memeorandum: Congestion Pricing in Manhattan, First Such Plan in U.S., Close to Approval (New York Times)

7:20 PM ET, March 25, 2019

Top Items:

John Bresnahan / Politico:

McCarthy demands Schiff step down as intel chairman — Republicans clamored for House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff's head Monday, demanding he give up his gavel or resign from Congress as part of their campaign of revenge against Democrats who pursued and promoted allegations …

Discussion: Townhall, Daily Wire, RealClearPolitics, Toronto Star, New York Post, Fox News, No More Mister Nice Blog, twitchy.com, IJR, TheBlaze, Fortune, Breitbart, POLITICUSUSA, Daily Kos, Axios, The Week, Washington Post, Vox and NB Blog, more at Mediagazer »

The Daily Beast:

Trumpworld Gloats About Mueller: The ‘Fat Lady Has Sung’ — Republicans say the report is a slam dunk for the president—while Democrats claim the fight has only just begun. — Trumpworld spent Sunday doing the unthinkable: using Robert Mueller to dunk on Democrats.

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, POLITICUSUSA, Slate, Big League Politics, Raw Story, Just Security, New York Times, The Week, Breitbart, Contemptor, Fox News and emptywheel

Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:

Serious journalists should be proud of — not bullied over — their Russia reporting — It should be no surprise to anyone that President Trump's reaction to the Mueller report is to attack reporters for doing their jobs. — That's exactly what he has been doing for years.

Discussion: Bloomberg, The Guardian, The Nation, The Daily Signal, The New Neo, The Big Lead, CNN, Raw Story, Politico, Mercury News, Marginal REVOLUTION and USA Today, more at Mediagazer »

republicanleader.senate.gov:

‘No Collusion, No Conspiracy, No Obstruction’ — '[T]he American people hired this president to clean up the mess of the preceding eight years. That's exactly what we've set about doing. And the results are clear. The nation is clearly better off than it was two years ago.

Brian Beutler / Crooked Media:
William Barr Punked The Media About The Mueller Report

Discussion: Vox, Slate, New York Times and National Review

The Daily Beast:
Dems Fear Looking Obsessive About Russia After Barr Memo on Mueller Probe

Discussion: Politico, Vox and ABC News, more at Mediagazer »

Kathryn Krawczyk / The Week:
CNN is still sitting outside Mueller's office

Discussion: Breitbart and Front Page Magazine

Adam J. White / Commentary:
The Ironies of Mueller's Endgame

Discussion: The Atlantic, National Review, The Bulwark and Outside the Beltway

David Harsanyi / The Federalist:
The Media Have Done Irreparable Damage To The Country

Discussion: Washington Post, Townhall and The Daily Caller

Peter Baker / New York Times:
Trump Blames ‘Treasonous’ Critics for Russia Inquiry

Discussion: DC Bluedot, Quartz and Contemptor

Charlie Warzel / New York Times:
Mueller and the Conspiracy Around the Corner

Discussion: Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Slate, Common Dreams, TheBlaze and The Intercept

Byron York / Washington Examiner:
On collusion, Mueller sent sign after sign, yet some would not see

Discussion: RedState and Townhall

Mike Levine / ABC News:
7 key questions and answers about Mueller's report on Trump and Russia

Discussion: Politico and Mediaite

Renato Mariotti / Politico:
William Barr Has Some Explaining to Do

Discussion: RedState, MSNBC, ABC News, NBC News, Vox, Washington Post, The Mahablog, New Republic, Lawfare, Washington Monthly, Breitbart, IJR and Hot Air

Marianne LeVine / Politico:
GOP launches counterattack on FBI's handling of 2016 election

Discussion: Axios, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Fox News, The Daily Signal, Raw Story and No More Mister Nice Blog

CNBC:

Stormy Daniels' ex-lawyer Michael Avenatti arrested for alleged $20 million extortion scheme against Nike, embezzling client's money, defrauding bank — Celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti is arrested on charges of trying to extort up to $25 million from Nike by threatening to reveal negative publicity.

Wall Street Journal:

Attorney Avenatti Arrested, Charged With Bank Fraud, Extortion Over Alleged Threats to Nike — Attorney Michael Avenatti, who seized the spotlight last year as a lawyer for adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, was arrested Monday and charged in two federal cases with wire fraud …

Discussion: Mercury News, Breitbart, New York Post, twitchy.com, Vanity Fair, TheBlaze, The Gateway Pundit, Slate, Instapundit, IJR, Quartz, The Week, The Wrap, NB Blog, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon, Daily Wire, Contemptor and Mediaite

U.S. Department of Justice:

Lawyer Michael Avenatti Arrested on Federal Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud Charges — LOS ANGELES - Attorney Michael Avenatti was arrested today pursuant to a criminal complaint alleging he embezzled a client's money in order to pay his own expenses and debts — as well as those of his coffee business …

Discussion: CNN, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, RedState, The Federalist, Grabien News, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Wire, VICE News, Politico, Axios, Front Page Magazine, Deadspin and Mother Jones

Caitlin Yilek / Washington Examiner:
CNN analyst Mark Geragos said to be Avenatti's alleged co-conspirator

Discussion: Instapundit, The Gateway Pundit and The Wrap

Chris Cillizza / CNN:
How Michael Avenatti's flash-in-the-pan celebrity perfectly fit Trump's Washington

