Top Items:
Washington Post:
Confidential draft IRS memo says tax returns must be given to Congress unless president invokes executive privilege — A confidential Internal Revenue Service legal memo says tax returns must be given to Congress unless the president takes the rare step of asserting executive privilege …
Discussion:
CNN, Vox, Talking Points Memo, New York Times, Axios, Mother Jones, POLITICUSUSA, The Week, The Gateway Pundit, Splinter, Slate, Raw Story, The New Civil Rights Movement, Mediaite and The Guardian
Erin Banco / The Daily Beast:
Rex Tillerson Secretly Meets With House Foreign Affairs Committee to Talk Trump — The former Secretary of State is talking with lawmakers at the same time virtually everyone else who worked for the president is defying Congress. — Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was spotted entering …
Discussion:
Politico, POLITICUSUSA, Vox and Mediaite
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CNN:
House panel issues subpoenas for Hope Hicks, Annie Donaldson
House panel issues subpoenas for Hope Hicks, Annie Donaldson
Discussion:
The Daily Beast and Washington Press
Josh Dawsey / Washington Post:
Tillerson meets for seven hours with House Foreign Affairs Committee
Tillerson meets for seven hours with House Foreign Affairs Committee
Discussion:
Splinter
Zachary Cohen / CNN:
Tillerson quietly meets with House lawmakers to discuss Trump
CNN:
Judge orders public release of Michael Cohen search warrants — (CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller's search warrants in his investigation of Michael Cohen will be made public with redactions on Wednesday, a federal judge ordered Tuesday. — The five warrants in total encompass the searches …
Discussion:
Political Wire
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CNN:
Special counsel's team hesitant about Mueller testifying publicly, part of hold up securing testimony — (CNN)Special counsel Robert Mueller's team has expressed reluctance to him testifying publicly in front of the House Judiciary Committee, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
Politico, POLITICUSUSA, Daily Kos, Hullabaloo, The Week, The Daily Caller and Washington Times
BuzzFeed News:
New Transcripts Say That Trump Crafted Michael Cohen's Lies More Closely Than Was Previously Known — Gathered in the Oval Office in May 2017, President Donald Trump and two of his lawyers, Michael Cohen and Jay Sekulow, huddled to shape Cohen's impending testimony before Congress.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
Washington Post:
Mueller and House Democrats at impasse over how much of his testimony would be public — Robert S. Mueller III and House Democrats have been unable to reach an agreement on how much of the special counsel's expected congressional testimony would be public, and how much would take place in private …
Discussion:
RedState, Politico, Daily Kos, National Review, Talking Points Memo, Axios and The New Civil Rights Movement
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
A top Democrat warns: If we don't confront Trump, he'll grow more lawless — House Democrats are embroiled in an increasingly intense debate over whether to launch an impeachment inquiry into President Trump, an outcome that appears to be growing harder for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to resist.
Discussion:
Slate, ABC News, Salon, Roll Call, Vanity Fair, AOL.com, New York Times, The Atlantic, Rolling Stone, Lawfare, Talking Points Memo, Townhall, Fox News, The New Civil Rights Movement and Eschaton
Politico:
Trump to Democrats: No infrastructure without trade deal — On the eve of a highly anticipated meeting with Democrats at which President Donald Trump was expected to unveil a way to fund a $2 trillion infrastructure proposal, Trump instead put Congress on notice that it will have to take a backseat to a trade deal.
Discussion:
Axios
Chris Mills Rodrigo / The Hill:
Trump jokingly suggests serving as many as five terms
Trump jokingly suggests serving as many as five terms
Discussion:
Louder With Crowder, Shakesville and The Root
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Here's what the House Judiciary Committee should do
Here's what the House Judiciary Committee should do
Discussion:
CNN, Just Security and Balloon Juice
Katherine Faulders / ABC News:
House Democrats pushing back on DOJ offer for limited Mueller testimony
House Democrats pushing back on DOJ offer for limited Mueller testimony
Discussion:
Politico, Daily Kos, The Gateway Pundit and Axios
Sabrina Rodriguez / Politico:
Senate GOP trade hopes renewed after Trump lifts steel tariffs
QU Poll:
Release Detail — May 21, 2019 - Good Feelings On Economy Don't Help Trump, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Biden Is Only Contender With Positive Score — The nation's economy is “excellent,” 22 percent of American voters say in a Quinnipiac University National Poll today, the highest “excellent” rating for the economy.
