Top Items:
Josh Lederman / NBC News:
Trump admin tells U.S. embassies they can't fly pride flag on flagpoles — The administration is rejecting requests from U.S. embassies to fly the rainbow flag on flagpoles during June, LGBT Pride Month, say 3 U.S. diplomats. — WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is rejecting requests …
Discussion:
CNN, Talking Points Memo, ThinkProgress, Axios, POLITICUSUSA, Washington Blade, madison.com, The Week, KTLA, Mediaite, Political Wire, The New Civil Rights Movement, Joe.My.God. and WORLD
Grant Stern / Washington Press:
A court just ordered the release of crucial documents in mysterious Mueller case — The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals just ordered the government to un-seal a treasure trove of documents that are part of the secretive grand jury subpoena battle which all the way up to the Supreme Court earlier this year.
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Bill Chappell / NPR:
Univ. Of Alabama Returns $21.5 Million Gift; Donor Urged Boycott Over Abortion Law — Updated at 2 p.m. ET — The University of Alabama's Board of Trustees has voted to return a $21.5 million gift from Hugh Culverhouse Jr. — the school's biggest donor — and take his name off its law school.
Discussion:
New York Times, The Daily Caller and wabe.org
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Trump's latest eruption at Pelosi reveals a terrible truth about this moment — Amazingly, after all we've seen, there's still a tendency in some quarters to treat the falsehoods regularly told by President Trump, and echoed by his media allies, as a somewhat exaggerated but basically conventional form of political dishonesty.
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, POLITICUSUSA, Politico, Fox News, RedState, Joe.My.God., Shareblue Media, Townhall, Mercury News and Breitbart
Michael Shellenberger / Forbes:
Why HBO's “Chernobyl” Gets Nuclear So Wrong — Since the start of HBO's mini-series about the 1986 nuclear disaster, “Chernobyl,” journalists have praised the series for getting the facts of the event right, even if its creators took some creative liberties.
Discussion:
Lawyers, Guns & Money
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Keith Griffith / Daily Mail:
Russia is making its own ‘correct’ …
Russia is making its own ‘correct’ …
Discussion:
RedState, The Sun, Trending Home, Fox News, Mediaite, news.avclub.com and VICE
Kyle Swenson / Washington Post:
Unhappy with HBO's ‘Chernobyl,’ Russia is planning its own series — blaming the CIA
Unhappy with HBO's ‘Chernobyl,’ Russia is planning its own series — blaming the CIA
Discussion:
New York Post, The Playlist, Winter is Coming and Jezebel
William Saletan / Slate:
Barr Is Lying About Mueller's Evidence — The final report on the Russia investigation, submitted on March 22 by special counsel Robert Mueller, documents multiple attempts by President Donald Trump to obstruct justice. So why hasn't Trump been indicted? Because one man stands in the way: Attorney General William Barr.
Discussion:
New York Times and NBC News
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Edward-Isaac Dovere / The Atlantic:
How Biden's Campaign Confronted Him on Abortion — Joe Biden's aides knew that the 2020 front-runner was going to get ripped apart over his support of the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal funding for abortion procedures. They were frustrated that the former vice president wouldn't change his stance …
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Ken Meyer / Mediaite:
CNN's Keilar Brutally Grills Biden Spox on Abortion Reversal: What Changed His Mind in One Day?
CNN's Keilar Brutally Grills Biden Spox on Abortion Reversal: What Changed His Mind in One Day?
Discussion:
Fox News and Trending Home
Steve Hendrix / Washington Post:
Then he decided to kill them. — Scott Paul Beierle's attack on a Florida yoga studio was fueled by male supremacy, a movement with ties to other hate groups. — TALLAHASSEE — The first thing Kate Pierson did after unlocking the yoga studio that November afternoon was set the mood …
Andrew Desiderio / Politico:
White House tried to block Kris Kobach from testifying about census — The White House tried to block former Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach from testifying to the House Oversight and Reform Committee about his conversations with President Donald Trump about adding a citizenship question …
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA
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Erin Banco / The Daily Beast:
George Nader's Phones Had Child Porn—and Communications With a Crown Prince, Feds Say — Federal agents found communications with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed, the ruler of the United Arab Emirates, on one of the businessman's three phones after his arrest.
