstitutional
Trump's ‘Emergency’ Action: Unlawful and Unconstitutional
Discussion:
Law & Crime and Reason
Linda Qiu / New York Times:
Trump's Rationale for a National Emergency Is Based on False or Misleading Claims
Trump's Rationale for a National Emergency Is Based on False or Misleading Claims
Discussion:
PolitiFact, Defense One and The Guardian
Jonathan Allen / NBC News:
Trump asked for a wall. He's forcing a constitutional crisis.
Trump asked for a wall. He's forcing a constitutional crisis.
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Shareblue Media, The Bulwark, Chicks On The Right and Conservative Review
Josh Israel / ThinkProgress:
Fox hosts are so mad at Rubio for opposing Trump's emergency declaration they want his resignation
Fox hosts are so mad at Rubio for opposing Trump's emergency declaration they want his resignation
Discussion:
Washington Post, USA Today, Politico and Talking Points Memo
Washington Post:
‘Off the rails’: Inside Trump's attempt to claim victory in his border wall defeat
‘Off the rails’: Inside Trump's attempt to claim victory in his border wall defeat
Discussion:
Townhall, Politico, Daily Kos, ABC News, Portland Mercury, Talking Points Memo, National Review, The Week and Splinter
CNN:
Exclusive: WH press secretary Sarah Sanders interviewed by special counsel's office — Washington (CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller's team has interviewed White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, she told CNN on Friday. — “The President urged me, like he has everyone in the administration …
Discussion:
Politico, Talking Points Memo, CNBC, The Gateway Pundit, Law & Crime and Mediaite
Darren Samuelsohn / Politico:
Judge gags Roger Stone from Mueller comments around D.C. courthouse — Roger Stone remains free to talk about Robert Mueller and the Russia investigation, just not in and around the Washington, D.C., courthouse where the longtime Donald Trump associate is fighting the special counsel's charges …
Discussion:
ABC News, Axios, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, One America News Network and The Week
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Zoe Tillman / BuzzFeed News:
A Judge Ruled Roger Stone Can Still Talk To The Press, Just Not In Front Of The Courthouse — WASHINGTON - A judge on Friday imposed a limited gag order on Roger Stone, barring him from making any statements “that pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case” …
Katelyn Polantz / CNN:
Judge puts gag order on Roger Stone and attorneys
Robby Soave / Hit & Run:
Reports Claim Jussie Smollet Allegedly Staged Hate Crime Attack; Police Say News Is ‘Unconfirmed, Inaccurate’ — Two local media outlet are now reporting that the assault of Empire actor Jussie Smollet last month may have been a hoax: Smollet himself is suspected of organizing the attack …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Daily Caller, RedState and abc7chicago.com
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Jennifer Smith / Daily Mail:
PICTURED - Two Nigerian actor brothers are arrested over Jussie Smollett attack, as it's revealed …
PICTURED - Two Nigerian actor brothers are arrested over Jussie Smollett attack, as it's revealed …
Discussion:
Breitbart and The Gateway Pundit
Taylor Day / American Thinker:
Two Nigerian immigrants to be charged for Jussie Smollett ‘hate crime’
Two Nigerian immigrants to be charged for Jussie Smollett ‘hate crime’
Discussion:
TMZ.com, Daily Wire, Power Line and The Gateway Pundit
Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
Supreme Court takes up Trump administration's plan to ask about citizenship in census — The Supreme Court added a politically explosive case to its low-profile docket Friday, agreeing to decide by the end of June whether the Trump administration can add a question about citizenship …
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Grace Segers / CBS News:
What Andrew McCabe told “60 Minutes” about Trump and the 25th Amendment — In an interview to air on “60 Minutes” on Sunday, February 17, former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe told correspondent Scott Pelley that he briefly discussed invoking the 25th Amendment with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, twitchy.com and Mediaite
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Kimberley A. Strassel / Wall Street Journal:
Bill Barr's Hot Mess
Poolreports / Public Pool:
Subject: Presidential Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States — DECLARING A NATIONAL EMERGENCY CONCERNING THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES — BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Discussion:
The White House, Lawfare and Washington Post
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Donald J. Trump / The White House:
Presidential Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States
Presidential Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States
Discussion:
NPR, Lawfare, Cronkite News and WHYY
CNN:
Trump may have his first 2020 Republican challenger with former Massachusetts governor — Washington (CNN)Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld said he's launching a presidential exploratory committee to run in 2020 as a Republican. — “I hope to see the Republican Party assume once again the mantle of being the party of Lincoln.
Discussion:
WCVB, POLITICUSUSA and KBZK
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Renae Merle / Washington Post:
Mel Watt attempted to ‘coerce’ relationship with employee while FHFA director, IG report says — “Standing up for myself” against the director of a federal agency “has not been an easy thing to do,” the woman said. — Former congressman Mel Watt misused his position when he was director …
Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed News:
Twitter Suspended A DC Think Tank For Violating Its Rules Against Fake Accounts — BuzzFeed News previously revealed the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology was using fake accounts to promote its work. Now it's under scrutiny again. — Twitter has suspended three accounts connected …
Jason Koebler / Motherboard:
How Kids YouTube Star Blippi Used Copyright Law to Hide His Harlem Shake Poop Video — Someone claiming to represent Blippi filed DMCA copyright takedown requests to Google in order to get an embarrassing viral video hidden. — Wednesday night, BuzzFeed News published a blockbuster investigate report …
Discussion:
The Big Lead
CNN:
Top US general disagrees with Trump over Syria troop pullout — Muscat, Oman (CNN)The US commander who has been leading the war against ISIS told CNN Friday that he disagreed with Donald Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria and warned that the terror group was far from defeated, in a stark public break with the President.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Defense One, Raw Story and Political Wire
Tucker Carlson / The American Conservative:
Why Are These Professional War Peddlers Still Around? — One thing that every late-stage ruling class has in common is a high tolerance for mediocrity. Standards decline, the edges fray, but nobody in charge seems to notice. They're happy in their sinecures and getting richer.
Discussion:
Spectator USA
Ishaan Tharoor / Washington Post:
The massacre Trump's envoy to Venezuela wants us to forget — Sign up for the Today's WorldView newsletter. — “I fail to understand,” the congresswoman said at a hearing Wednesday, “why members of this committee or the American people should find any testimony that you give today to be truthful.”
Discussion:
The Week, Vox, LewRockwell, Townhall and Splinter