Top Items:
Chris Sommerfeldt / New York Daily News:
Company owned by Brazilian crooks received $62 million in Trump bailout cash meant for struggling U.S. farmers — The Trump administration has forked over more than $62 million — taxpayer cash that was supposed to be earmarked for struggling American farmers — to a massive meatpacking company owned …
Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
The very political pattern of Trump's pardons — Trump pardons his own hagiographer and a family ‘friend’ who criticized Mueller. — President Trump's pardons were self-serving before, and they became even more so Wednesday night, after he pardoned two prominent conservatives who had already completed their sentences.
Discussion:
Raw Story and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »
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Aaron Rupar / Vox:
Trump pardons billionaire fraudster who wrote glowing book about him
Trump pardons billionaire fraudster who wrote glowing book about him
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, The Week and Breitbart
Colby Itkowitz / Washington Post:
Trump pardons billionaire friend Conrad Black, who wrote a book about him
Trump pardons billionaire friend Conrad Black, who wrote a book about him
Discussion:
Slate, Talking Points Memo, Las Vegas Review-Journal, NPR, The Week, Variety, Axios and Politico
Ben White / Politico:
Grassley on what Trump really believes on trade
Grassley on what Trump really believes on trade
Discussion:
CNBC and New York Post
Jim Waterson / The Guardian:
Trump pardons fraudster Conrad Black after glowing biography
Trump pardons fraudster Conrad Black after glowing biography
Discussion:
Shareblue Media, New York Times, VICE News, Deadline, Splinter, The Daily Caller and Mediaite
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Democrats are badly blowing it against Trump. A brutal new TV ad shows how. — Nancy Pelosi has succeeded in stifling impeachment talk. The Post reports that the House Speaker privately told Democrats to stick to policy and forget about an impeachment inquiry, and not a single Democrat uttered a word in protest.
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Amber Phillips / Washington Post:
What could change Pelosi's mind on impeachment?
What could change Pelosi's mind on impeachment?
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Daily Kos
Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:
After Pelosi Says She Has a ‘Little Jail,’ Barr Asks, ‘Did You Bring Your Handcuffs?’
After Pelosi Says She Has a ‘Little Jail,’ Barr Asks, ‘Did You Bring Your Handcuffs?’
Discussion:
Althouse and Law & Crime
Bill de Blasio / YouTube:
Working People First | Bill de Blasio 2020 — When we put working families first in New York City, the city got stronger. That can happen for our country, too. Learn about my candidacy for president of the United States of America to put working families first.
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Isaac Stanley-Becker / Washington Post:
A 17-year-old politics junkie scooped Bill de Blasio on news of his own presidential launch — New York Mayor Bill de Blasio had it all planned out — a stunt inside Trump Tower on Monday, an announcement on ABC's “Good Morning America” on Thursday and, from there, outings in Iowa …
Discussion:
Politico, NBC News, New York Post and VICE News
Rick Klein / ABC News:
The Note: Democrats seek out offense on culture wars
The Note: Democrats seek out offense on culture wars
Discussion:
Politico, Axios, VodkaPundit, IJR and The Week
Washington Post:
EPA watchdog suggests agency recover $124,000 in Pruitt's ‘excessive’ travel expenses — The Environmental Protection Agency should consider recovering nearly $124,000 in improper travel expenses by former EPA chief Scott Pruitt, the agency's inspector general recommended Thursday.
Discussion:
Political Wire
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Gigi Sukin / Axios:
EPA watchdog recommends agency recoup $124K for Pruitt's “excessive” travel costs
EPA watchdog recommends agency recoup $124K for Pruitt's “excessive” travel costs
Discussion:
Politico
Washington Post:
Top House Republican McCarthy says he opposes Alabama abortion law — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Thursday that he opposes a new Alabama law that outlaws virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape and incest, arguing that it “goes further than I believe.”
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Politico, Washington Monthly, The Daily Caller, Daily Kos and Daily Caller News Foundation
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Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
The Alabama Abortion Law Is the Best Thing to Ever Happen to Planned Parenthood — 1. Alabama — I know: Who would have thought that the state party organization that gave us this guy would come up with an abortion bill designed to piss off everyone in America. — Thanks, Alabama.
Discussion:
The Resurgent, Talking Points Memo and CNN
Sarah Pulliam Bailey / Washington Post:
Televangelist Pat Robertson: Alabama's abortion ban is ‘extreme’ and has ‘gone too far’
Televangelist Pat Robertson: Alabama's abortion ban is ‘extreme’ and has ‘gone too far’
Discussion:
USA Today, YouTube, New York Times, The Hill, Mercury News, CNBC, Splinter, CANNONFIRE, ThinkProgress and Fox News
Washington Post:
Trump, frustrated by advisers, is not convinced the time is right to attack Iran — The Trump administration has been on high alert in response to what military and intelligence officials have deemed specific and credible threats from Iran against U.S. personnel in the Middle East.
