memeorandum: U.S. security chief ‘heaped pain’ on grieving parents of UK teen: lawyer (Michael Holden/Reuters)

10:30 AM ET, October 16, 2019

Top Items:

Heather Vogell / ProPublica:

Never-Before-Seen Trump Tax Documents Show Major Inconsistencies — The president's businesses made themselves appear more profitable to lenders and less profitable to tax officials. One expert calls the differing numbers “versions of fraud.” — Stay up to date with email updates …

Discussion: Hullabaloo and The Week

Washington Post:

Sen. Bernie Sanders to be endorsed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, an influential voice among young liberals — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, one of the most influential voices among young liberals and a rising Democratic star, plans to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) …

The Hill:
Democrats debate in Ohio: Who came out on top?

Discussion: Axios, Politico, Fox News and Breitbart

Nolan D. McCaskill / Politico:
Dems go after Warren, and other big moments from Tuesday's debate

Discussion: NBC News, Fox News, Washington Post, One America News Network, The Daily Beast, New York Times and Breitbart

New York Times: 6 Takeaways From the October Democratic Debate

John F. Harris / Politico:
Democrats stop faking it — and have a serious debate

Discussion: WBUR, New York Times, Washington Post and Bloomberg

New York Times:
Which Candidates Got the Most Speaking Time in the Democratic Debate

Discussion: WCCO | CBS Minnesota, Salon, Bloomberg, The Daily Caller, Vox, Daily Kos and The Guardian

John Verhovek / ABC News:
5 key takeaways from the 4th Democratic debate

Discussion: The Guardian, twitchy.com and Breitbart

Steve Peoples / Associated Press:
Analysis: Elizabeth Warren growing into front-runner status

Discussion: Washington Post, KRON4 and The Hill

Steve Krakauer / NBC News:
Who is Tom Steyer, the Democratic debate newcomer hellbent on impeaching Trump?

Discussion: The Hill, Vox, The Week, New York Post and Fox News

Scott Jennings / USA Today:
Democrats want to close churches, raise taxes and pay for sex reassignment surgery. Great.

Discussion: Washington Post, Washington Free Beacon and Townhall

Associated Press:
AP FACT CHECK: Claims from the Democratic debate

Discussion: Washington Post and Reason

Michael Holden / Reuters:

U.S. security chief ‘heaped pain’ on grieving parents of UK teen: lawyer — LONDON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's national security adviser heaped pain and grief on the parents of a British teenager killed in a car crash by trying to hold a meeting at the White House between them and a U.S. diplomat's wife …

Discussion: Law & Crime, The American Conservative and Political Wire

Barbie Latza Nadeau / The Daily Beast:

Grieving Parents ‘Ambushed’ by Trump, Who Had Teen's Killer Waiting at White House — The president had hoped to surprise the parents of dead British teen Harry Dunn with a meeting with the woman who killed him—all in front of the media. — Correspondent-At-Large

Discussion: The Hill, Sky News, Contemptor, Raw Story and Scotsman

Iliana Magra / New York Times: Trump Meets Grieving Britons, and Springs a Surprise

Axios:

Turkey's Erdoğan says he won't meet with Pence and Pompeo — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Sky News Wednesday that he will not meet with Vice President Mike Pence, who is currently leading a delegation with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Turkey to discuss a ceasefire in northern Syria.

Discussion: VICE, Raw Story, The Week and Wall Street Journal

Associated Press:

Live Updates: Erdogan Snubs Pence: ‘When Trump Comes, I Will Meet With Him’ — Russian troops move into Syrian territory abandoned by U.S. ■ Erdogan: ‘There will be no ceasefire ... We are not worried about any sanctions’ ■ Assad forces make territorial gains near Manbij following pact …

Discussion: Foreign Policy

Washington Post:

Giuliani pressed Trump to eject Muslim cleric from U.S., a top priority of Turkish president, former officials say — Rudolph W. Giuliani privately urged President Trump in 2017 to extradite a Turkish cleric living in exile in the United States, a top priority of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan …

Discussion: Hot Air, New York Times, JONATHAN TURLEY, Just Security, One America News Network, The Week, Diplopundit and The Hill

David Gauthier-Villars / Wall Street Journal:
Turkey Rejects U.S. Call for Immediate Cease-Fire in Syria

Discussion: Foreign Policy and Axios

Marianne LeVine / Politico:
Republicans drop their revolt against Trump on Syria

Discussion: Associated Press, Political Wire and One America News Network

Washington Post:

Mulvaney emerges as a key facilitator of the campaign to pressure Ukraine — In late May, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney organized a meeting that stripped control of the country's relationship with Ukraine from those who had the most expertise at the National Security Council and the State Department.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Hill, The Week and Mother Jones

