Top Items:
Condé Nast / Vanity Fair:
Riding around with Beto O'Rourke as he comes to grips with a presidential run. — It's nine P.M. on a Thursday night and Beto O'Rourke is trying to manage a couple of life-altering and possibly world-historical political events while also driving his family home from a Mexican restaurant.
Discussion:
CNBC, CNN, Axios, The Week, twitchy.com, Washington Free Beacon, TheBlaze, Mediaite and The Guardian
RELATED:
KTSM-TV:
Beto O'Rourke is running for President in 2020, KTSM confirms — EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) - Beto O'Rourke is running for President of the United States. — The former El Paso Congressman will make the announcement on Thursday morning, but he confirmed via text to KTSM Wednesday afternoon that he is seeking the Democratic nomination.
CNN:
Exclusive: Lawyer said Michael Cohen could ‘sleep well tonight’ after speaking to Rudy Giuliani — Washington (CNN)An attorney who said he was speaking with President Donald Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani reassured Michael Cohen in an April 2018 email that Cohen could “sleep well tonight” …
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo, The Week, Axios, Daily Kos, Raw Story, New York Post, Hullabaloo and Mediaite
RELATED:
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
Michael Cohen Has Email Showing Trump Obstructed Justice by Dangling Pardon — Michael Cohen has testified that President Trump directed him to lie to Congress about Trump's business dealings with Russia during the campaign. The weakness of the accusation is that Cohen does not seem to have any proof …
Discussion:
CNN
New York Times:
Prosecutors Seek Records on Cohen's ‘Back Channel’ With Giuliani — Before he pleaded guilty and began assisting federal prosecutors last summer, Michael D. Cohen, President Trump's former fixer, spoke with a lawyer who agreed to reach out to the president's legal team on his behalf.
Discussion:
Just Security
TMZ.com:
Lori Loughlin's Daughter Olivia Leaves Yacht of USC's Board of Trustees Chairman — As Lori Loughlin traveled from Vancouver to L.A. Tuesday night to surrender to federal authorities in the college bribery scandal — which got her daughter, Olivia Jade, into USC — Olivia spent the night …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast and Page Six
William K. Rashbaum / New York Times:
New York Charges Paul Manafort With 16 Crimes. If He's Convicted, Trump Can't Pardon Him. — [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] — Paul J. Manafort, President Trump's former campaign chairman, has been charged in New York with mortgage fraud …
Discussion:
USA Today, Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Daily Beast, Washington Press, Politico, Washington Monthly, Vox, RedState, Gothamist, The Daily Caller, The Week, Above the Law, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, ABC7, Vanity Fair, Hit & Run, The Root, Big League Politics, Daily Kos, Shakesville, Mediaite and Towleroad Gay News
RELATED:
Franklin Foer / The Atlantic:
We're Losing the War on Corruption — It's too bad that Felicity Huffman has been indicted. That probably so poisons her acting career that she can't be cast as Paul Manafort's wife, Kathleen, in the inevitable biopic of the lobbyist's life. But Huffman and Manafort are spiritually connected …
CNBC:
NY prosecutors announce Manafort indictment minutes after federal sentencing
NY prosecutors announce Manafort indictment minutes after federal sentencing
Discussion:
CNN, The Gateway Pundit, The Week, Spectator USA and The Daily Beast
Bailey Stonecipher / Manhattan District …:
District Attorney Vance Announces Indictment of Paul Manafort
District Attorney Vance Announces Indictment of Paul Manafort
Discussion:
Byline Times, Shareblue Media, Mother Jones, The Gateway Pundit, Axios and Vox
Betsy Woodruff / The Daily Beast:
The Wacky Tale of Paul Manafort, Anne Hathaway's Fraudster Ex-Boyfriend, and a Vatican Land Scam
The Wacky Tale of Paul Manafort, Anne Hathaway's Fraudster Ex-Boyfriend, and a Vatican Land Scam
Discussion:
Raw Story
New York Times:
Facebook's Data Deals Are Under Criminal Investigation — Federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal investigation into data deals Facebook struck with some of the world's largest technology companies, intensifying scrutiny of the social media giant's business practices as it seeks to rebound from a year of scandal and setbacks.
Discussion:
Deadline, Engadget, The Verge, The Daily Caller, Mashable and CBS San Francisco, more at Techmeme »
Ashley Turner / CNBC:
Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she has ‘zero’ sympathy for parents caught in college admissions scam — Sen. Elizabeth Warren told MSNBC that she has “zero” sympathy for the dozens of parents charged in what the Justice Department says is the biggest college admissions scandal it's ever prosecuted.
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, National Review, Daily Wire, KTVU-TV, Sports Illustrated, Louder With Crowder, TaxProf Blog, New York Times, Fox News, IJR, Facebook, Forbes and Justice News
RELATED:
Robby Soave / Hit & Run:
Time to Put the College Admissions System on a Rocket and Shoot It Into the Sun — Cheating scandal should have taxpayers asking whether it's right to subsidize the campus party lifestyles of celebrity scions who fake water polo careers. — “I don't know how much of school I'm gonna attend …
Discussion:
New York Times, Vanity Fair, Variety, New York Magazine and USA Today
Joe Cunningham / RedState:
You Know Who Hates People Who Cheat To Get In To College? Elizabeth Warren
You Know Who Hates People Who Cheat To Get In To College? Elizabeth Warren
Discussion:
Townhall, Mediaite and Washington Post
Chiara Sottile / NBC News:
Twitter reveals big changes to conversations and new camera features — The changes are meant to make good on the company's promise to promote “healthy conversation.” — Twitter is teasing some of the biggest changes to its social media service since it first launched in 2006 …
Discussion:
The Ringer, Fortune, Consequence of Sound, The Daily Caller, NB Blog, The Mary Sue, The Wrap, Engadget, twitchy.com, TechCrunch and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Emily Stewart / Vox:
“The planes are grounded”: Trump takes action on Boeing 737 Max planes — The pressure has been mounting for days. — The United States will follow much of the rest of the world in grounding Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 jets after the models were involved in two deadly plane crashes in five months.