Discussion:
USA Today, Vox, Washington Times, Axios, Breitbart, Mediaite, Washington Post, The Week, Political Wire and CNBC
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Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Brutal new 2020 numbers for Beto O'Rourke and Bill de Blasio
Brutal new 2020 numbers for Beto O'Rourke and Bill de Blasio
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money and The Week
Michelle Goldberg / New York Times:
'I Don't Want an Exciting President' — Joe Biden makes …
'I Don't Want an Exciting President' — Joe Biden makes …
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog, Balloon Juice, Althouse and the daily howler
Rashaan Ayesh / Axios:
Biden performs well with low-dollar donors
Biden performs well with low-dollar donors
Discussion:
Politico and Associated Press
Washington Post:
Appeals court refuses to stay Mueller grand jury subpoena for Roger Stone associate Andrew Miller — A federal appeals court Tuesday refused to block a grand jury subpoena for testimony by Roger Stone associate Andrew Miller in an investigation launched by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III …
Karen Heller / Washington Post:
How San Francisco broke America's heart — SAN FRANCISCO — A Tuesday afternoon in the Mission District of America's tech wonderland. — Michael Feno stands outside Lucca Ravioli, his beloved pasta emporium on Valencia, a vestige of old San Francisco, puffing on a cigar while posing for pictures, his customers in tears.
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Washington Post:
Despite national security concerns, GOP leader McCarthy blocked bipartisan bid to limit China's role in U.S. transit — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) blocked a bipartisan attempt to limit Chinese companies from contracting with U.S. transit systems, a move that benefited …
Discussion:
Shareblue Media
Jennifer De Pinto / CBS News:
Majority of Americans don't want Roe v. Wade overturned, CBS News poll finds — Two-thirds of Americans want Roe v. Wade left in place, and most who hold that view would be disappointed or angry if the ruling were to be overturned someday, a new CBS News poll finds.
Discussion:
NB Blog, The Week, Splinter and Political Wire
RELATED:
Kathleen Gray / Detroit Free Press:
Michigan group wants to ban abortions when fetal heartbeat is detected
Michigan group wants to ban abortions when fetal heartbeat is detected
Discussion:
RedState and Live Action News
New York Times:
Trump Administration Could Blacklist Chinese Surveillance Technology Firm — WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is considering limits to a Chinese video surveillance giant's ability to buy American technology, people familiar with the matter said, the latest attempt to counter Beijing's global economic ambitions.
Laura Jarrett / CNN:
First on CNN: Justice Department willing to hand over counterintelligence if Schiff backs off ‘enforcement action’ — (CNN)The Justice Department is trying to stave off an “enforcement action” against Attorney General William Barr this week, making a rare offer to have the House Intelligence …
Discussion:
Axios
RELATED:
Morgan Chalfant / The Hill:
DOJ offers House Intel some Mueller materials if Schiff drops Barr threat
DOJ offers House Intel some Mueller materials if Schiff drops Barr threat
Discussion:
JONATHAN TURLEY
New York Times:
Trump Supported Changing New York G.O.P. Leader — For months, President Trump's political advisers have been working to remake state Republican parties to cement their control ahead of the 2020 election. — But Mr. Trump had a vested interest in helping dictate the leadership and direction of one state party in particular.
Discussion:
Raw Story
Jesse McKinley / New York Times:
Albany Closes a Loophole for Trump Pardons. Next Up: His Taxes. — The Legislature is poised to pass a bill that would allow three congressional committees to seek the release of President Trump's state tax returns. — [What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo
Paul Waldman / Washington Post:
Why aren't Trump and Republicans pilloried for failing to ‘reach out’? — The presidential campaign has begun, which means that Democrats are being asked again and again why they aren't doing more to “reach out” to Republicans. But there's something important missing from this discussion …
Discussion:
National Review, No More Mister Nice Blog and NBC News
Katy O'Donnell / Politico:
Ben Carson confuses a real-estate term and a cookie — Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson tussled awkwardly with freshman Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) at a hearing on Tuesday over HUD real estate owned — or REO — homes, at one point asking if she was referring to an “Oreo.”
