Top Items:
New York Times:
How Amy Klobuchar Treats Her Staff — Senator Amy Klobuchar was hungry, forkless and losing patience. — An aide, joining her on a trip to South Carolina in 2008, had procured a salad for his boss while hauling their bags through an airport terminal. But once onboard, he delivered the grim news …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, Breitbart, KBZK, Eater, Hot Air, Boing Boing, Scripting News, Big League Politics, TheBlaze, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Axios, Washington Free Beacon, Daily Wire, Splinter, Mashable and The Week
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Amanda Terkel / HuffPost:
Exposing Amy Klobuchar's Mistreatment Of Staff Is Not Sexist — Former staffers say they're frustrated that many Democrats and journalists have dismissed reports of her behavior. — Since launching her presidential campaign, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has faced questions about her mistreatment …
Discussion:
The Atlantic and Mediaite
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
New York Times:
Cohen Gave Prosecutors New Information on the Trump Family Business — Michael D. Cohen, President Trump's former lawyer and fixer, met last month with federal prosecutors in Manhattan, offering information about possible irregularities within the president's family business and about a donor …
Discussion:
Washington Press, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, Joe.My.God. and Mediaite
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David A. Fahrenthold / Washington Post:
For the second time in two days, a building called Trump Place decides to take down the president's name
For the second time in two days, a building called Trump Place decides to take down the president's name
Discussion:
New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, Hullabaloo and Joe.My.God.
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.
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Mary Helen Moore / TCPalm.com:
Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution in Florida spa — JUPITER — New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution in connection with a Florida spa tied to an international human trafficking ring, police said Friday.
Discussion:
Sun-Sentinel, Axios, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Hit & Run, TheBlaze, Raw Story, Joe.My.God., Associated Press, The Daily Beast, CNBC, Above the Law, Orlando Weekly, Palm Beach Post, NESN.com, CBS Miami, Touchdown Wire, Mashable, The Guardian, Mediaite, Daily Wire, PJ Media Home and VICE News
TCPalm.com:
Watch: Jupiter Police speak about human trafficking ring at spa; Robert Kraft charged with soliciting prostitution — 11:55 a.m.: The news conference ends. — 11:54 a.m.: Kraft's active warrant is being handled by the state attorney's office. — 11:52 a..m.: Police say Kraft was the driven to the spa …
Jamie McCarthy / WPTV:
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged as a ‘john’ in human trafficking/prostitution investigation
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft charged as a ‘john’ in human trafficking/prostitution investigation
Discussion:
TCPalm.com, New York Times, The Big Lead, Mediaite, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, ProFootballTalk, Hot Air, KOAA-TV, TMZ.com, NESN.com, Daily Wire, Forbes, The Hill, myfox8.com, Joe.My.God. and Balloon Juice
Deanna Paul / Washington Post:
Even if Mueller's probe concludes soon, things are far from over — Predictions for when special counsel Robert S. Mueller III will deliver his much-anticipated report to the attorney general have yo-yoed between days and weeks. — Two things are more definitive: In January …
Discussion:
The Atlantic, POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story and LewRockwell
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Washington Post:
Access to Mueller's report and evidence may be guided by Congress, Clinton email case — The Justice Department and Democratic lawmakers are bracing for a fight over access to the evidence uncovered by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III during his nearly two-year investigation …
Discussion:
Associated Press and Mediaite
Matthew Walther / The Week:
The Mueller joke — I would like to say some things about the apparently imminent conclusion of Robert Mueller's special counsel investigation, but first let me tell you a joke. — One day Johnny asked his teacher, Mrs. Williamson, to be excused from class.