Discussion:
Politico, VICE News, The Seattle Times, Washington Post and The Daily Beast
RELATED:
Karoun Demirjian / Washington Post:
Whitaker ‘did not deny’ talking to Trump about Cohen, personnel at SDNY, top Democrat says — The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee said Wednesday that former acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker “did not deny” that President Trump “called him to discuss the case” …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Booman Tribune
RELATED:
Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
House Judiciary Dem, Republican clash over details of Whitaker testimony
House Judiciary Dem, Republican clash over details of Whitaker testimony
Discussion:
Politico, The Daily Beast and Daily Kos
Tierney Sneed / Talking Points Memo:
After Closed Meeting, Nadler Makes New Claims About Whitaker's DOJ Conduct
After Closed Meeting, Nadler Makes New Claims About Whitaker's DOJ Conduct
Discussion:
CNN and Hullabaloo
New York Times:
Inside the Shadowy, Totally Legal World of High-Priced College Consultants — For prices up to $1.5 million, parents can buy a five-year, full-service package of college admissions consulting from a company in New York City called Ivy Coach. — The service begins as early as eighth grade …
Discussion:
WPIX 11 New York, Washington Free Beacon, Observer, Raw Story, Patterico's Pontifications and The Atlantic
RELATED:
Owen Davis / The Baffler:
A for Effort — Why the latest college admissions exposé …
A for Effort — Why the latest college admissions exposé …
Discussion:
CNBC, Contemptor and New York Times
John Bresnahan / Politico:
‘Extraordinary’: GOP heads for unprecedented clash with Trump — President Donald Trump invited some Senate Republicans to the White House on Wednesday afternoon for a two-hour conversation about trade. But the president couldn't quite get the looming GOP rebuke of his national emergency declaration off his mind.
Discussion:
New York Times, Political Wire and The Hill
RELATED:
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Lee, fifth GOP senator, to vote against Trump's border declaration
Lee, fifth GOP senator, to vote against Trump's border declaration
Discussion:
ABC News, Washington Post, TheBlaze, The Week, IJR and POLITICUSUSA
Jeremy Barr / Hollywood Reporter:
Fox News Contributor Salaries Revealed In Financial Disclosures — At least 10 members of the Trump administration have served as on-air contributors for the network. — Across cable news, the salaries paid to on-air contributors remain shrouded in mystery, ranging by network and by market demand for the contributor's expertise.
Discussion:
Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
Trish Turner / Yahoo:
Trump, ignoring Democratic senators, set to name 2 judges in California — Trump, ignoring Democratic senators, set to name 2 judges in California originally appeared on — changes on asylum seekers, stood in the way of — his travel ban and even blocked his effort to defund sanctuary cities.
RELATED:
David French / National Review:
The Astonishing Hypocrisy of Media Matters — If there's one thing we can absolutely count on in our post-ethical partisan era, it's that for every scandal, there is, in short order, a similar — sometimes astoundingly similar — scandal on the other side. Sometimes, the comparisons …
Discussion:
Fox News, Louder With Crowder, Townhall, RedState and The Other McCain
RELATED:
Will Sommer / The Daily Beast:
Jacob Wohl Faked Death Threats Against Himself — One came from a phony account the wingnut provocateur created and ran just before he was banned from Twitter. … Right-wing personality Jacob Wohl appears to have faked death threats against himself. — Wohl and fellow provocateur Laura Loomer went …
Discussion:
Contemptor, Daily Wire, Raw Story and New York Post
Marc Fisher / Washington Post:
Howard Schultz says he grew up in a poor, rough place. Those who lived there called it the ‘country club of projects.’ — BROOKLYN — When Howard Schultz tells people why he should be president of the United States, the billionaire often tells a story of a poor kid who escaped from the chaos …
RELATED:
Michael Scherer / Washington Post:
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz vows to reject partisan bills as president
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz vows to reject partisan bills as president
Discussion:
ABC News
David Wasserman / New York Times:
Trump May Have an Unlikely Re-election Ally — The Democratic Party's crowded field and messy rules could lead to months of infighting and an ugly convention. — Mr. Wasserman is the House editor at The Cook Political Report. — Donald Trump's low approval ratings have attracted a crush …
Rainesford Stauffer / New York Times:
I Learned in College That Admission Has Always Been for Sale — The bribery scandal is no more abhorrent than the completely legal industry that helps many wealthy kids get into the schools of their dreams. — Ms. Stauffer is a writer. — Shortly after my freshman year of college …
Discussion:
Quillette, Washington Monthly, Raw Story, Althouse, Education Dive and JustOneMinute
RELATED:
Tyler Cowen / Bloomberg:
The College Admissions Scandal Is About More Than Just Bribery
The College Admissions Scandal Is About More Than Just Bribery
Discussion:
New York Post and Vox
Brian Schwartz / CNBC:
GOP megadonor Mercer family donated to nonprofit conservative group that focuses on historic values of ‘English-speaking peoples’ — The Republican megadonor family led by billionaire Robert and daughter Rebekah Mercer once donated to the Anglosphere Society, a group of conservative activists that promotes …
Shayna Jacobs / New York Daily News:
Rudy Giuliani and wife Judith Nathan ripped by judge for making divorce trial ‘unpleasant’ — It's getting ugly. — A Manhattan divorce judge said Wednesday that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and his estranged wife Judith Nathan are headed toward a bitter matrimonial trial.