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Lori Jhons / Kay Ivey:
Governor Ivey Issues Statement After Signing the Alabama Human Life Protection Act — MONTGOMERY - Governor Kay Ivey on Wednesday signed into law the Alabama Human Life Protection Act, after both houses of the Alabama Legislature passed HB314. — Upon signing the bill, Governor Ivey released the following statement:
Discussion:
CBS News, Breitbart, Daily Wire, Talking Points Memo, checkyourfact.com, Faithwire, lc.org, New York Times, UPI, Mother Jones, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, PJ Media Home, Raw Story, USA Today, Mad Dog PAC, VICE News, TheBlaze, Townhall, Slate, National Review, The Guardian, Mercury News, CNN and Students For Life
Douglas Belkin / Wall Street Journal:
SAT to Give Students ‘Adversity Score’ to Capture Social and Economic Background — New score comes as college admissions decisions are under scrutiny — The College Board plans to assign an adversity score to every student who takes the SAT to try to capture their social and economic background …
Discussion:
National Review, New York Times, IJR, FOX31 Denver, The College Fix, Fox News, The Daily Caller and TheBlaze
Associated Press:
Facebook busts Israel-based campaign to disrupt elections — JERUSALEM (AP) — Facebook said Thursday it banned an Israeli company that ran an influence campaign aimed at disrupting elections in various countries and has canceled dozens of accounts engaged in spreading disinformation.
RELATED:
Facebook:
Removing Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior From Israel
Removing Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior From Israel
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and The Verge
Donie O'Sullivan / CNN:
Facebook says Israeli company used fake accounts to target African elections
Summer Ballentine / Associated Press:
Missouri Senate passes bill to ban abortions at 8 weeks — JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Republican-led Senate has now passed a bill to ban abortions at eight weeks of pregnancy. — Senators approved the legislation 24-10 early Thursday with just hours left before a Friday deadline to pass bills.
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Lydia O'Connor / HuffPost:
How 3 Other States Are Attacking Abortion Rights After Alabama's Ban
How 3 Other States Are Attacking Abortion Rights After Alabama's Ban
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Resurgent, Mother Jones and WINK NEWS
Jake Grate / Fox News:
Sen. Hawley: Restrictive abortion bills are response to ‘extremism’ of Democrats' policies
Sen. Hawley: Restrictive abortion bills are response to ‘extremism’ of Democrats' policies
Discussion:
Reuters, Big League Politics and IJR
Eliana Johnson / Politico:
‘Get Scavino in here’: Trump's Twitter guru is the ultimate insider — Shortly after President Donald Trump announced plans to yank U.S. troops out of Syria last December, a group of lawmakers came to the White House to talk him out of the idea, which critics called a threat to national security.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, Observer, Raw Story, The Week and Axios, more at Mediagazer »
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Jonathan Bernstein / Bloomberg:
De Blasio, Etc.: Why Are So Many Implausible Democrats Running? — The party has created incentives for hopeless candidates to prolong their campaigns. You can't blame them for trying. — Okay, I was wrong. Earlier this year, I guessed repeatedly that the Democratic presidential field …
Discussion:
Washington Post
Just Security:
What Congress Should Ask Robert Mueller When He Testifies — Robert Mueller's time as special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and links to the Trump campaign was notable for many things, among those his silence.
RELATED:
Sadie Gurman / Wall Street Journal:
Barr Says He Isn't Blocking Mueller's Testimony to Congress
Barr Says He Isn't Blocking Mueller's Testimony to Congress
Discussion:
CNN, Daily Kos, CNBC, Talking Points Memo and New York Post
Elizabeth Nolan Brown / Reason:
White House Seeks Social Media Sob Stories from Conservative Snowflakes — Was someone mean to you on Twitter? The White House wants to know about it. As of Wednesday, a new tool on the White House website allows visitors to report suspected “political bias” from social media companies.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, New York Times, Daily Wire, TheBlaze, OpenMarket and Raw Story
Popular Information:
The corporations backing Alabama's war on women — On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed a draconian bill that would effectively ban all abortions in the state. The radical legislation would be a dramatic step backward for women's rights and gender equality — banning abortion even in cases of rape or incest.
Discussion:
NPR
Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:
Trump won't stop coining nasty nicknames for his foes — but the media must stop amplifying them. — I was talking to an acquaintance recently about Elizabeth Warren's presidential campaign. — He liked the Massachusetts Democrat's detailed policies and was impressed with her recent CNN town hall presentation.
Washington Post:
Toddler apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border dies after weeks in hospital — A 2½-year-old Guatemalan boy apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border died Tuesday night in El Paso after several weeks in the hospital, according to the Guatemalan Consulate and another person with direct knowledge of the case.
Discussion:
CNN, CBS News, VICE News, The Week, Associated Press, Common Dreams, Axios and New York Post
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Adolfo Flores / BuzzFeed News:
A Two-Year-Old Boy Detained At The Border Has Died After Weeks In The Hospital
A Two-Year-Old Boy Detained At The Border Has Died After Weeks In The Hospital
Discussion:
Splinter
Stacey Abrams / New York Times:
We Cannot Resign Ourselves to Dismay and Disenfranchisement — As more people of color claim political power, efforts to block them will accelerate — unless we act. — Ms. Abrams is the founder of the voting rights group Fair Fight Action. — ATLANTA — In the mid-1960s, when my father was a teenager, he was arrested.
Discussion:
IndieWire
Paul Mirengoff / Power Line:
Straight talk about China and corporate America — Sen. Marco Rubio is the U.S. Senator best attuned to and most focused on the problem China poses to the U.S. and the world at-large. At least that's what I infer from his public pronouncements on the subject.
Discussion:
Florida Politics and Washington Post
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball:
Extended term for Trump? No way, most Americans say — Large majority of Americans support respecting the peaceful transfer of power, according to new UVA Center for Politics-Ipsos poll — The lion's share of Americans believes that respecting the results of elections and the peaceful transfer …
Discussion:
Political Wire