memeorandum: Barr Goes Beyond Mueller in Clearing Trump on Obstruction, Drawing Scrutiny (New York Times)

5:00 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: RealClearPolitics, Daily Wire, Vox, Fox News, Fortune, Axios, IJR, twitchy.com, POLITICUSUSA, Breitbart, Daily Kos, The Week, NB Blog and ABC News

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, POLITICUSUSA, Slate, Big League Politics, Raw Story, Just Security, The Week, Breitbart, New York Times, Contemptor, Lawfare, emptywheel and Fox News, more at Mediagazer »

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: The Guardian, The Nation, The Big Lead, Raw Story, Politico, Marginal REVOLUTION and Mercury News, more at Mediagazer »

Brian Beutler / Crooked Media:

William Barr Punked The Media About The Mueller Report — Long before Special Counsel Robert Mueller finished his investigation, the public record was littered with detail—from indictments and investigative reports and the president's comments and his son's inbox—showing that the Trump campaign …

Discussion: National Review, Slate and Washington Post

New York Times:

Barr Goes Beyond Mueller in Clearing Trump on Obstruction, Drawing Scrutiny — WASHINGTON — Over the 22 months of their inquiry, Robert S. Mueller III's investigators examined countless documents and interviewed dozens of witnesses, including some of the highest-ranking lawyers and aides in the White House …

Discussion: The Bulwark, USA Today, Daily Wire, The Root, Raw Story and Voice of America

Associated Press:

Mueller report reprieve becomes Trump's re-election weapon — WASHINGTON (AP) — For President Donald Trump, the fight over the “witch hunt” is only just beginning. — Now that special counsel Robert Mueller's two-year investigation into Trump's campaign is over, it's being transformed …

Discussion: Mediaite, Taylor Marsh, WTOP and New York Times

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

Discussion: Breitbart and Front Page Magazine

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

Discussion: Washington Post, Townhall and The Daily Caller

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

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

Discussion: RedState and Townhall

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

Discussion: The Intercept, Virginia Mercury, Shakesville, The Week, Washington Post and The Resurgent

Bob Bauer / New York Times:
Trump's Shamelessness Was Outside Mueller's Jurisdiction

Discussion: Raw Story

Julia Davis / The Daily Beast:
Mueller Report Has Moscow in Ecstasy, Opening the Way for More Putin Plots

Discussion: One America News Network, CNBC and Raw Story

Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker:
“Trump Wins!”: The President, the Mueller Report, and Our New Political Normal

Discussion: National Review

Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
If Trump Obstructed Justice, He Can't Be Exonerated

Discussion: American Prospect, twitchy.com, National Review, Breitbart, The Week, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Mother Jones, Slate and NBC News

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

Discussion: ABC News, Washington Post, New Republic, Vox, Breitbart, IJR, Hot Air and ABC7

William Saletan / Slate:
Bill Barr's Weasel Words

Discussion: Vox, National Review, CNN, Washington Post, McClatchy Washington Bureau, WKRG-TV, NBC News, Politico, New York Times, CNBC, Common Dreams, TheBlaze, Tampa Bay Times, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo and The Week

Heidi Przybyla / NBC News: Nadler begins conversation about timing for Barr appearance on the Hill

Rich Noyes / NB Blog:
FIZZLE: Nets Gave Whopping 2,284 Minutes to Russia Probe

Discussion: The Guardian, emptywheel, The Daily Signal, Daily Wire, IJR, Washington Free Beacon and The Week

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Graham launches counterattack on FBI's handling of 2016 election

Discussion: Washington Post, Vanity Fair, CNN, Raw Story and No More Mister Nice Blog

Jonathan Martin / New York Times:
Mueller Report Puts Pressure on 2020 Candidates to Emphasize Issues

Discussion: Lawfare, The Resurgent, Quartz, JustOneMinute and Contemptor

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.

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

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: The Daily Beast, Slate, Breitbart, Quartz, The Week, The Gateway Pundit, NB Blog, The Daily Caller, Daily Wire, The Wrap, Contemptor, Washington Free Beacon and Mediaite

Caitlin Yilek / Washington Examiner:

CNN analyst Mark Geragos said to be Avenatti's alleged co-conspirator — The alleged co-conspirator in an extortion case against celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti is believed to be CNN legal analyst Mark Geragos. — Geragos, 61, was not named in the criminal complaint against Avenatti.

Discussion: Instapundit

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

Discussion: Townhall, IJR and The Root

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

Discussion: Althouse

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

Rob Polansky / WFSB-TV:

Father of Sandy Hook shooting victim found dead — NEWTOWN, CT (WFSB) - The body of a man whose child was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was found in Newtown. — According to police, 49-year-old Jeremy Richman died of an apparent suicide at Edmond Town Hall, which is a theater and banquet venue on Main Street.

Discussion: Raw Story and New York Times

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, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos and Axios

James Arkin / Politico:

Sen. Tom Udall won't seek reelection in 2020 — New Mexico Democratic Sen. Tom Udall announced that he will not seek reelection in 2020, forgoing the chance for a third term. — “The worst thing anyone in public office can do is believe the office belongs to them, rather than to the people they represent …

Discussion: Townhall and The Hill

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

John Wagner / Washington Post:
Udall announces he won't seek another term representing New Mexico

Discussion: Washington Monthly and Booman Tribune

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 …

Mike Allen / Axios:
Trump claims vindication, eyes vengeance

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, Hullabaloo, Breitbart, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, POLITICUSUSA, Vanity Fair and Raw Story

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: Washington Post, ABC News, Axios, RedState, The Daily Caller, Political Wire, IJR, HillReporter.com and Mediaite

Robert Barnes / Washington Post:

Supreme Court won't hear appeal from company resisting Mueller subpoena — The Supreme Court on Monday said it would not review a lower-court order requiring an unnamed foreign-owned corporation to comply with a subpoena that is part of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Discussion: Reuters, New York Times, Politico and CNN

Greg Stohr / Bloomberg:
Mystery Company in Mueller Subpoena Fight Loses at Top Court

Discussion: Politico

Katie Galioto / Politico: Mystery firm fighting Mueller won't get Supreme Court appeal

Lindsey McPherson / Roll Call:

New York Rep. José Serrano has Parkinson's, won't seek re-election — New York Democratic Rep. José E. Serrano announced Monday that he has Parkinson's disease and will not seek re-election in 2020. — The 75-year-old said he plans to finish his current term …

Discussion: Political Wire

Congressman José E. Serrano:
After 45 Years of Public Service, Congressman Serrano Not Seeking Reelection in 2020

Discussion: Politico and Talking Points Memo

Elizabeth Kolbert / New Yorker:

Louisiana's Disappearing Coast — The state loses a football field's worth of land every hour and a half. Now engineers are in a race to prevent it from sinking into oblivion. — The New Orleans Lakefront Airport was built by the Louisiana governor Huey P. Long on a tongue of fill that sticks out into Lake Pontchartrain.