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GOP blocks election security bills after Mueller testimony — Senate Republicans blocked two election security bills and a cybersecurity measure on Wednesday in the wake of former special counsel Robert Mueller warning about meddling attempts during his public testimony before congressional lawmakers.
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Washington Post, New York Magazine, CNN and Axios
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Why the Mueller Hearings Were So Alarming — For the past two and a half years of Donald Trump's Presidency, I have consoled myself with the argument that, despite all the chaos and narcissism and racial incitement and norm-shattering, the American system of government is holding itself together.


A weary old man with a warning — As with many Washington sagas, it came down to this: an old man in a charcoal suit who didn't want to talk. A former Marine just shy of his 75th birthday, dragged into serving his country one last time, though there's little honor in it now.
Discussion:
1A, Shareblue Media, Big Think and Fortune


Mueller Testifies Russia Had Blackmail on Trump — The most interesting and newsworthy portion of Robert Mueller's six hours of testimony before the House yesterday came in the final two exchanges of the day, long after the narrative was set and the national media had grown bored.
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal


Mueller acted like a man terrified to state the obvious. The question remains: Why? — Sarah Kendzior is the author of The View From Flyover Country and the co-host of the podcast Gaslit Nation. — At the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday, Congressman Guy Reschenthaler asked …


The Blockbuster That Wasn't: Mueller Disappoints the Democrats — WASHINGTON — In the days leading up to the special counsel's much-anticipated appearance before Congress, Democrats argued that hearing from Robert S. Mueller III on television could transform the impeachment debate.


Mueller just showed why impeachment proceedings should begin soon — Corey Brettschneider is the author of “The Oath and The Office: A Guide to the Constitution for Future Presidents.” He is a professor of political science at Brown University and visiting professor of law at Fordham Law School.
Discussion:
Slate, The Colorado Independent, 1A, Quartz and Vanity Fair

Mueller's Labored Performance Was a Departure From His Once-Fabled Stamina
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Politico, Washington Post, The Atlantic, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Ringer, Mediaite, CNN, New York Post, Breitbart, The Stream and The Week

What comes after Mueller? Investigations, lawsuits and more
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New York Times, Washington Examiner and Axios

MSNBC public editor: The Chuck Todd show
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New York Times, Outside the Beltway, The Hill, CNN, Lawyers, Guns & Money and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

“Accountability”? The Mueller Hearing Is How Trump Escapes It
Discussion:
Slate, CNN and New York Times

Democrats are now left with one option to end Trump's presidency: The 2020 election

Trump's lies are getting bolder and the press is stuck in the middle
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, Media Matters for America, twitchy.com and The Daily Beast

Schiff downplays impeachment, says that at this point, Trump is only leaving ‘by being voted out’
Discussion:
Political Wire and ABC News


Jeffrey Epstein Found Injured in NYC Jail Cell After Possible Suicide Attempt or Assault: Sources — One source says an assault has not been ruled out, and that another inmate accused of murder has been questioned — No Bail for NYC Financier Jeff Epstein
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, New York Post, CNBC, Vox, Law & Crime, Chicks On The Right, The Gateway Pundit, Rolling Stone, Dienekes' Place, Daily Kos, The Independent, TheBlaze, The Crime Report, Big League Politics, The Daily Caller, Splinter, The Wrap, TMZ.com, UPI, Breitbart, Balloon Juice, Chicago Sun-Times and Althouse
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Lawmaker says she's been told to back off call for probe of Jeffrey Epstein's work release
Discussion:
Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The Daily Caller


Federal Government to Resume Capital Punishment After Nearly Two Decade Lapse — Attorney General William P. Barr Directs the Federal Bureau of Prisons to Adopt an Addendum to the Federal Execution Protocol and Schedule the Executions of Five Death-Row Inmates Convicted of Murdering Children
Discussion:
Axios, NBC News, Quartz, Breitbart, FOX6Now.com, Common Dreams, Law & Crime, UPI, Boing Boing and The Week
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Justice Department plans to restart capital punishment after long hiatus
Discussion:
Political Wire and The Crime Report


