memeorandum: Dems worry Mueller findings could expand executive power (Mike Lillis/The Hill)

11:55 AM ET, March 31, 2019

Top Items:

Michael Schwirtz / New York Times:

Russia Ordered a Killing That Made No Sense. Then the Assassin Started Talking. — RIVNE, Ukraine — The target lived on the sixth floor of a cheerless, salmon-colored building on Vidinska Street, across from a thicket of weeping willows. Oleg Smorodinov found him there, rented a small apartment on the ground floor, and waited.

Gavin de Becker / The Daily Beast:

Bezos Investigation Finds the Saudis Obtained His Private Data — The National Enquirer's lawyer tried to get me to say there was no hacking. — For 40 years, I've advised at-risk public figures and government agencies on high-stakes security matters. My career has included working with the CIA …

Discussion: The Guardian, Agence France-Presse, GeekWire, The Wrap, Axios, Financial Times, CNBC, New York Times, Mediaite, One America News Network, Raw Story and Page Six, more at Mediagazer »

Associated Press:

Biden defends his behavior with women — WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Vice President Joe Biden said Sunday he doesn't believe he ever acted inappropriately toward women but will “listen respectfully” to suggestions he did. — Biden, who is deciding whether to join the 2020 presidential race …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Alicia Cohn / The Hill:
Biden on accusations: I have never intentionally acted ‘inappropriately’

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Townhall, Breitbart and Political Wire

Edward-Isaac Dovere / The Atlantic:
Joe Biden's Campaign-in-Waiting Isn't Ready for #MeToo Accusations

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg, Axios, Breitbart, Washington Times, The Guardian, Outside the Beltway, JustOneMinute and Zero Hedge

Jasmine Wright / CNN:
Elizabeth Warren says Joe Biden needs to give an answer for allegation of inappropriate touching

Discussion: Daily Wire

Avery Anapol / The Hill:

‘Fox & Friends’ apologizes for headline about ‘3 Mexican Countries’ — “Fox & Friends Weekend” apologized on Sunday after displaying a graphic referring to “3 Mexican countries,” drawing attention on social media. — The show displayed a graphic at the bottom of the screen that read “Trump cuts U.S. aid to 3 Mexican countries.”

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Contemptor, Slate and Mother Jones

Elisabeth Malkin / New York Times:

Trump Turns U.S. Policy in Central America on its Head — MEXICO CITY — President Trump's plan to cut off aid to three Central American countries for failing to stop the flow of migrants toward the United States breaks with years of conventional wisdom in Washington that the best way to halt migration is to attack its root causes.

Discussion: The Week

Rachel Frazin / The Hill:
US halting aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Discussion: miamiherald, Breitbart, The New Civil Rights Movement, Axios and ABC News

Associated Press:
Trump cuts foreign aid, threatens to close Mexico border

Discussion: NBC News, Fox News, BBC, ThinkProgress, Washington Post, Splinter and KABE-LP

Greg Clary / CNN:
State Department says US cutting off aid to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras

Discussion: Politico, Axios, The Daily Caller, Reuters, Associated Press, Daily Wire, Mercury News, RedState, Slate, Washington Monthly and Hullabaloo

Marianne LeVine / Politico:

One of the GOP's brightest female stars is dogged by Trump in 2020 — ADEL, Iowa —Joni Ernst had barely kicked off a town hall one morning here recently when the barrage of complaints about Donald Trump began. — One after one, constituents took to the microphone to grill …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA and Raw Story

Steve Coll / New Yorker:

The Media and the Mueller Report's March Surprise — The Attorney General's summary reported no conspiracy, but serious newsrooms and journalists did the job they are supposed to do. — Last year, the Times and the Washington Post shared a Pulitzer Prize for “deeply sourced …

Carrie Dann / NBC News:

Most Americans don't think Trump is in the clear yet on Russia, new poll finds — President Trump's approval remains stable and a third of voters say they don't know whether the summary of Mueller's findings clears him of wrongdoing in a new NBC News/WSJ poll.

Discussion: Axios

Gavin Newsham / New York Post:

Trump is the world's worst cheat at golf, players and celebs say — Sixteen of the last 19 US presidents have played golf — and now, in Donald John Trump, the nation can finally boast the very best of them all. — Well, that's what he'd like you to believe.

New York Times:

Why Elizabeth Warren, a Presumed Front-Runner, Trails Her Rivals in Fund-Raising — MEMPHIS — On a Sunday afternoon earlier this month, Senator Elizabeth Warren began a swing through the South by proclaiming that she was running “a different type of campaign” — one that did not include …

Kris Schneider / ABC News:

Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney guarantees Americans covered by ‘Obamacare’ won't lose health care — The acting chief of staff said the debate about pre-existing conditions is over. — Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Sunday that if the Trump administration succeeds …

Discussion: The Guardian

Washington Post:
For Trump's ‘Party of Healthcare,’ there is no health-care plan

Discussion: Political Wire

Jonathan Swan / Axios:
Forget any major legislation. Anything Trump wants done this term, he will do unilaterally

Discussion: Raw Story

Harry Stevens / Axios:

First of its kind study shows CEO political donations favor GOP — A new, first of its kind study tracks the political leanings of CEOs by examining 18 years of political contributions by more than 3,800 CEOs of S&P 1500 companies. — The big picture: The chief executives …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story and Political Wire

Tamar Auber / Mediaite:

Son of Stormfront Founder Reveals His Family Watches Tucker Carlson for Tips on ‘White Nationalist Talking Points’ — The son of Stormfront founder Don Black revealed on CNN on Saturday that his family watches Fox News' Tucker Carlson for tips on white supremacist talking points.

James Randerson / Politico:

We must fight election on second Brexit vote pledge, says Labour deputy — Labour can win the next election with a pledge to put Brexit back to the people in a referendum, said the party's deputy leader Tom Watson. — Speculation is rife in Westminster that Theresa May will call …

Discussion: The Guardian, Breitbart, One America News Network and Daily Mail

Mike Lillis / The Hill:

Dems worry Mueller findings could expand executive power — Democrats are voicing growing concerns that Robert Mueller's decision to avoid judgment on whether President Trump obstructed justice could engender a long-term expansion of executive powers. — While the debate surrounding …

Discussion: Politico and Hullabaloo

USA Today:

'We've never seen anything like this': As Trump threatens to close border, migrants overwhelm Texas cities — EL PASO - Under a bridge connecting the U.S. with Mexico, dozens of migrant families cram into a makeshift camp set up by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.