memeorandum: US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as ‘molecules of freedom’ (Luke O'Neil/The Guardian)

8:30 AM ET, May 30, 2019

Top Items:

White House Wanted USS John McCain ‘Out of Sight’ During Trump Japan Visit — The White House wanted the Navy to move a warship named for the late Sen. John McCain, a war hero who became a frequent target of President Trump's ire, ahead of the president's visit to Japan last week.

New York Times:

White House Asked Navy to Hide John McCain Warship During Trump's Visit — The White House asked the Navy to hide a destroyer named after Senator John McCain in order to avoid having the ship appear in photographs taken while President Trump was visiting Japan this week, White House and military officials said Wednesday.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Week, Fox News, Mediaite, Raw Story and New York Post

Washington Post:

White House wanted USS John S. McCain obscured during Trump's Japan visit — The White House asked Navy officials to obscure the USS John S. McCain while President Trump was visiting Japan, Pentagon and White House officials said Wednesday night. — A senior Navy official confirmed …

Discussion: Townhall, One America News Network, Fox News, Raw Story, The Week, Mediaite and The Guardian

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: What Biden is planning for June

Discussion: The Daily Beast and Mediaite

William S. Cohen / Washington Post:

When will the Republican silence on Trump end? — William S. Cohen is a former Republican congressman, senator and defense secretary who served on the House Judiciary Committee in 1974 during the Watergate impeachment inquiry. — Now that Robert S. Mueller III has broken months of silence …

Discussion: Raw Story and Politico

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Mueller Delivered a Message. Washington Couldn't Agree on What It Was. — WASHINGTON — At long last, the sphinx of Washington spoke on Wednesday, and here is what President Trump heard: “Case closed.” Here is what the president's adversaries heard: “Time to impeach.”

Discussion: CNN, Political Wire, Raw Story, Reason, New York Times, Media Matters for America, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Post and Associated Press

Rich Lowry / Politico:

The Wayward Special Counsel — In the end, the by-the-book Robert Mueller wildly departed from the book. — He invented an extraconstitutional legal standard for his obstruction investigation and acted, at the very least, in violation of the spirit of the special counsel regulations.

Discussion: Washington Post, POLITICUSUSA, Breitbart and Fox News

Justin Baragona / The Daily Beast:
Sean Hannity: Mueller 'Doesn't Know the Law' and 'He's Full of Crap'

Discussion: Law & Crime and Contemptor

Washington Post:
Mueller should have said this weeks ago

Discussion: Raw Story, Politico, Mother Jones, ABC News, Progress Pond and CANNONFIRE

Washington Post:
Mueller just made it crystal clear: Only Congress can hold Trump accountable

Discussion: American Greatness, The Atlantic, Common Dreams, Rolling Stone and New York Times

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review: Mueller's Press Conference Makes the Impeachment Tightrope Tougher to Walk for Democrats

Rachel Frazin / The Hill:
2020 Democrats ramp up calls for Trump impeachment

Discussion: The Atlantic, Observer, NPR, Liberty Unyielding, BuzzFeed News and Townhall

Kurt Bardella / NBC News:
Robert Mueller's statement made the Democrats look like cowards

Discussion: Bloomberg, USA Today and Politico

Andy Borowitz / New Yorker: Mueller Stirs Controversy by Urging Americans to Read

Byron York / Washington Examiner:

Retrospective: Mueller and the fatal flaw of the Trump-Russia affair — It's not unusual to hear House Democrats vow to “get to the bottom” of the Trump-Russia matter — as if the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, with 500 witnesses, 2,800 subpoenas, 500 search-and-seizure warrants …

Discussion: USA Today, Power Line, The Guardian, Instapundit, Financial Times, FRONTLINE, Bloomberg and Rolling Stone

John Solomon / The Hill:

Did Brits warn about Steele's credibility, before Mueller's probe? Congress has evidence — One of the deepest, darkest secrets of Russiagate soon may be unmasked. Even President Trump may be surprised. — Multiple witnesses have told Congress that, a week before Trump's inauguration in January 2017 …

Discussion: The Federalist, Dan Bongino and The Gateway Pundit

Robert De Niro / New York Times:

Robert Mueller, We Need to Hear More — You said that your investigation's work “speaks for itself.” It doesn't. — Mr. De Niro is an actor, producer and director. — Dear Mr. Mueller, — It probably hasn't escaped your attention (in my mind, nothing escapes your attention) …

Discussion: USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Financial Times, The American Spectator, Informed Comment, Fox News, IndieWire, The Wrap, Breitbart, Deadline, Quartz, The Guardian, Mediaite, Splinter and Vanity Fair

David Frum / The Atlantic:
What the Mueller Report Actually Said

Discussion: Don Surber, Taylor Marsh, Raw Story and Quartz

Sean Davis / The Federalist:
Mueller Just Proved His Entire Operation Was A Political Hit Job That Trampled The Rule Of Law

