Top Items:
New York Times:
Trump's Targeting of Intelligence Agencies Gains a Harder Edge — The president's war with the deep state has long been waged by tweet, but his new attorney general is poised to professionalize the fight. — WASHINGTON — President Trump tried somewhat clumsily last year to revoke …
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Sonam Sheth / Business Insider:
Spy agency veterans are horrified at Trump's decision to grant AG Barr sweeping power to declassify Russia intelligence: ‘Lives are on the line’ — President Donald Trump's decision to grant Attorney General William Barr sweeping authority to declassify intelligence related to the Russia investigation …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, The Mahablog, RedState, Raw Story, New York Times and Outside the Beltway
Alexandra Hutzler / Newsweek:
Donald Trump Gives William Barr Power to Declassify Intelligence Information in ‘a Corrupt Act of Political Retribution,’ Experts Say — Donald Trump has given Attorney General William Barr permission to declassify intelligence information about the origins of the Russia investigation …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo
Cristina Alesci / CNN:
Trump lawyers, House committees reach agreement to hold off on enforcing Deutsche Bank, Capital One subpoenas — (CNN)Lawyers for President Donald Trump have reached an agreement with the House Intelligence and Financial Services committees to hold off for now on enforcing the subpoenas …
Discussion:
Political Wire, USA Today, CANNONFIRE and The Daily Caller
Bret Stephens / New York Times:
How Trump Wins Next Year — What's happened in India and Australia is a warning to the left. — More than 600 million Indians cast their ballots over the past six weeks in the largest democratic election in the world. Donald Trump won. — A week ago, several million Australians went to the polls in another touchstone election.
Discussion:
No More Mister Nice Blog
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Vaishnavee Sharma / Washington Examiner:
Federal judge who blocked Trump's border wall donated $20K to Obama — A federal judge who partially blocked President Trump's plans to build a border wall along the United States-Mexico border previously donated almost $30,000 to former President Obama, other Democrats, and a political action committee.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and Politico
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Priscilla Alvarez / CNN:
Federal judge blocks Trump from using Defense funds for parts of border wall
Federal judge blocks Trump from using Defense funds for parts of border wall
Discussion:
Splinter, Townhall, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post and UPI
Joel Rose / NPR:
Judge Blocks Trump Use Of Emergency Power To Build Border Barrier With Military Funds
Judge Blocks Trump Use Of Emergency Power To Build Border Barrier With Military Funds
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway and The Root
New York Times:
In Baltimore and Beyond, a Stolen N.S.A. Tool Wreaks Havoc — For nearly three weeks, Baltimore has struggled with a cyberattack by digital extortionists that has frozen thousands of computers, shut down email and disrupted real estate sales, water bills, health alerts and many other services.
Discussion:
Baltimore Sun, Engadget, Task & Purpose, Daily Kos and The Verge, more at Techmeme »
Gerry Shih / Washington Post:
‘If I disappear’: Chinese students make farewell messages amid crackdowns over labor activism — BEIJING — The video opens with the 21-year-old sociology student facing the camera. His voice quivers as he recounts his interrogation — his humiliation — for days at the hands of Beijing police.
Washington Post:
Trump's allies insist he is winning in feud with Pelosi. Her backers say she showed up the president. — To many Democrats, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi scored a political victory over President Trump this week, making him so incensed that he hurled insults at her and blew up negotiations …
Discussion:
Raw Story
The Hill:
Pelosi, Nadler tangle on impeachment, contempt vote — There is growing daylight between Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) over the best strategy for combating a Trump administration that is flouting a flurry of congressional subpoenas at nearly every turn.
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Benjamin Siegel / ABC News:
Robert Mueller wants to avoid ‘political spectacle’ before Congress: Nadler
Robert Mueller wants to avoid ‘political spectacle’ before Congress: Nadler
Discussion:
Washington Monthly and Breitbart
Colby Itkowitz / Washington Post:
Utah judge suspended for bashing Trump online and in court — The Utah Supreme Court suspended a judge for six months without pay this week over disparaging remarks he made about President Trump online and in his courtroom. — The court ruling points to several instances in which Judge Michael Kwan …
Adam Shaw / Fox News:
Trump, in Japan, says Tokyo has ‘substantial’ trade advantage over US — President Trump on Saturday started his four-day visit to Japan by declaring that Tokyo has a “substantial” trade advantage over the U.S. — and that he hopes a future trade agreement will rebalance the situation.
Discussion:
Slate, One America News Network, Politico, NEWS 1130 and Associated Press
Eli Lake / Bloomberg:
Trump's ‘Emergency’ to Justify Saudi Arms Sales — Bypassing Congress on this issue will come back to haunt the president. — For more than a year now, Senator Bob Menendez has delayed the sale of precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to make a point about the war in Yemen.
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Patricia Zengerle / Reuters:
Defying Congress, Trump sets $8 billion-plus in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE
Defying Congress, Trump sets $8 billion-plus in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE
Discussion:
BBC, Al-Monitor, Talking Points Memo, United States Department …, ThinkProgress and The Week
Mad Dog PAC:
Avenatti SDNY Indictment More Files... So many files... Speaking of Icarus, you'll want to hit play on this White Hinterland Youtube Video, it might make reading this follow up entry soothing... Let's assume there's wide spread Agreement across all political and ideological spectrums …
Marianne LeVine / Politico:
'It's not trivial': Bennet faces steep hurdles in longshot campaign — Michael Bennet has every reason not to run for president. — The low-key Colorado Democratic senator has a relatively centrist record that may be out of step with some primary voters, a recent cancer diagnosis and no real national profile.
Discussion:
Axios