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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, Taylor Marsh, Associated Press, The Guardian, The Week, Politico and Joe.My.God.
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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


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


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

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


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


Fiona Hill: It is “not credible” Sondland didn't make Biden-Burisma connection
Discussion:
Politico

The huge Gordon Sondland revelation almost everyone missed
Discussion:
Raw Story

AP FACT CHECK: Trump, GOP claims on Ukraine corruption
Discussion:
Politico and KSLNewsRadio

Under Obama, Democrat Witness Fiona Hill Argued Against Lethal Aid For Ukraine
Discussion:
Redstate, Fox News, National Review and American Greatness

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

‘I think this is all going to blow up’: Witness says EU ambassador was running ‘domestic political errand’
Discussion:
CANNONFIRE, FOX2now.com, FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV, The Gateway Pundit, Raw Story, WTVR-TV and Lawyers, Guns & Money


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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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.


“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


Impeachment hearings putting Trump through emotional wringer
Discussion:
Raw Story, Hullabaloo, New York Times, Outside the Beltway, Law & Crime, USA Today and FiveThirtyEight

No Mystery — Republicans aren't being moved by Sondland's testimony …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Raw Story, The G-File and Slate


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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‘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 …


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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Notes on the November Democratic Debate Dud
Discussion:
The Bulwark and Fox News

Why Pete Buttigieg got a pass in the debate
Discussion:
Associated Press, The Hill, Fox News, CNN, CBS News, Joe.My.God., Outside the Beltway, New York Times, Washington Free Beacon, The Guardian and FactCheck.org


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


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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California can't force Donald Trump to release tax returns, state Supreme Court rules
Discussion:
PEN, The Gateway Pundit and Joe.My.God.

California strikes down law requiring presidential tax returns to appear on ballot
Discussion:
Associated Press


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


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


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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Netanyahu Charged With Bribery, Fraud and Breach of Trust, Capping a Dramatic Political Year
Discussion:
The Times of Israel, Outside the Beltway, Joe.My.God. and Law & Crime


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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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


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