Discussion: USA Today, Big League Politics, Vox and The Guardian

Ryan Goodman / Just Security: Mueller's Message: The Obstruction That Nearly Halted Criminal Case Against Russians

David Corn / Mother Jones: Mueller Reminds the Nation That Trump Betrayed the USA

Miami Herald:

Federal prosecutors demand Cindy Yang records from Mar-a-Lago, Trump campaign — Federal prosecutors in Washington D.C. this week sent subpoenas to Mar-a-Lago, President Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach, and Trump Victory, a political fundraising committee, demanding they turn …

Discussion: Vanity Fair, New York Post and Washington Post

Charles M. Blow / New York Times:

Democrats, Do Your Damned Duty! — Doing what is right on impeachment should not be a mere option. — What the hell is it going to take, Democrats?! — What evidence and impetus would compel you to do the job the Constitution, patriotism and morality dictate?

Discussion: The Nation, electionlawblog.org, Slate, Conservative News Today, Washington Press and Vanity Fair

Axios:
Nancy Pelosi defies growing calls for impeachment after Mueller's statement

Discussion: Political Wire, Washington Post and Associated Press

Alan Dershowitz / The Hill:
Shame on Robert Mueller for exceeding his role

Discussion: Conservative News Today, Contemptor, The Lid, PJ Media Home, Breitbart and The Daily Caller

Lisa Richwine / Reuters:

Exclusive: Disney CEO says it will be ‘difficult’ to film in Georgia if abortion law takes effect — ANAHEIM, Calif. (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger told Reuters on Wednesday it would be “very difficult” for the media company to keep filming in Georgia if a new abortion law takes effect …

Discussion: Fortune, Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Splinter, New York Times, The Verge, The Week and Fox News, more at Mediagazer »

Matt Donnelly / Variety:
Disney Likely to Leave Georgia if Anti-Abortion Legislation Becomes Law, Says Bob Iger

Discussion: Mashable and TechCrunch

Luke O'Neil / The Guardian:

US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as ‘molecules of freedom’ — Press release from department said increasing export capacity is ‘critical to spreading freedom gas throughout the world’ — America is the land of freedom, as any politician will be happy to tell you.

Discussion: Power Line and Oil Change International

Emily S. Rueb / New York Times:
The Next American Export: ‘Freedom Gas’

Discussion: Washington Post, ABC News, Conservative News Today, Grist, Slate and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Washington Post:

Israel will hold unprecedented second election after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to form a governing coalition — JERUSALEM — In an unprecedented move, Israel will head to elections for a second time in less than six months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a government before a midnight deadline.

Discussion: Haaretz and Informed Comment

Isabel Kershner / New York Times:
Israel Moves to Hold New Election as Netanyahu Fails to Form a Coalition

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Townhall, The Week and Slate

Elliot Hannon / Slate:

Louisiana's GOP-Controlled State Legislature Passes Restrictive Abortion Ban. Its Democratic Governor Says He'll Sign It. — The Louisiana state legislature, on Wednesday, joined the procession of conservative state legislatures challenging abortion rights, voting to pass …

Discussion: Washington Post, 89.3 KPCC and New York Times

Gregg Re / Fox News:
Louisiana governor, a Democrat, poised to sign ‘heartbeat’ abortion ban into law

Discussion: NBC News, FOX59 and Washington Post

Thomas B. Edsall / New York Times: Why the Fight Over Abortion Is Unrelenting

Farhad Manjoo / New York Times:

Worry About Facebook. Rip Your Hair Out in Screaming Terror About Fox News. — Novel forms of digital misinformation still pale in comparison with Fox News' full-time hall of mirrors. — At the risk of losing street cred as a tough-as-nails tech pundit, I'll confess that I couldn't muster …

Discussion: Techdirt, Lawfare, Opinion Today, Mediaite and VICE, more at Mediagazer »

Margaret Sullivan / Washington Post:

Presidential outrage over a false tweet? Trump's race-baiting did far more harm to the Central Park Five. — There are inconsequential social media screw-ups. — And there are malicious lies. — President Trump seems to have them confused. — The other day, an errant tweet …

Discussion: Rolling Stone

James Arkin / Politico:

Roy Moore hits back at Trump in defiant interview — A defiant Roy Moore brushed aside Donald Trump's warning not to run for Senate again, telling POLITICO on Wednesday that Alabama voters are capable of deciding for themselves whether he's fit for office. — “The president doesn't control …

Discussion: Shareblue Media, FOX59 and New York Post

Lizzie Dearden / The Independent:

Boris Johnson could go on trial for ‘lying and misleading’ in Brexit campaign, judge orders — Judge summonses MP to court after throwing out arguments that allegations are ‘vexatious’ attempt to undermine Brexit — Boris Johnson faces trial for allegedly “lying and misleading the British public” about the consequences of Brexit.