Top Items:
The Daily Beast:
MSNBC's Trump-Russia Ratings Fizzle: ‘Time to Pivot to 2020’ — The Mueller report and its potential implications have driven the network's coverage—and monster ratings—for two years. Now it's ended with a whimper, leaving execs in a bind. — Attorney General William Barr's short …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Hot Air, Breitbart, RedState, IJR, Paste, National Review, twitchy.com, Althouse, Politico, Mediaite, Roll Call and Fox News, more at Mediagazer »
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CNN:
CNN Poll: Majority says Trump not exonerated of collusion after Barr's summary — WASHINGTON (CNN)Though President Donald Trump has claimed “complete and total exoneration” based on Attorney General William Barr's summary of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Russian interference …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo and Political Wire
Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Fox's Judge Napolitano: ‘There Is Something There’ on Conspiracy in Mueller Report — ‘There is something there, but it is not enough to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt,’ the Fox News senior judicial analyst said Wednesday. — Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano …
Discussion:
Washington Post, The Bulwark, Common Dreams, Media Matters for America and Quartz
emptywheel:
The Roger Stone Indictment Proves Barr's Memo Understates Trump Flunkies' Complicity
The Roger Stone Indictment Proves Barr's Memo Understates Trump Flunkies' Complicity
Discussion:
New York Times, Washington Monthly and Raw Story
Axios:
Scoop: Kevin McCarthy tells Trump new health care push makes no sense — Reflecting widespread concerns within his party, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has told President Trump he disagrees with the Trump administration's attempt to get the entire Affordable Care Act thrown out in court.
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New York Times:
In Divided White House, Trump Sided With Mulvaney in Push for Nullifying Health Act — WASHINGTON — The Trump administration's surprise decision to press for a court-ordered demolition of the Affordable Care Act came after a heated meeting in the Oval Office on Monday …
Sarah Kliff / Vox:
Donald Trump is very committed to taking away your health insurance
Donald Trump is very committed to taking away your health insurance
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, CNN, Washington Monthly, Off the Kuff and POLITICUSUSA
Burgess Everett / Politico:
White House Obamacare reversal made over Cabinet objections
White House Obamacare reversal made over Cabinet objections
Discussion:
USA Today, Shareblue Media, WCSH, The Daily Beast, CNN, New York Times, Lawyers, Guns & Money, The Week, Roll Call, Vanity Fair, Quartz, Raw Story, The Daily Caller, Big League Politics, Washington Post, National Review, The Resurgent, Talking Points Memo, No More Mister Nice Blog, Hullabaloo, YouTube, Vox, Outside the Beltway, Bloomberg, Mother Jones, Slate and twitchy.com
Crime In Boystown / CWB Chicago:
Exclusive: Chicago Police Department's complete investigative file of Jussie Smollett case — CWBChicago is posting the complete Chicago Police Department investigative file on the Jussie Smollett “hate crime” investigation that we have received in response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
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Guy Benson / Townhall:
Whitewash: Cook County Clerk's Office Stunned as Smollett Case File Vanishes From Records System — Chicago is still reeling from yesterday's extraordinary development in the Jussie Smollett case, in which the office of the State's Attorney chose to drop all 16 felony charges against the disgraced actor.
Discussion:
New York Daily News, Daily Wire, Big League Politics and Chicago Tribune
John Kass / Chicago Tribune:
Column: Kim Foxx cleans Jussie Smollett up, the Chicago Way
Column: Kim Foxx cleans Jussie Smollett up, the Chicago Way
Discussion:
Chicago, IL Patch, TMZ.com and twitchy.com
Darren Samuelsohn / Politico:
Mueller grand jury ‘continuing robustly,’ prosecutor says — The special counsel grand jury that investigated Russian collusion into the 2016 presidential election is “continuing robustly” despite the end of Robert Mueller's probe, a federal prosecutor said in court Wednesday.
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA, Vox, HillReporter.com, Daily Kos, Raw Story and Law & Crime
Susan Page / USA Today:
Barbara Bush: Did she still consider herself a Republican? 'I'd probably say no today.' — Barbara Bush, in a forthcoming book, had given up on the Republican Party. Susan Page expounds upon the story from her book, “The Matriarch.” — CONNECT — EXCLUSIVE: This story is adapted …
Discussion:
TODAY.com, Washington Post, Mediaite, New York Daily News, Conservative News Today, Towleroad Gay News, Mercury News, IJR, Vanity Fair, Slate, Raw Story, Politico, CNN, HillReporter.com, Breitbart, Fox News, NB Blog, Washington Times, New York Post, Contemptor, Talking Points Memo, Axios, Althouse, The Week, The Daily Caller, FOX31 Denver and Political Wire
Motherboard:
Facebook Bans White Nationalism and White Separatism — After a civil rights backlash, Facebook will now treat white nationalism and separatism the same as white supremacy, and will direct users who try to post that content to a nonprofit that helps people leave hate groups.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, Washington Post, Boing Boing, Mercury News, Breitbart, Paste, TechCrunch, The Week and New York Post, more at Mediagazer »
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Des Moines Register:
EXCLUSIVE: Elizabeth Warren lays out plan to target corporate agriculture, support family farms — Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is taking aim at some of the nation's largest agribusiness companies, such as Tyson and Bayer-Monsanto, continuing her campaign's assault on corporate consolidation.
