Top Items:
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
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.
Discussion:
Washington Post, New York Magazine, CNN and Axios
RELATED:
John Cassidy / New Yorker:
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.
Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
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
Washington Post:
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 and Big Think
Sarah Kendzior / Globe and Mail:
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 …
Peter Baker / New York Times:
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.
Corey Brettschneider / Washington Post:
Mueller just showed why impeachment proceedings should begin soon
Mueller just showed why impeachment proceedings should begin soon
Discussion:
Slate, The Colorado Independent, 1A, Quartz and Vanity Fair
Christina Prignano / BostonGlobe.com:
Ed Markey calls for Trump impeachment in Senate speech
New York Times:
Mueller's Labored Performance Was a Departure From His Once-Fabled Stamina
Mueller's Labored Performance Was a Departure From His Once-Fabled Stamina
Discussion:
Hot Air, Politico, Washington Post, The Atlantic, NB Blog, No More Mister Nice Blog, Outside the Beltway, The Ringer, Mediaite, CNN, Breitbart, The Stream, The Week, New York Post and Slate
Mary Clare Jalonick / Associated Press:
What comes after Mueller? Investigations, lawsuits and more
What comes after Mueller? Investigations, lawsuits and more
Discussion:
Axios, New York Times and Washington Examiner
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Pelosi rebuffs Nadler on impeachment after Mueller flop
Pelosi rebuffs Nadler on impeachment after Mueller flop
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, New York Times, Washington Post, PJ Media Home, Media Matters for America, Chicks On The Right, Washington Free Beacon, The Resurgent, LifeZette, Vanity Fair, CNN, ABC News, The Daily Caller, No More Mister Nice Blog, The Week, Associated Press, Breitbart, Wall Street Journal, Hot Air, Slate, RedState, Mother Jones, Townhall, twitchy.com and Daily Kos
Jonathan Bernstein / Bloomberg:
Worst Part of the Mueller Hearings? Republican Conspiracy Theories.
Worst Part of the Mueller Hearings? Republican Conspiracy Theories.
Discussion:
National Review
Tom Nichols / USA Today:
Conspiracy theories, excusing Russians, attacking Mueller: How low can Republicans go?
Conspiracy theories, excusing Russians, attacking Mueller: How low can Republicans go?
Discussion:
CNN, Talking Points Memo and Washington Press
Jonathan Dienst / NBC New York:
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, NBC News, CNBC, New York Post, Vox, Law & Crime, Chicks On The Right, The Gateway Pundit, Rolling Stone, Daily Kos, The Independent, Dienekes' Place, TheBlaze, The Crime Report, Splinter, Big League Politics, The Daily Caller, UPI, The Wrap, TMZ.com, Breitbart, Balloon Juice, Chicago Sun-Times and Althouse
U.S. Department of Justice:
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:
The Texas Tribune, CNN, Breitbart, Quartz, Axios, The Gateway Pundit, FOX6Now.com, NBC News, Common Dreams, Law & Crime, UPI, The Week, Patterico's Pontifications and Boing Boing
RELATED:
Alexandra Svokos / ABC News:
Federal government resuming executions after 2 decades, names first 5 people to be killed
Federal government resuming executions after 2 decades, names first 5 people to be killed
Devlin Barrett / Washington Post:
Justice Department plans to restart capital punishment after long hiatus
Justice Department plans to restart capital punishment after long hiatus
Discussion:
Political Wire and The Crime Report
Washington Post:
How Trump ended 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:
Vox, VICE, New York Magazine, Talking Points Memo, The Independent, The Week, Mediaite, The Guardian and Breitbart
RELATED:
WNKY:
'Putin's Mitch' billboard grabs attention on Interstate 65 — HART COUNTY, Ky.- A new billboard along I-65 in Hart County is raising some eyebrows. — The sign reads, “Putin's Mitch” and features a photo of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. — Mad Dog Political Action Committee paid …
Discussion:
Mediaite
RELATED:
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Why Trump swallowed a budget deal that bleeds red ink
Ilhan Omar / New York Times:
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, Common Dreams, twitchy.com, Breitbart, WCCO | CBS Minnesota and Washington Post
Obed Manuel / Dallas Morning News:
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, Daily Kos, Common Dreams, KTLA, VICE and Slate
RELATED:
Caroline Haskins / VICE:
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 …
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
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 …
Julie K. Brown / Miami Herald:
Lawmaker says she's been told to back off call for probe of Jeffrey Epstein's work release — Florida Sen. Lauren Book has reached out to Capitol police after receiving an anonymous warning connected to her demand for a state inquiry into Palm Beach Sheriff Ric Bradshaw's handling …
Discussion:
Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The Daily Caller
Washington Post:
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:
ThinkProgress, National Review, Mother Jones, Reuters, Axios, MIT Technology Review, One America News Network and The Verge
Alan I. Abramowitz / Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball:
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.
Andrew Desiderio / Politico:
House Dems authorize subpoenas for senior White House aides' official 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, Washington Post and The Week
Polls:
Biden Holds Large Edge — African American support boosts former VP — West Long Branch, NJ - Former Vice President Joe Biden is the clear front-runner among likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina in the first Monmouth University Poll here for the 2020 cycle.
Discussion:
Political Wire and POLITICUSUSA
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
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.
Daisuke Wakabayashi / New York Times:
Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic Presidential Candidate, Sues Google — Representative Tulsi Gabbard, the long-shot presidential candidate from Hawaii, said in a federal lawsuit that Google infringed on her free speech when it briefly suspended her campaign's advertising account after the first Democratic debate in June.
United States Department of State:
Joint Statement on the Call between President Ghani and Secretary Pompeo — Secretary Pompeo and President Ghani spoke by phone on July 24 and agreed that now is the time to accelerate efforts to reach a negotiated end to the war in Afghanistan. Secretary Pompeo assured President Ghani …
UN Watch:
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 …
Ashe Schow / Daily Wire:
Adam Schiff's Hypocritical Lecture On ‘Morality’ — While questioning Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) mentioned morality and ethical behavior when it comes to seeking foreign help to harm one's political opponent. — Though Mueller's report …
Laurence H. Tribe / Newsweek:
After Mueller's devastating testimony, the truth is beyond denying: Congress is failing us | Opinion — We are eye witnesses to the unraveling of the American project. Watching the old war hero stumble on the stage of history as he tried valiantly to overcome the limitations …
New York Times:
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, VICE, Slate, Outside the Beltway, Common Dreams, CBS News, The Daily Beast, The Daily Caller, CNN, Splinter and Meduza.io