Discussion:
USA Today, Hollywood Life and Shareblue Media
Allan Smith / NBC News:
New York lawmakers pass bill aimed at weakening Trump's pardon power — The measure, which creates a narrow exception to the state's double jeopardy law, now goes to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk. — New York state lawmakers passed a measure Tuesday that would allow prosecutors …
New York Times:
Trump Expected to Pick Ken Cuccinelli for Immigration Policy Role — President Trump is expected to name Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, a former attorney general of Virginia and an immigration hard-liner, as his choice to coordinate the administration's immigration policies, a White House official confirmed on Tuesday.
Peter Hermann / Washington Post:
Senate employee dies after altercation outside restaurant in Navy Yard — A longtime Senate employee and popular youth baseball coach on Capitol Hill has died after an altercation outside his favorite restaurant and steps from his home near Nationals Park, according to his family and D.C. police.
Bob Van Voris / Bloomberg:
Avenatti Says He Expects Indictment in New York Within 48 Hours — Michael Avenatti, the lawyer who became famous representing adult film actress Stormy Daniels against President Donald Trump, said on Twitter he expects to be indicted in New York within 48 hours.
Warren M. Hern / New York Times:
Pregnancy Kills. Abortion Saves Lives. — Every pregnancy poses a “serious health risk” to the mother. — Dr. Hern is a physician and epidemiologist who specializes in late-abortion services. — Pregnancy is a life-threatening condition. Women die from being pregnant.
Discussion:
RedState, Louder With Crowder, Daily Wire and The Daily Caller
Paul Szoldra / Task & Purpose:
Former Marine Commandant tells Trump that pardoning troops accused of war crimes ‘relinquishes the moral high ground’ — Former Marine Commandant Gen. Charles Krulak has issued a statement urging President Donald Trump and members of Congress to oppose pardons for those accused or convicted …
Discussion:
USA Today
Rahm Emanuel / The Atlantic:
It's Time to Hold American Elites Accountable for Their Abuses — Normally, a scandal centered on how rich parents used bribes to win their children's admittance into elite colleges wouldn't play so heavily in the national news. No one much cared when Donald Trump promised large donations as his children enrolled at Penn.
Discussion:
Reason, The Daily Beast, Chicago Sun-Times, New Republic, In These Times, Yahoo, Fox News, Splinter, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon, Hmm Daily, CNN, Axios, Mediaite, Politico, CBS Chicago and The Intercept
Julie Bykowicz / Wall Street Journal:
Legal Fees Mount for Republican Party, Trump Campaign — Filings show RNC spent $2.2 million in April for lawyers' work — WASHINGTON—The Republican National Committee spent about $2.2 million last month on legal fees, new financial filings show, boosting the overall tab for lawyers paid by the party …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Talking Points Memo
BBC:
Austria's far-right Freedom Party ministers all resign amid scandal — All ministers from Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) are resigning, throwing the government into chaos. — The Freedom Party's leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who was also vice-chancellor, was forced to resign at the weekend after a video sting.
Brandy Zadrozny / NBC News:
Parents are poisoning their children with bleach to ‘cure’ autism. These moms are trying to stop it. — Private Facebook groups urge parents to poison autistic kids with chlorine dioxide to “cure” them. These moms are going undercover to fight back. — When they aren't working …
Chris Gardner / Hollywood Reporter:
Cannes: Sci-Fi Film Poster Features Decapitated Donald Trump Head in MAGA Hat — The B-movie-style one-sheet shows a woman holding two decapitated heads, including one that looks like the commander-in-chief wearing his signature campaign headgear. — When a photograph of Kathy Griffin holding …
Discussion:
Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, Daily Wire and Washington Times
John Solomon / The Hill:
Christopher Steele's nugget of fool's gold was easily disproven — but FBI didn't blink an eye — Of all the wild tales that Christopher Steele spun about Russia-Trump collusion during a visit to the State Department shortly before the 2016 election, only one was deemed worth forwarding to his FBI handlers.
New York Times:
U.S. Officials Work to Convince Divided Congress of Iran Threat — WASHINGTON — Top American national security officials sought to convince a divided Congress on Tuesday about the seriousness of new threats from Iran as they defended intelligence that has prompted military deployments aimed at deterring attacks by Tehran.