Top Items:
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Fiona Hill tells Devin Nunes to his face that his Ukraine conspiracy theory is ‘harmful’ — It's already been publicly embraced by Vladimir Putin. — One reason that Russia's interference effort in 2016 was successful was that it leveraged a powerful source of energy: partisanship.
Discussion:
Reuters, Associated Press, The Guardian, The Week, Politico and Joe.My.God.
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Kevin Liptak / CNN:
Fiona Hill's extraordinary answer distills what impeachment is about — Washington (CNN)Fiona Hill's extraordinary answer about her relationship with the American ambassador to the European Union was ultimately a finely distilled description of what the impeachment hearings are all about …
Discussion:
Political Wire
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Fiona Hill Viewed Serving Trump as Risky. Now She's an Impeachment Witness. — Ms. Hill's decision to be the president's top adviser on Russia and Europe strained friendships, made her a target of conspiracy theories — and landed her in the center of the tumult over Ukraine.
Discussion:
The Guardian, Talking Points Memo and The Week
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Fiona Hill clashes with GOP over ‘fictional’ Ukraine claims — President Donald Trump's former top Russia aide sparred with Republican lawmakers on Thursday, accusing them of emboldening Moscow by pushing a “fictional narrative” that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 presidential election.
Discussion:
ABC News, Washington Post, CNN, Breitbart, TheBlaze, Daily Kos, emptywheel, New York Post, Axios, The Daily Beast and Associated Press
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
The GOP defense of Trump is in slow-motion collapse. It's about to get worse. — We know this to be true: Approximately one week passed between President Trump's decision in mid-July to freeze hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine, and a phone call on July 26 …
Discussion:
The Mahablog, Vox, TheBlaze and Slate
Washington Post:
Fiona Hill shreds the Republicans' false narrative about Ukraine — A PILLAR of the Republican defense of President Trump during the impeachment inquiry has been that he had good reason to believe that Ukraine intervened against him during the 2016 presidential election …
Discussion:
Slate
Zachary Basu / Axios:
Fiona Hill: It is “not credible” Sondland didn't make Biden-Burisma connection
Fiona Hill: It is “not credible” Sondland didn't make Biden-Burisma connection
Discussion:
Politico
Colby Itkowitz / Washington Post:
Graham launches probe into Bidens, Burisma and Ukraine
Chris Cillizza / CNN:
The huge Gordon Sondland revelation almost everyone missed
The huge Gordon Sondland revelation almost everyone missed
Discussion:
Raw Story
Hope Yen / Associated Press:
AP FACT CHECK: Trump, GOP claims on Ukraine corruption
AP FACT CHECK: Trump, GOP claims on Ukraine corruption
Discussion:
Politico and KSLNewsRadio
Madeline Osburn / The Federalist:
Under Obama, Democrat Witness Fiona Hill Argued Against Lethal Aid For Ukraine
Under Obama, Democrat Witness Fiona Hill Argued Against Lethal Aid For Ukraine
Discussion:
Redstate, Fox News, National Review and American Greatness
ABC News:
Trump impeachment hearings live updates: Fiona Hill and David Holmes testify
Trump impeachment hearings live updates: Fiona Hill and David Holmes testify
Discussion:
Townhall, The Hill, Deseret News, New York Times, The Week, One America News Network, Mother Jones, Fox News and Althouse
Meridith McGraw / Politico:
White House backs full Senate trial if House impeaches Trump — Top White House officials and Senate Republicans agreed that a full trial should be conducted if the House impeaches President Donald Trump, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.
Discussion:
Axios, National Review, Talking Points Memo and Deseret News
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Washington Post:
White House and Republicans discuss limiting impeachment trial to two weeks — A group of Republican senators and senior White House officials met privately Thursday to map out a strategy for a potential impeachment trial of President Trump, including proceedings in the Senate that could be limited …
Discussion:
Joe.My.God.
Axios:
“Could I actually say something?”: Fiona Hill fires back at House Republicans — In a stunning moment at Thursday's impeachment hearing, former top White House Russia adviser Fiona Hill asked whether she may respond to Republican attacks, after three GOP congressman in a row used …
Discussion:
NBC News, Political Wire and Breitbart
Daniel Lippman / Politico:
Impeachment hearings putting Trump through emotional wringer
Impeachment hearings putting Trump through emotional wringer
Discussion:
Raw Story, Hullabaloo, New York Times, Outside the Beltway, Law & Crime, USA Today and FiveThirtyEight
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Trump cozies up to GOP during impeachment — including Mitt Romney and Susan Collins
Trump cozies up to GOP during impeachment — including Mitt Romney and Susan Collins
Charles Sykes / The Bulwark:
No Mystery — Republicans aren't being moved by Sondland's testimony …
No Mystery — Republicans aren't being moved by Sondland's testimony …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story, The G-File and Slate
Dave Philipps / New York Times:
Trump Reverses Navy Decision to Oust Edward Gallagher From SEALs — The president said Chief Gallagher, who has been at center of a high-profile war crime case, would not lose his membership in the elite commando force. — President Trump on Thursday reversed a decision by the Navy seeking …
Discussion:
Slate, Redstate, Fox News, Military.com, Disrn, The Gateway Pundit, The Hill, TheBlaze, New York Post, Joe.My.God., National Review, The American Independent and Raw Story
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Washington Post:
‘Insurgents’ lobbied Trump for war crimes pardons with little Pentagon involvement, officials say — President Trump took to the phone in the Oval Office last week after days of speculation. In succession, he notified three U.S. service members accused of war crimes that he was intervening on their behalf …
Reid J. Epstein / New York Times:
Pete Buttigieg Is in Bad Shape With Black Democrats. Here's How Bad. — No Democrat in modern times has won the party's nomination without claiming majorities of black voters, the most crucial voting bloc in South Carolina and an array of delegate-rich states.