Alexandra Jaffe / Associated Press:
Iowa Democrats warn that Kamala Harris' ‘star is fading’ — DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Tim Bottaro was ready to endorse Kamala Harris. He planned an event for the California senator in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, buying balloons to match her campaign's colors. — But the morning before Harris …
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David Catanese / US News:
How the Revolution Ends — Some of Bernie Sanders' most ardent supporters believe 2020 could be ‘stolen’ from him by the Democratic National Committee - again. — WARNER, N.H. — AS Bernie Sanders plodded up a steep hill in the backyard of a Main Street bookstore in this tiny New Hampshire town, he was in no mood for selfies.
Discussion:
IJR
Associated Press:
Analysis: Trump an impolitic guest on trips abroad — SHANNON, Ireland (AP) — Halfway through a summer set of four international trips, President Donald Trump has proven himself to be an impolitic guest, soaking up pomp and pageantry while leaving behind hosts he scorched despite …
Charlotte Jee / MIT Technology Review:
YouTube is deleting videos on Nazi history as part of its hate speech crackdown — The site's torrid week shows what a challenge moderation has become for big tech firms. — The news: YouTube announced new rules around hate speech on Wednesday that prohibit videos promoting Nazi ideology …
Discussion:
Politico, New York Post, Mediaite, twitchy.com, Common Dreams and The Guardian, more at Mediagazer »
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Vox:
An open letter to YouTube's CEO
An open letter to YouTube's CEO
Discussion:
New York Magazine, The Verge, Ars Technica, SFist and twitchy.com
Jacob Bogage / Washington Post:
Dodgeball is a tool of ‘oppression’ used to ‘dehumanize’ others, researchers argue — One of gym classes' most common games is being used as a tool of “oppression,” according to a team of Canadian researchers. — Dodgeball in phys-ed classes teaches students to dehumanize and harm their peers …
Discussion:
New York Post
Noreen Malone / The Cut:
Just Break Open the Establishment Already — A few years ago, someone introduced me at a party to a man — a swaggering, posh-leftist, real type of a man — who worked on “long form” for the website of A Very Prestigious Publication. I was described as “Noreen, who works at New York.”
Discussion:
Vox, The Concourse, Los Angeles Times and Mediaite
Sam Webb / Metro.co.uk:
Gay couple beaten up for refusing to kiss for men's entertainment — This horrifying picture shows a flight attendant and her girlfriend covered in blood after a gang of men attacked them when they refused to kiss for them. — The apparently homophobic attack happened on a London bus …
Discussion:
New York Post and PinkNews
Alexandra Petri / Washington Post:
Can we risk nominating a man for president? — The 2020 election is lurching toward us like a malfunctioning robot, and I think we must ask ourselves: Can we risk nominating a man for president? — Men selected as major-party nominees for president have failed to win the popular vote 50 percent of the time.
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:
The Alternative Scenario: Trump Loses and It's Not Even Close — The 2020 presidential election is an election with everything on the line for the United States. Four years of Trump is a national disaster. Eight years is a confirmation that it was no fluke.