Associated Press:
AP source: Mueller report not expected next week
AP source: Mueller report not expected next week
Discussion:
Axios and Congressman Jerrold Nadler
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The slowly written Mueller report that's sitting in plain sight
The slowly written Mueller report that's sitting in plain sight
Discussion:
Raw Story
Bloomberg:
Trump's Trade Chief Lectures His Boss and Gets an Earful in Return — Lighthizer tries to shape debate on key element in China talks — Trump rejects Lighthizer case for memorandums of understanding — An exasperated Robert Lighthizer, the U.S. trade representative …
Discussion:
Raw Story
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Caitlin Oprysko / Politico:
South Dakota governor says Trump trade wars have ‘devastated’ the state — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said Friday that President Donald Trump's trade wars have “devastated” her state, and though she agreed that countries like China were not following fair trade practices …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Shareblue Media, Raw Story and Breitbart
CNBC:
Trump, Xi summit being discussed for late March as China commits to buying $1.2 trillion in US goods
Trump, Xi summit being discussed for late March as China commits to buying $1.2 trillion in US goods
Discussion:
Associated Press, Bloomberg, Big League Politics, Axios and Wall Street Journal
Doug Palmer / Politico:
U.S.-China trade talks yield currency deal, but big differences remain
U.S.-China trade talks yield currency deal, but big differences remain
Discussion:
Breitbart, Bloomberg, CNN and One America News Network
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:
Joe.My.God., Washington Post, Engadget, The Verge, The Daily Beast, NPR, WIRED UK, The Wrap and AOL, more at Mediagazer »
Washington Post:
Grand jury is examining whether former interior secretary Ryan Zinke lied to federal investigators — Prosecutors have begun presenting evidence to a grand jury in Washington in their probe of whether former interior Secretary Ryan Zinke lied to federal investigators, according to two individuals briefed on the matter.
Discussion:
emptywheel, WTVR-TV, The Daily Caller and Talking Points Memo
Aaron Lorenzo / Politico:
Average tax refund down 17 percent, IRS reports — The average tax refund issued so far this year is down by 17 percent, the IRS said, a steep decline that promises more headaches for Republican lawmakers. — The agency released data late Friday showing refunds are down for the third consecutive week …
Discussion:
Hill Reporter, Raw Story and Bloomberg
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Trump announces nomination of Kelly Knight Craft to be ambassador to United Nations — President Trump announced Friday evening that he will nominate Kelly Knight Craft, the U.S. ambassador to Canada and a major Republican donor, to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Discussion:
The Last Refuge
RELATED:
Hunter Walker / Yahoo News:
Democrat predicts House will get Trump's tax returns — but there are a few complications — WASHINGTON — House Democrats are planning to ask for a confidential copy of President Trump's tax returns from the IRS, but obtaining them won't be simple or fast, Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said during an interview on
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
RELATED:
Nicholas Pugliese / CourierPostOnline.com:
Bill would keep Trump off 2020 NJ ballot unless he releases his tax returns
Bill would keep Trump off 2020 NJ ballot unless he releases his tax returns
Discussion:
NJ Spotlight, IJR, Spectator USA, The Daily Caller, Law & Crime, Observer, Patterico's Pontifications and The Hill
Juliegrace Brufke / The Hill:
Dems call on Trump to fire Acosta — Three House Democrats are collecting signatures for a letter calling on President Trump to demand the resignation of Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta. — The push comes a day after a federal judge ruled that Acosta and other federal prosecutors acted illegally …
Adam Cancryn / Politico:
2020 Democrats' progressive gamble is about to get real — Democrats' embrace of sweeping progressive ideas like Medicare for All and the Green New Deal is about to get its first reality check on Capitol Hill — as both parties make huge bets about which message will sway voters in 2020.
Discussion:
Reuters
Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg / Wall Street Journal:
George R.R. Martin Isn't the Only Author Who Can't Finish a Beloved Series — Robert Caro's new book looks back at his own career, worrying readers who've waited since 2012 for the final volume of his Lyndon Johnson series — Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Caro will publish …
Jonah Goldberg / National Review:
Strategy Isn't Everything — Sean Trende, one of my favorite analysts, has an interesting thread expressing his consternation at the folks at the Bulwark and what they are up to. … I understand what Trende is getting at, and he certainly makes some plausible points about how ugly things will be for a while.
Discussion:
The American Spectator and The Atlantic
Paul Bedard / Washington Examiner:
Gallup: Liberals outnumber conservatives in only 6 states, down from 9 — The number of states where liberals outnumber conservatives has dropped more than 30 percent, with just six now in that category: Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont, Washington, New York, and New Hampshire.
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit
Matthew Desmond / New York Times:
The $15 Minimum Wage Doesn't Just Improve Lives. It Saves Them. — A living wage is an antidepressant. It is a sleep aid. A diet. A stress reliever. It is a contraceptive, preventing teenage pregnancy. It prevents premature death. It shields children from neglect.
Deanna Paul / Washington Post:
A teen was told her MAGA hat violates school code. She's fighting back. — A California high schooler is challenging her school district, alleging that its decision to ban her from wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat on campus impinges on her First Amendment rights.
Discussion:
RedState