New York Times:

White House Is Said to Open Internal Review of Ukraine Call — Some advisers fear that the inquiry is a hunt for a scapegoat, people familiar with it said. — WASHINGTON — President Trump has for weeks sought to unmask the whistle-blower who shed light on his Ukraine dealings.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, CNN, The Hill, Washington Post, BizPac Review, Hullabaloo, Washington Free Beacon, JustOneMinute, Shareblue Media and Vox

John Wagner / Washington Post:
Live updates: Trump suggests he's facing possible impeachment because the Democratic presidential field is weak

Discussion: Mother Jones, The Hill and Raw Story

Wall Street Journal: Bolton, Mulvaney on Opposite Sides of Pivotal Ukraine Debate

Rebecca Ballhaus / Wall Street Journal:

Ex-Rep. Sessions Subpoenaed Over Interactions With Giuliani, Giuliani Associates — Giuliani is primary focus of subpoena; Pete Sessions cooperating with prosecutors — A grand jury has issued a subpoena related to Manhattan federal prosecutors' investigation into Rudy Giuliani …

Discussion: Dallas Morning News, Washington Post, The Week, The Daily Caller, CNN, Law & Crime, The Hill, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, Axios, New York Post, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Raw Story and Politico

Sam Brodey / The Daily Beast:

Dems Torn Over How Much to Punish Rudy Giuliani for Ignoring Subpoena — Should Trump's personal attorney be jailed for his stonewalling of a congressional subpoena—or would a court fight only delay the impeachment inquiry unnecessarily? — House Democrats are torn over how to respond …

Discussion: ABC News, Raw Story, Occupy Democrats, The New Civil Rights Movement and Talking Points Memo

John Santucci / ABC News:
Giuliani says he won't comply with a congressional subpoena

Justin McCarthy / Gallup:

Congress Approval, Support for Impeaching Trump Both Up — WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives work through an impeachment inquiry regarding alleged abuses of office by President Donald Trump, approval of Congress is now at 25%.

Discussion: Bloomberg, Political Wire and No More Mister Nice Blog

CNN:

Mounting frustration inside White House over Hill depositions as refusals to comply with subpoenas increase — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Tuesday dismissed the escalating impeachment inquiry on Capitol Hill during a jovial Rose Garden appearance, but sources say there is mounting frustration …

Discussion: East Bay Times

NBC News:
Defense Secretary Mark Esper will no longer comply with impeachment inquiry

Discussion: The Hill

Sarah Ferris / Politico:
Pelosi holds off on vote to authorize Trump impeachment inquiry

Discussion: National Review, NBC News, The Hill, JONATHAN TURLEY, The Daily Caller, Above the Law, POLITICUSUSA, Breitbart, The Last Refuge, Boing Boing, Raw Story, Associated Press, The Week and Political Wire

Zachary Basu / Axios:
Pence tells House committees he will not cooperate in impeachment inquiry

Discussion: RedState, Washington Examiner and Breitbart

Washington Post:

Pompeo adviser to decry politicization of State Dept. in impeachment probe testimony — Michael McKinley, the former senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo until his sudden resignation last week, will tell House impeachment investigators Wednesday that career diplomats …

Discussion: Raw Story

Stephen Rex Brown / New York Daily News:

‘Confidential informants’ part of Manhattan DA Cy Vance's investigation involving President Trump's tax returns — Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance revealed Tuesday that “confidential informants” are part of his probe involving President Trump's tax returns.

Tom Bartlett / Chronicle of Higher Education:

Trump's ‘China Muse’ Has an Imaginary Friend — Who is Ron Vara? He only seems to exist in the books of Peter Navarro. — Ron Vara has strong opinions. He thinks you've “got to be nuts to eat Chinese food.” He doles out little scraps of wisdom, like “Don't play checkers in a chess world.”

Discussion: Law & Crime, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story and Political Wire

Jake Sherman / Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: D.C. stays in the fight

Discussion: Washington Post, The Week, The Seattle Times and Political Wire, more at Mediagazer »

Ezra Klein / Vox:

Sorry, but Democrats need to talk about Hunter Biden — Teresa Kroeger/Getty Images for World Food Program USA — Democrats are afraid to talk about Hunter Biden. Trump won't be. — Democrats need to talk about Hunter Biden. Sorry, but they do. — The fourth Democratic presidential …

Discussion: New York Post, American Greatness, The Federalist and Los Angeles Times

Lauryn Overhultz / The Daily Caller:

REPORT: LeBron James Questioned Adam Silver Over Lack Of Punishment For Daryl Morey's China Tweet — NBA star LeBron James reportedly pressured the NBA to punish the Rockets' General Manager Daryl Morey after he tweeted support for Hong Kong. — James argued that if something a NBA player …