Discussion:
Bloomberg, CBS News, Slate, Washington Post, Mother Jones and Vox
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John McCormack / National Review:
Notes on the November Democratic Debate Dud
Notes on the November Democratic Debate Dud
Discussion:
The Bulwark and Fox News
Laura Barrón-López / Politico:
Why Pete Buttigieg got a pass in the debate
Why Pete Buttigieg got a pass in the debate
Discussion:
Associated Press, Fox News, The Hill, CNN, CBS News, Joe.My.God., Outside the Beltway, New York Times, Washington Free Beacon, The Guardian and FactCheck.org
John Hendrickson / The Atlantic:
What Joe Biden Can't Bring Himself to Say — His eyes fall to the floor when I ask him to describe it. We've been tiptoeing toward it for 45 minutes, and so far, every time he seems close, he backs away, or leads us in a new direction. There are competing theories in the press, but Joe Biden has kept mum on the subject.
Discussion:
Balloon Juice
David M. Halbfinger / New York Times:
Israel's Netanyahu Indicted on Charges of Fraud, Bribery and Breach of Trust — The first prosecution of a sitting Israeli premier deepens the political paralysis in a country that has had two inconclusive elections this year, and may be headed to a third vote.
Discussion:
Jerusalem Post, CNN, Associated Press, Common Dreams, Outside the Beltway, The Week and Mediaite
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Netael Bandel / Haaretz:
Netanyahu Charged With Bribery, Fraud and Breach of Trust, Capping a Dramatic Political Year
Netanyahu Charged With Bribery, Fraud and Breach of Trust, Capping a Dramatic Political Year
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Joe.My.God. and Law & Crime
Raoul Wootliff / The Times of Israel:
AG announces Netanyahu to stand trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust
AG announces Netanyahu to stand trial for bribery, fraud and breach of trust
Discussion:
National Review, Reuters, The Daily Caller, Jerusalem Post and The Gateway Pundit
Peter Elkind / ProPublica:
Prosecutors Investigating the Trump Organization Zero In on Trump CFO Allen Weisselberg — Weisselberg is one of the Trump Organization's longest tenured employees and is now co-running the business. He escaped federal prosecution for the Stormy Daniels payments but is now a focus of an investigation by Manhattan's district attorney.
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA and Law & Crime
Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
House says Supreme Court precedents do not shield Trump financial records — There is no precedent for keeping a House committee from examining President Trump's financial records, lawyers for the House told the Supreme Court on Thursday, and “each day of delay harms Congress by depriving …
Discussion:
One America News Network
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Bryan Anderson / Sacramento Bee:
California can't force Donald Trump to release tax returns, state Supreme Court rules
California can't force Donald Trump to release tax returns, state Supreme Court rules
Discussion:
PEN, The Gateway Pundit and Joe.My.God.
Ursula Perano / Axios:
California strikes down law requiring presidential tax returns to appear on ballot
California strikes down law requiring presidential tax returns to appear on ballot
Discussion:
Associated Press
Washington Post:
Kentucky governor's stay at Trump hotel could carry legal implications for president — Gov. Matt Bevin's 2018 visit to Trump's D.C. hotel likely to become fodder for plaintiffs in cases against Trump. — When Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin came to Washington in January for two nights …
Discussion:
Political Wire
Natasha Bertrand / Politico:
Secret Service spent more than $250K at Trump properties — The Secret Service spent more than a quarter of a million dollars at President Donald Trump's properties over the course of five months in 2017, newly released documents show. — The documents outline Secret Service credit card expenditures …
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David A. Fahrenthold / Washington Post:
Secret Service spent quarter of a million dollars at Trump's properties in first five months of his term, records show
Secret Service spent quarter of a million dollars at Trump's properties in first five months of his term, records show
Discussion:
Political Wire and Lawyers, Guns & Money
Robert Barnes / Washington Post:
Justice Kennedy asked Trump to put Kavanaugh on Supreme Court list, book says — It was a historic moment in April 2017 when Supreme Court justice Anthony M. Kennedy presided over the ceremonial Rose Garden swearing-in for the court's new member, Neil M. Gorsuch: the first time a sitting justice …
Discussion:
Law & Crime, Political Wire and Lawyers, Guns & Money