Top Items:
Washington Post:
How a CIA analyst, alarmed by Trump's shadow foreign policy, triggered an impeachment inquiry — The lights are often on late into the evening at CIA headquarters, where a team of elite analysts works on classified reports that influence how the country responds to global crises.
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Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
A Friday night surprise: David Holmes throws a wrench in Trump's impeachment defense — Former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch's testimony was the big public spectacle on Friday. The bigger news in the Ukraine scandal appears to have come later in the day in a private deposition.
Discussion:
Politico and Associated Press
Julia Davis / The Daily Beast:
Russia Loves the Impeachment Hearings Because GOP Is Parroting Kremlin Propaganda — Vladimir Putin could not possibly envision a sweeter gift than Ukraine falling away from the West into the welcoming—albeit bloodied—hands of the Kremlin. — As Russia's state media watch impeachment proceedings …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Washington Post
CNN:
Discussion:
Washington Post, Politico, War Room, The Hill, Mediaite and Balloon Juice
Charles P. Pierce / Esquire:
If There's a Gun Left That Isn't Smoking, I Can't Find It — Stop the news, I want to get off. — Earlier Friday evening, CNN's congressional reporter Manu Raju scooped a copy of the statement that David Holmes delivered to the House Intelligence Committee in a closed session on Friday.
Discussion:
CNN
Nicholas Fandos / New York Times:
Embassy Official Confirms Trump Asked About Ukraine Investigation
Embassy Official Confirms Trump Asked About Ukraine Investigation
Discussion:
Politico, Slate, Washington Post, The Week, Raw Story and POLITICUSUSA
Molly Jong-Fast / The Atlantic:
Why Trump Attacked Marie Yovanovitch — On the second day of the impeachment proceedings, President Donald Trump couldn't control himself on Twitter; he lashed out at Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine who was subjected to a smear campaign, and who testified to that effect before Congress.
Discussion:
NPR, DemCast, Bloomberg, The Daily Caller and NBC News
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Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker:
In Trump's Jaded Capital, Marie Yovanovitch's Uncynical Outrage — A fired Ambassador demonstrates that it is apparently still possible to be shocked by the President. — For a few hours this Friday, an unassuming career diplomat named Marie (Masha) Yovanovitch did something that I thought …
Politico:
What Was Truly Unprecedented in This Week's Impeachment Hearings? — It's easy to call an impeachment “historic,” but what kind of history did we really see this week? Most of us couldn't answer that in real time, but POLITICO Magazine tracked down the tiny handful of Americans who can …
Emily Tillett / CBS News:
Nancy Pelosi says Trump's attacks on witnesses “very significant” to impeachment probe — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that President Trump's ongoing attacks on witnesses in the impeachment probe — including his tweets about former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch Friday …
David Corn / Mother Jones:
Marie Yovanovitch's Testimony Showcases Donald Trump's Obsession With Revenge
Marie Yovanovitch's Testimony Showcases Donald Trump's Obsession With Revenge
Discussion:
Vanity Fair and The Hill
Vicky Ward / CNN:
Exclusive: After private White House meeting, Giuliani associate Lev Parnas said he was on a ‘secret mission’ for Trump, sources say — New York (CNN)Among the many guests who had their pictures taken with President Donald Trump at the White House's annual Hanukkah party last year …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, Balloon Juice, Daily Kos, Progress Pond, CANNONFIRE, The Hill, Raw Story and Mediaite
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Dan Lamothe / Washington Post:
Trump issues pardons in war-crimes cases, despite Pentagon opposition to the move — President Trump intervened in three military justice cases involving war-crimes accusations Friday, issuing at least two pardons that will prevent the Pentagon from pursuing future charges against the individuals involved …
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Dave Philipps / New York Times:
Trump Clears Three Service Members in War Crimes Cases
Trump Clears Three Service Members in War Crimes Cases
Discussion:
The Atlantic, The White House, Raw Story, The Stranger, Axios and NPR
CNN:
Trump ignores Pentagon advice and intervenes in military war crimes cases
Trump ignores Pentagon advice and intervenes in military war crimes cases
Discussion:
Mercury News
Benjamin Haas / New York Times:
Trump Betrays the Military
Dom Calicchio / Fox News:
Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance released from Leavenworth prison after Trump grants clemency
Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance released from Leavenworth prison after Trump grants clemency
Discussion:
Mediaite, Geller Report News and The Gateway Pundit
New York Times:
‘Absolutely No Mercy’: Leaked Files Expose How China Organized Mass Detentions of Muslims — More than 400 pages of internal Chinese documents provide an unprecedented inside look at the crackdown on ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region. — HONG KONG — The students booked their tickets home …
U.S. Department of Justice:
Attorney General William P. Barr Delivers the 19th Annual Barbara K. Olson Memorial Lecture at the Federalist Society's 2019 National Lawyers Convention — Good Evening. Thank you all for being here. And thank you to Gene [Meyer] for your kind introduction.
Discussion:
Axios, Law & Crime, PJ Media Home and CNN
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Alexander Mallin / ABC News:
Attorney General Barr defends Trump, assails ‘Resistance’ in fiery speech to conservative lawyers
Attorney General Barr defends Trump, assails ‘Resistance’ in fiery speech to conservative lawyers
Discussion:
The Last Refuge
Paulina Dedaj / Fox News:
Attorney General Barr accuses the left of systemic ‘sabotage’ of Trump administration
Attorney General Barr accuses the left of systemic ‘sabotage’ of Trump administration
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
Lisa Lerer / New York Times:
Obama Says Average American Doesn't Want to ‘Tear Down System’ — Former President Barack Obama, in an address to liberal donors, warned candidates not to go too far left and sought to calm those who were concerned about the state of the Democratic primary.
RELATED:
Gabriel Debenedetti / New York Magazine:
Obama Tells His Party's Elites to Relax
Obama Tells His Party's Elites to Relax
Discussion:
Politico
Sean Sullivan / Washington Post:
Obama tells Democratic candidates to ease off talk of revolution
Obama tells Democratic candidates to ease off talk of revolution
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, Axios, Associated Press and Mediaite
Mike DeBonis / Washington Post:
Elise Stefanik emerges in impeachment hearings as key Trump defender — and GOP celebrity — On the House floor, Rep. Elise Stefanik has built the record of a Republican maverick: She's one of the few GOP lawmakers to vote against the party's sweeping 2017 tax bill, back equal rights …
Discussion:
Althouse and The Federalist
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Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
This Is How Trump's Gangster Government Works — The president—like a clever drug dealer or gangster—knows the importance of plausible deniability. Now it's the essence of the GOP defense. — This is how a drug deal works: — Let's say you want to buy some crack.
Jon Levine / New York Post:
Roger Stone supporters push petition for presidential pardon — Someone is already pushing to get a presidential pardon for Roger Stone. — “We, the undersigned, respectfully request that the President of the United States grant a full and unconditional pardon to Roger Jason Stone Jr,” …
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA, NPR and Roll Call
RELATED:
Daniel Dale / CNN:
Fact check: A list of 45 ways Trump has been dishonest about Ukraine and impeachment — Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump is dishonest about a whole lot of things. But he is rarely as comprehensively dishonest as he has been about his dealings with Ukraine and the impeachment inquiry they have triggered.
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Chuck Lindell / Austin American-Statesman:
Rodney Reed's execution date canceled by Texas court — The state's highest criminal court blocked Rodney Reed's scheduled execution Friday with five days to spare, returning his case to a Bastrop County trial court to examine claims that Reed did not commit the 1996 murder that sent him to death row.