Discussion: RedState, The Daily Caller and TheBlaze

Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:
Attorney Michael Avenatti charged with extortion by federal prosecutors in New York

Discussion: IJR, Townhall and The Root

Marc Tracy / New York Times:
Michael Avenatti Accused in Nike Extortion Attempt

Discussion: Althouse

The Daily Beast:
‘Lawless’: Feds Say Avenatti Tried to Extort Nike, Swiped Client Funds

Discussion: Justice News, TalkLeft, One America News Network and Contemptor

Nicholas Rondinone / Hartford Courant:

Father of Sandy Hook victim Avielle Richman found dead at Edmond Town Hall after apparent suicide — The father of Avielle Richman, one of 20 first-grade students and six educators killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook School shooting, was found dead of an apparent suicide at Edmond Town Hall early Monday, police said.

Discussion: Fox News, Shakesville, The Daily Beast, VICE News, Talking Points Memo, Gothamist, Boing Boing, Splinter and Jezebel

Rob Polansky / WFSB-TV:
Father of Sandy Hook shooting victim found dead

Discussion: Raw Story and New York Times

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez / Arizona Republic:

Rep. Ruben Gallego, averting primary bloodbath, won't run for the Senate — Rep. Ruben Gallego will not run for the U.S. Senate in 2020's special election, he told The Arizona Republic on Monday, clearing the path for retired astronaut Mark Kelly to take on incumbent Republican …

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, Roll Call and Political Wire

Tom Udall:

A message to New Mexico from Tom: — When I first ran for Senate, I promised that I would give my all for the people of New Mexico. And I reminded myself that this Senate seat is not my seat. It is New Mexico's seat. — I was proud to serve as New Mexico's Attorney General …

Discussion: New York Times, CNN, Politico, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos and Axios

James Arkin / Politico:
Sen. Tom Udall won't seek reelection in 2020

Discussion: Washington Post, The Hill, Washington Monthly, Townhall and Booman Tribune

Jennifer E. Duffy / The Cook Political Report: New Mexico Senate: Udall Announces Retirement; Democrats Favored to Retain Seat

Manu Raju / CNN:

Graham encouraged McCain to turn Trump-Russia dossier over to FBI — (CNN)GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham said Monday that he told the late Sen. John McCain to turn over the dossier of Trump-Russia allegations to the FBI, pushing back against President Donald Trump's assertions that the Arizona Republican helped fan …

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Post, Axios, Splinter, HillReporter.com, RedState, The Daily Caller, IJR and Mediaite

Sharyl Attkisson / The Hill: Apologies to President Trump

Adam Klasfeld / courthousenews.com:

Sater Had Laundering Plans for Moscow Trump Tower, Bank Says — MANHATTAN (CN) — Two days shy of his anticipated congressional testimony, Russian-mafia tied businessman Felix Sater has been hit with a lawsuit accusing him of trying to launder looted money through the aborted Trump Tower deal in Moscow.

Erik Larson / Bloomberg:
Sater Eyed Trump Moscow Tower to Launder Cash, BTA Bank Says

Discussion: Forbes, The Real Deal New York and Raw Story

Ken Dilanian / NBC News:

FBI expected to brief House and Senate ‘Gang of 8’ on Mueller's counterintel findings — Attorney General Barr's summary of the Mueller probe is silent about whether investigators found Trump or any associate was influenced by Russia. — WASHINGTON — Two senior U.S. officials told NBC News …

Associated Press:
Mueller report reprieve becomes Trump's re-election weapon

Discussion: WTOP, Mediaite and Taylor Marsh

John McLaughlin / OZY: Ex-CIA Chief: Dems Shouldn't Retry Mueller's Case

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:

Beto O'Rourke Hires Former Obama Aide as Campaign Manager — Beto O'Rourke has hired a former top aide to Barack Obama to be his campaign manager, installing a seasoned political strategist to take the helm of what has so far been a skeletal organization effectively overseen by Mr. O'Rourke himself.

Discussion: Axios, Political Wire and The Daily Caller

New York Times:

Congestion Pricing in Manhattan, First Such Plan in U.S., Close to Approval — ALBANY — After years of hesitation, New York appears poised to become the first city in the United States to introduce congestion pricing, putting new electronic tolls in place for drivers entering the busiest stretches of Manhattan.

Jeffery C. Mays / New York Times:

New York Buzzes Over a Mayor Mulling a 2020 Bid (Buttigieg, Not de Blasio) — [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.] — Near the High Line in Manhattan, more than 250 people gathered at The Park restaurant last week to hear about a Democratic mayor's long-shot bid for the presidency.

Discussion: Hot Air, The Hill, Vanity Fair, Raw Story and Out Magazine

New York Times:

As Special Counsel, Mueller Kept Such a Low Profile He Seemed Almost Invisible — WASHINGTON — Most Friday nights as he conducted his investigation, Robert S. Mueller III drove seven miles from his offices by the Capitol to Salt & Pepper, a dimly lit, mostly empty restaurant near his home …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, JustOneMinute and Raw Story

politics.theonion.com:

William Barr Declares Mueller Investigation Fully Exonerates Members Of Reagan Administration From Iran-Contra Involvement — WASHINGTON—Following the completion of the special counsel's 22-month probe, Attorney General William P. Barr declared Monday that Robert Mueller's investigation fully exonerates …