memeorandum: GOP lawmaker calls on Trump to stop promoting Scarborough conspiracy theory: ‘It will destroy us’ (Justine Coleman/The Hill)

5:45 AM ET, May 25, 2020

Top Items:

Trump Promotes Posts From Racist and Sexist Twitter Feed — On a somber Memorial Day weekend, the president did not mention the mounting coronavirus toll and instead retweeted personal attacks on his political rivals. — WASHINGTON — On a weekend when the nation was bracing …

Discussion: The Hill and Slate

Anne Gearan / Washington Post:

On weekend dedicated to war dead, Trump tweets insults, promotes baseless claims and plays golf — As the death toll in the novel coronavirus pandemic neared 100,000 Americans this Memorial Day weekend, President Trump derided and insulted perceived enemies and promoted a baseless conspiracy theory, in between rounds of golf.

Discussion: New York Times, The Hill, Raw Story, Mother Jones, Vox, Contemptor, Vanity Fair, Slate and Rolling Stone

Justine Coleman / The Hill:

GOP lawmaker calls on Trump to stop promoting Scarborough conspiracy theory: ‘It will destroy us’ — Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) called on President Trump to stop promoting “the completely unfounded conspiracy” theory regarding the death of an intern for MSNBC “Morning Joe” anchor and former Florida lawmaker Joe Scarborough.

Discussion: Mediaite

Craig Pittman / Washington Post:

Florida family grieves as Trump spreads debunked conspiracy theory to attack MSNBC host — A little after 8 a.m. on July 20, 2001, a couple arriving for an appointment opened an unlocked front door at an office in the Florida panhandle town of Fort Walton Beach and discovered a woman lying on the floor, dead.

Discussion: KDFX-TV, more at Mediagazer »

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Scoop: Inside the secret talks to overhaul the GOP platform — For the past six months, top Trump campaign officials, reporting to Jared Kushner, have been working on a radical overhaul of the Republican Party platform. — Driving the news: The Trump campaign's Bill Stepien has been leading the process …

Discussion: Politico and Raw Story

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Trump seeks visual contrast with Biden as economy begins to reopen — Trump's advisers relish the contrast between his public appearances and Joe Biden's lack thereof. The former vice president, following the guidance of public experts, has eschewed public events and stayed home for months now.

Discussion: Althouse

Amy Gardner / Washington Post:

Federal judge guts Florida law requiring felons to pay fines before they can vote — A federal judge has gutted a Florida state law requiring felons to pay all court fines and fees before they can register to vote, clearing the way for thousands of Floridians to register in time for the November presidential election.

Discussion: Daily Kos, One America News Network, Politico and Axios

William Boston / Wall Street Journal:

More Than 100 in Germany Found to Be Infected With Coronavirus After Church's Services — Social distancing was observed and building disinfected for affected Sunday May 10 ceremonies, says senior member — BERLIN—At least 107 people have been found to be infected with the new coronavirus …

Discussion: Vox

Ellen Barry / New York Times:

They Survived the Worst Battles of World War II. And Died of the Virus. — Inside the Holyoke Soldiers' Home was a man who had served as a jailer to Hitler's top aide. A man who had rescued Japanese kamikaze pilots from the sea. A man who carried memories of a concentration camp.

Josh Glancy / The Sunday Times:

Ilhan Omar interview: “I am America's hope and President Trump's nightmare” … Aside from Donald Trump himself, there probably isn't a more controversial — or divisive — figure in America today than Ilhan Omar. The diminutive Democrat from Minnesota is the joint-first Muslim woman to serve …

Discussion: Breitbart and Twitchy

Associated Press:

Alligator rumored to have been Hitler's dies in Moscow — MOSCOW (AP) — An alligator that many people believe once belonged to Adolf Hitler has died in the Moscow Zoo. — The zoo said the alligator, named Saturn, was about 84 years old when he died on Friday.

Washington Post:

As Trump removes federal watchdogs, some loyalists replacing them have ‘preposterous’ conflicts — The political appointee President Trump installed last week to investigate waste, fraud and abuse at the Transportation Department is the same official in charge of one of the agency's key divisions.

Rosemary Rossi / The Wrap:

Ann Coulter Turns on ‘Disloyal Actual Retard’ Trump in Twitter Rant — Ann Coulter went on an early Sunday morning Twitter tear, calling President Donald Trump “the most disloyal actual retard that has ever set foot in the Oval Office.” — The far-right media pundit and former Trump defender …

Discussion: Mediaite, Conservative News Today and WND

Patrick Condon / Star Tribune:

Minnesota Poll: Biden holds small lead over Trump in 2020 presidential race — Former Vice President Joe Biden holds a small lead over President Donald Trump among registered voters in Minnesota, according to the first presidential poll in the state since the Democrat clinched his party's nomination.

Axios:

White House announces new coronavirus travel restrictions on Brazil — The White House announced Sunday that President Trump would suspend entry of non-U.S. citizens who have been in Brazil in the past 14 days in an effort to stop the imported spread of the coronavirus.

Discussion: CNN, Associated Press, Breitbart, The Sun, KDFX-TV, NBC News, One America News Network and Japan Times

Jordan Green / Raw Story:

Exclusive: Husband of Reopen NC leader ‘willing to kill people’ in resistance to emergency orders — The husband of the woman who leads the Reopen NC movement says people should be willing to kill, if necessary, to resist the “New World Order” and emergency orders imposed by state government to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

WKMG:

Video: Massive crowds gather in Daytona Beach, residents fear for their safety — Crowds gathered for what was supposed to be Orlando Invades Daytona — Thomas Metevia, Digital Content Producer, Orlando — DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A shooting erupted at a Florida beachside road …

Guy Chazan / Financial Times:

Trump ‘has a point’ about WHO flaws, says Germany's health minister — Jens Spahn tells FT that while the UN body needs reforming, now is not the time to destabilise it — Germany's health minister has urged the US to stay in the World Health Organization, while acknowledging that the UN body …

Discussion: Politico

Ronn Blitzer / Fox News:

Sen. Blackburn: Biden comment ‘shows what the Democrats think of African-American voters’ — Former Vice President Joe Biden may have walked back his controversial comment about black voters made during a Friday radio interview, but Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., insists it reveals a truth …

Discussion: The American Spectator

Steven Lee Myers / New York Times:
Why China's Move to Rein In Hong Kong Is Just the Start

Discussion: Agence France-Presse, Voice of America, Mother Jones and Reuters

Alan Suderman / Associated Press:

White House goal on testing nursing homes unmet — RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Nearly two weeks ago the White House urged governors to ensure that every nursing home resident and staff member be tested for the coronavirus within 14 days. — It's not going to happen.

Discussion: The Hill

Holly Otterbein / Politico:

Key swing state warns of November election ‘nightmare’ — PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania could determine the presidency. But it might not be clear for days who won the state on Nov. 3. — Election officials throughout the critical battleground, which is implementing no-excuse mail-in voting …