Discussion:
Spectator USA and Townhall
Washington Post:
White House poised to relax mileage standards, rebuffing automakers and setting up likely fight with California — A last-minute push by automakers appears unlikely to sway the Trump administration from abandoning Barack Obama's signature climate policy to improve mileage standards for cars and light trucks …
Discussion:
The Verge, Political Wire and New York Times
Nelson D. Schwartz / New York Times:
Jobs Report Is Weak, With Gain of 75,000; Unemployment Rate Still 3.6% — The government report on Friday showed a sharp decline in the pace of hiring, adding to concern that the economy is slowing. — 75,000 jobs were created last month. Analysts had expected a gain of about 175,000 jobs, according to Bloomberg.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NPR and The Week
Eric Dexheimer / Houston Chronicle:
Banned from guns, Texas gave him a license anyway. Citizens paid the price. — If you wanted to invent an avatar to represent the type of person who should not have easy access to firearms, you might come up with someone like Heon “Hank” Yoo. — In 2013, after threatening to shoot …
New York Times:
Trump Allows High-Tech U.S. Bomb Parts to Be Built in Saudi Arabia — WASHINGTON — When the Trump administration declared an emergency last month and fast-tracked the sale of more American arms to Saudi Arabia, it did more than anger members of Congress who opposed the sale on humanitarian grounds.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, The American Conservative, Common Dreams and Just Security
Isaac Chotiner / New Yorker:
Ross Douthat on the Crisis of the Conservative Coalition — Three years ago, it felt like something of a shock that religious conservatives overwhelmingly embraced the campaign of Donald Trump. Now, with the Republican-controlled Senate confirming judges at a record pace …
Discussion:
New York Times, Reason, The American Conservative and Vanity Fair
Brandi Buchman / courthousenews.com:
Trump Tower Meeting Figure Stays Jailed on Child Porn Charges — ALEXANDRIA, Va. (CN) - Finding he poses too great a threat to public safety, a federal judge ruled Friday that a witness in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation with links to associates of President Donald Trump must stay …
Kayla Epstein / Washington Post:
A Sikh airman petitioned the Air Force to let him wear a turban and beard. He just won. — The U.S. Air Force has granted a religious accommodation to an active-duty Sikh airman that will allow him to wear a turban, beard and unshorn hair in accordance with his faith.
Bruce Schlesman / Judicial Watch:
Judicial Watch: DOJ Documents Show Bruce Ohr Was Given a $28,000 Bonus During Russiagate Investigation Plus a Raise — (Washington, DC) Judicial Watch today released documents from the U.S. Department of Justice in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request showing the removal …
Discussion:
Fox News, Sara A. Carter, The Gateway Pundit and Sean Hannity
Marianne LeVine / Politico:
Trump faces rare Republican revolt on judicial pick — President Donald Trump faces a growing Republican rebellion on one of his judicial nominees, throwing his confirmation into doubt. — Michael Bogren, who Trump nominated to serve on a federal district court, is already opposed …
Discussion:
Contemptor
David French / National Review:
‘The Cruelty Is the Point’ — I frequently disagree with The Atlantic's Adam Serwer, but late last year he wrote a piece that should resonate with any person who's been in the crosshairs of the MAGA right. A fundamental aspect of truly Trumpist political engagement is the intentional infliction of harm on political opponents.
The Daily Beast:
House Dems Preparing Investigation of Rudy Giuliani for Ukraine Shenanigans — The president's lawyer says he welcomes the scrutiny and plans to turn it to his advantage. — Top congressional Democrats are actively discussing opening a probe into Rudy Giuliani for his overseas political …
Discussion:
Contemptor, Shakesville, Law & Crime, Splinter, Washington Times, Mediaite, Washington Examiner and The Daily Beast
Associated Press:
Mitt Romney says he may skip 2020 presidential endorsement — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said Friday that he's not sure if he will endorse President Donald Trump for a second term and that he may not throw his weight behind anyone during the 2020 campaign. — “I don't think endorsements are worth …
Salena Zito / Washington Examiner:
Finding America at a back-roads gas station — DICKERSON, Md. — Everything happens for a reason. — At least that's what people tell you when your plans go south. — Driving from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., recently, I did as I nearly always do: I clicked the “avoid highways” …
Reuters:
Russian disinformation on YouTube draws ads, lacks warning labels: researchers — SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Fourteen Russia-backed YouTube channels spreading disinformation have been generating billions of views and millions of dollars in advertising revenue, according to researchers …
Erik Wemple / Washington Post:
Please don't be fooled by Tucker Carlson — Fox News host Tucker Carlson played something of a trick on his audience on Wednesday night. He read off a series of economic policy ideas to his viewers, making clear that he was quoting someone else. “Politicians love to say they care about American jobs …