memeorandum: Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain (Kevin Roose/New York Times)

4:10 PM ET, February 23, 2019

Top Items:

Paul Manafort a ‘hardened’ and ‘bold’ criminal, Mueller prosecutors tell judge — Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort “repeatedly and brazenly violated the law” and shows a “hardened adherence to committing crimes,” prosecutors told a Washington federal judge.

Discussion: Joe.My.God.

Associated Press:

Court records reveal a Mueller report right in plain view — WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump was in full deflection mode. — The Democrats had blamed Russia for the hacking and release of damaging material on his presidential opponent, Hillary Clinton. Trump wasn't buying it.

New York Times:

Russian Spy or Hustling Political Operative? The Enigmatic Figure at the Heart of Mueller's Inquiry — WASHINGTON — In the nearly two years that the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has been investigating whether there was collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign …

Zachary Basu / Axios:

Robert Mueller files 800+ page sentencing memo for Paul Manafort — Special counsel Robert Mueller has filed a sentencing memo for President Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort. Mueller does not take a position on how much time in prison Manafort should serve, but accuses him of …

Discussion: Politico

Katelyn Polantz / CNN:

Mueller filing on Manafort sentencing still not public after midnight deadline — Why Mueller cares about Manafort & Gates — Washington (CNN)The public will have to wait a little longer to read Paul Manafort's sentencing memo from special counsel Robert Mueller.

Discussion: The Week and Mediaite

Katelyn Polantz / CNN:

Prosecutors say Manafort's ‘criminal actions were bold’ in redacted sentencing memo — Mueller's Manafort filing today may provide important info — (CNN)In the sentencing memo for Paul Manafort, prosecutors from special counsel Robert Mueller's office wrote that the former Trump campaign chairman's …

Discussion: Political Wire

Kevin Roose / New York Times:

Do Not Disturb: How I Ditched My Phone and Unbroke My Brain — My name is Kevin, and I have a phone problem. — And if you're anything like me — and the statistics suggest you probably are, at least where smartphones are concerned — you have one, too. — I don't love referring to what we have as an “addiction.”

John Bowden / The Hill:

Judge tosses North Carolina mandatory voter ID amendment citing gerrymandering — A judge in North Carolina on Friday tossed out the state's constitutional amendment requiring a voter ID, citing prevalent gerrymandering in the state's General Assembly. — Wake County Superior Court Judge …

Discussion: Splinter, Raleigh News & Observer, Joe.My.God., Axios and myfox8.com

New York Times:

Republican Cries Against Voter Fraud Go Mostly Quiet After Scheme Tied to Party — RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican politicians across the country have for years railed against the threat of voter fraud. Some have made unproven claims about how rampant it has become in order to pass voter ID laws and open sweeping investigations.

Naomi Jagoda / The Hill:

Average tax refunds down double-digits, IRS data shows — Average tax refund amounts are down double-digits compared to last year, according to the latest batch of weekly IRS data about the 2019 tax-filing season released late Friday. — The average refund through Feb. 15 was $2,640 …

Aaron Lorenzo / Politico:
As tax refunds shrink, Republicans scramble to defend Trump tax cut

Discussion: Raw Story

Elon Green / Columbia Journalism Review:

How Esquire lost the Bryan Singer story — On February 11, news broke that Millennium Films was delaying Bryan Singer's Red Sonja, which was to begin production this year. This was, on the face of it, a remarkable turn of events. Singer's Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, had just been nominated for five Oscars.

Discussion: The Daily Californian

Mike Allen / Axios:

Looming Mueller investigation report leaves Washington in suspense — For 21 months, Robert Mueller has been an omnipresent but unseen lead in D.C. drama. — Driving the news: As soon as he delivers his farewell letter or report, the protagonists become Attorney General William Barr …

Discussion: Congressman Jerrold Nadler, POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story, The Atlantic and KOAA-TV

Deanna Paul / Washington Post:
Even if Mueller's probe concludes soon, things are far from over

Discussion: Raw Story, POLITICUSUSA and LewRockwell

Washington Post:
Access to Mueller's report and evidence may be guided by Congress, Clinton email case

Discussion: Associated Press

John Bowden / The Hill:

Warren: Native Americans should be ‘part of the conversation’ on reparations — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said Friday that Native Americans should be “part of the conversation” on reparations, The Washington Post reported. — Warren, a 2020 Democratic presidential contender …

Discussion: Washington Post and POLITICUSUSA

Annie Linskey / Washington Post:
Elizabeth Warren opens door to reparations for Native Americans

Discussion: TheBlaze and Politico

Associated Press:

The Latest: 2 killed, 18 injured in Venezuela border clashes — CUCUTA, Colombia (AP) — The Latest on the political crisis in Venezuela (all times local): — An emergency doctor says two protesters have been killed and another 18 have been injured during clashes between soldiers and residents …

Robert Pear / New York Times:

Health Care and Insurance Industries Mobilize to Kill ‘Medicare for All’ — WASHINGTON — Even before Democrats finish drafting bills to create a single-payer health care system, the health care and insurance industries have assembled a small army of lobbyists to kill “Medicare for all,” …

Ali Schmitz / TCPalm.com:

Florida human trafficking: Billionaire equity firm owner John Childs wanted on prostitution charge in Vero Beach — Billionaire equity firm owner John Childs is one of several men accused of soliciting prostitution in connection with a Florida spa tied to an international human trafficking ring, police said Thursday.

Discussion: East Bay Times, Bloomberg, Hit & Run and Deadspin

TCPalm.com:
Watch: Jupiter Police speak about human trafficking ring at spa; Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution

Discussion: Associated Press, USA Today, NESN.com, BlackSportsOnline, Splinter, Mashable, Vox and Hot Air

Emily Cochrane / New York Times:

Justice Democrats Helped Make Ocasio-Cortez. They're Already Eyeing Their Next Targets. — WASHINGTON — Less than a month into the 116th Congress, Sean McElwee, the liberal co-founder of Data for Progress, rattled off a list of sitting Democratic House members who should face a primary from the left …

Caroline O'Donovan / BuzzFeed News:

YouTube Just Demonetized Anti-Vax Channels — YouTube on Friday said it would prevent channels that promote anti-vax content from running advertising, saying explicitly that such videos fall under its policy prohibiting the monetization of videos with “dangerous and harmful” content.

Discussion: Mashable, Joe.My.God., Engadget, Washington Post, The Daily Beast, The Verge, NPR, The Wrap and WIRED UK, more at Mediagazer »

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

The top 15 Democratic presidential candidates of 2020, ranked — It's just February 2019 and we already have 10 declared well-known 2020 Democratic candidates for president. The 2016 runner-up for the nomination just got in. Others are set to decide within days or weeks. The debates start in three months.

Discussion: Dallas Morning News and Des Moines Register

Joshua A. Geltzer / CNN:

What if Trump refuses to accept defeat in 2020? — Joshua A. Geltzer is executive director and visiting professor of law at Georgetown Law Center's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and an ASU future of war fellow at New America. He previously was senior director …

Discussion: Hullabaloo