House Republicans balking as budget vote looms — GOP leaders — with some help from President Donald Trump — are scrambling to round up Republican support for a two-year, $2.7 trillion budget deal as the House moves toward a vote on the package Thursday afternoon.
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Worst Part of the Mueller Hearings? Republican Conspiracy Theories.
Discussion:
National Review

Conspiracy theories, excusing Russians, attacking Mueller: How low can Republicans go?
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Washington Press and Slate


How did Trump end up in front of a presidential seal doctored to include a Russian symbol? — At first glance, there was nothing unusual about President Trump's introduction Tuesday at Turning Point USA's student summit. In many ways, it mirrored the production style that has become synonymous with Trump's campaign rallies.
Discussion:
USA Today, New York Magazine, Talking Points Memo, VICE, The Independent, The Week, Mediaite, The Guardian and Breitbart


No shower for 23 days: U.S. citizen says conditions were so bad that he almost self-deported — Francisco Erwin Galicia, a Dallas-born U.S. citizen, spent 23 days in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in conditions that made him so desperate he almost opted to self-deport.
Discussion:
BuzzFeed News, KTLA, VICE and Slate
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It Is Not Enough to Condemn Trump's Racism — The nation's ideals are under attack, and it is up to all of us to defend them. — Ms. Omar is a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota. — Throughout history, demagogues have used state power to target minority communities and political enemies, often culminating in state violence.
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, CNN, Fox News, twitchy.com, Washington Post, WCCO | CBS Minnesota and Breitbart


Mueller didn't fail. The country did. — Being thousands of miles away from home in Portugal, a country that 45 years ago was in the grasp of a brutal dictatorship, gives me an interesting perspective on former special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's Wednesday testimony and on the now nearly forgotten …


Kamala Harris's Debate Bounce Is Fading — We've documented for years how polls tend to rise and fall — in what are often fairly predictable patterns — after events like debates and conventions. In general, what suddenly goes up in polls tends to gradually come back down after a matter of a few weeks.
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The 2020 Congressional Elections: A Very Early Forecast — KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE — A forecasting model based on postwar electoral history along with the president's approval rating and the House generic ballot points to Democratic gains next fall.


Ricardo Rosselló, Puerto Rico's Governor, Resigns After Protests — SAN JUAN, P.R. — Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló of Puerto Rico announced his resignation on Wednesday, conceding that he could no longer credibly remain in power after an extraordinary popular uprising …
Discussion:
The Stranger, NBC News, CBS News, VICE, Slate, Outside the Beltway, Common Dreams, The Daily Beast, The Daily Caller, Splinter, CNN and Meduza.io
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Amazon Requires Police to Shill Surveillance Cameras in Secret Agreement — The Lakeland, Florida police department is required to “encourage adoption” of Ring products as part of a secret agreement with the company. — Amazon's home security company Ring has enlisted local police departments around …


Major automakers strike climate deal with California, rebuffing Trump on proposed mileage freeze — Agreement could have vehicles hit 50 miles per gallon on average by 2026 — Four automakers from three continents have struck a deal with California to produce more fuel-efficient cars …
Discussion:
National Review, Reuters, Axios, MIT Technology Review, One America News Network, The Verge and Political Wire


House Dems authorize subpoenas for top White House officials' private communications — The House Oversight and Reform Committee voted on Thursday to authorize subpoenas for senior White House officials' communications via private email accounts and messaging applications …
Discussion:
Axios and Washington Post


Jeffrey Epstein Visited Clinton White House Multiple Times in Early '90s — A Daily Beast investigation has uncovered ties between Epstein and the Clinton administration that date back to the president's earliest days in the White House. — Days after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest …
Discussion:
The Gateway Pundit, The Hayride, Daily Wire, The Daily Caller, Splinter, Political Wire, twitchy.com and CNBC


UN Singles Out Israel as World's Only Violator of Women's Rights; Iran, Saudi Arabia & Yemen Among the Voters — Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Pakistan were among members of the UN's 54-nation economic and social council, a principal organ of the world body, who voted to single …