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Slate, Motherboard, Balloon Juice, Axios and Common Dreams, more at Techmeme »
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Bloomberg:
Trump Fed Pick Stephen Moore Owes $75,000 to IRS, Court Document Says — Moore's wife says the couple is disputing the tax bill — ‘It was not an attempt at defrauding’ the U.S., she says — Stephen Moore, whom President Donald Trump said he'll nominate for a seat on the Federal Reserve …
RELATED:
Jon Swaine / The Guardian:
Trump's Federal Reserve pick owes $75,000 in taxes, US government alleges
Trump's Federal Reserve pick owes $75,000 in taxes, US government alleges
Discussion:
Political Wire and Raw Story
Catherine Rampell / Washington Post:
Stephen Moore says he's no Trump sycophant. But he sure sounds like one.
Stephen Moore says he's no Trump sycophant. But he sure sounds like one.
Discussion:
New York Times, CNBC, Splinter and Talking Points Memo
CNN:
Terry McAuliffe leaning toward jumping into 2020 race — (CNN)Terry McAuliffe is moving closer to a 2020 presidential run, Democrats close to the former Virginia governor tell CNN. — McAuliffe has been telling Democratic allies that he is leaning toward jumping into the Democratic …
Discussion:
Political Wire
El Paso Times:
CBP commissioner visits El Paso border, says immigration system at ‘breaking point’ — U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin K. McAleenan said the border has hit it's “breaking point” during a visit to El Paso. — A huge influx of Central American migrants has made the El Paso Sector …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Townhall, IJR and The Daily Caller
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Washington Post:
Theresa May says she will resign as prime minister after she ‘delivers Brexit’ — BREAKING NEWS: The British leader bowed to pressure from her Conservative Party and said she will resign before the next phase of Brexit talks. She is seeking to win majority backing for her twice-rejected …
Discussion:
Slate and The Guardian
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Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Five Trump trips to Mar-a-Lago would cover Betsy Devos's proposed Special Olympics cuts — It's not Education Secretary Betsy DeVos's fault that her department has to cut its budget. That's a mandate coming down from her boss, President Trump. — But DeVos is the one to make specific recommendations …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, NBC News, Politico, Philly.com, New York Times, Deadspin, ED News, Rolling Stone, Raw Story, Splinter and Detroit Free Press
Los Angeles Times:
For Michael Avenatti, a luxury lifestyle built on a purported house of cards — Long before he was Stormy Daniels' lawyer, well before he was accused of trying to shake down Nike for millions of dollars, Michael Avenatti was an Orange County plaintiff's attorney living a luxe life adorned with fast cars …
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon
Denise Lavoie / Associated Press:
Guilty plea to hate crimes in deadly car attack at rally — CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — An Ohio man pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal hate crime charges in a deadly car attack at a 2017 white nationalist rally in Virginia, a case that stirred racial tensions across the country.
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Christopher Wilson / Yahoo News:
Stacey Abrams nixes Biden-Abrams ticket trial balloon: 'You don't run for second place' — An idea floated by advisers of Joe Biden to designate Stacey Abrams of Georgia as his running mate before the primaries was dismissed Wednesday by Abrams herself. — According to
Discussion:
National Review, The Daily Beast and Slate
RELATED:
Christen Hill / ABC News:
Stacey Abrams on ABC's The View: 'You don't run for second place.'
Stacey Abrams on ABC's The View: 'You don't run for second place.'
Discussion:
CNBC, Political Wire, The Root and twitchy.com
Chris Cillizza / CNN:
129 seconds that perfectly explain why liberals go wild for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — (CNN)On the day that the Senate rejected — by a vote of 0-57 — the broad strokes of the so-called “Green New Deal,” New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D), one of the leading voices for the legislation …
Discussion:
New York Post, Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, twitchy.com, The Hill, Paste and Shareblue Media
Andrew Desiderio / Politico:
House Democrats make new push for 10 years of Trump's financial records — The House Oversight and Reform Committee is seeking 10 years of President Donald Trump's financial records from an accounting firm, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO. — The Democrat-led committee asked Mazars USA …
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Washington Post and Axios
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Sean McElwee / New York Times:
People Actually Like the Green New Deal — Mitch McConnell's show vote in the Senate on Tuesday rejected the plan, but Republicans may come to regret their mockery. — Mr. McElwee is one of the founders of Data for Progress. — Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader …
Discussion:
National Review, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Curbed, Common Dreams and Washington Post
Associated Press:
Gay sex and adultery will be punishable by stoning to death and thieves will be amputated under ‘vicious’ new Sharia laws brought in by Brunei — Brunei could start whipping or stoning gay people to death next week when strict new laws are introduced, human rights groups have warned.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
Wall Street Journal:
Former NSA Contractor Expected to Plead Guilty This Week for Theft of Top Secret Documents — A former National Security Agency contractor who was scheduled to go to trial in June on charges of removing a huge amount of classified material from the agency's headquarters is expected to plead guilty on Thursday.
ABC News:
Transcript: Former Trump legal team spokesman Mark Corallo on ABC News' ‘The Investigation’ podcast — A transcript of Mark Corallo's interview as it appears in the latest episode. … ABC NEWS' KYRA PHILLIPS: Mark, thanks for being with us. — MARK CORALLO: Great to be with you.
Discussion:
Axios, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, Raw Story and Mediaite
Amy Goldstein / Washington Post:
A job-scarce town struggles with Arkansas's first-in-nation Medicaid work rules — Marianna, ARK. — At the center of Court Square in this old Mississippi Delta town, the monument to the county's Confederate dead is inscribed: “No braver bled for a brighter land. No brighter land had a cause so grand.”
Discussion:
Splinter
Samantha Schmidt / Washington Post:
Teen boys rated their female classmates based on looks. The girls fought back. — Yasmin Behbehani had just walked into her third-period health class when her friend asked her if she had seen the list. — “There's a list of the girls' names,” her friend Nicky Schmidt …
Discussion:
Jezebel