memeorandum: Justice Department investigating potential presidential pardon bribery scheme, court records reveal (Katelyn Polantz/CNN)

8:10 PM ET, December 1, 2020

Top Items:

Michael Balsamo / Associated Press:

Barr: No evidence of fraud that'd change election outcome — WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr said Tuesday the Justice Department has not uncovered evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Katelyn Polantz / CNN:

Justice Department investigating potential presidential pardon bribery scheme, court records reveal — (CNN)The Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House or related political committee in exchange for a presidential pardon …

Discussion: Associated Press, Fox News, Business Insider, Talking Points Memo, Lawyers, Guns & Money, POLITICUSUSA, littlegreenfootballs.com, Raw Story, Mediaite, Washington Times and Political Wire

Associated Press:

Barr appoints special counsel in Russia probe investigation — WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General William Barr has given extra protection to the prosecutor he appointed to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, giving him the authority of a special counsel to complete his work without being easily fired.

New York Times:

Barr Admits Finding No Evidence of Fraud That Could Have Swayed Election — The attorney general made the comments in an interview with The Associated Press. A Republican official in Georgia urged President Trump to “stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence.”

Joe Hoft / The Gateway Pundit:

AG Barr Destroys His Name for All Eternity - His Actions Today Confirm He Is Just Another Card-Carrying Swamp Rat — Today US Attorney General Bill Barr reportedly told the Associated Press that the DOJ has not uncovered any evidence of widespread fraud that would change the outcome of the 2020 election.

Discussion: New York Post

Noah Feldman / Bloomberg:

Pardoning Giuliani Would Put Trump in Legal Jeopardy — Any lawyer would tell the president it wasn't worth the risk to himself. — If President Donald Trump wants to avoid federal criminal investigation once he's out of office, here's my free advice: Don't pardon Rudy Giuliani.

Discussion: Business Insider, Daily Kos and Michigan Advance

New York Times:

Giuliani Is Said to Have Discussed a Pardon With Trump — Their talks occurred as the president's lawyer continued to loudly promote baseless claims of widespread election fraud that cost Mr. Trump the election. — Rudolph W. Giuliani, President Trump's lawyer who has led the most extensive efforts …

Discussion: CNN, Vanity Fair, Vox, The Week, Politico, Talking Points Memo and Raw Story, more at Mediagazer »

Jeremy Barr / Washington Post: Banished from the Trump legal team, attorney Sidney Powell still finds a guest chair on Fox

CNN:
READ: Court filing on DOJ pardon investigation

Discussion: Raw Story

Fox News:
Barr appoints John Durham as special counsel to investigate origins of Russia probe

Discussion: Politico, POLITICUSUSA and The Week

Matt Zapotosky / Washington Post:
Barr says he hasn't seen fraud that could affect the election outcome

Discussion: Fox News, POLITICUSUSA, ABC News, Washington Examiner and Reuters

Rick Rouan / The Columbus Dispatch:

Rob Portman knocks tweets from Biden's pick for budget post, won't address Donald Trump's — U.S. Sen. Rob Portman said he would support giving a hearing to President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to oversee the Office of Management and Budget even though he is concerned that she is too “partisan” to do the job.

Discussion: Bloomberg, Washington Post, Slate, New York Post and The National Interest

Tyler Olson / Fox News:
Biden pick Neera Tanden repudiated Michelle Obama catchphrase, said 'going high doesn't f—king work'

Discussion: New York Post, The Dispatch and Politico

Matthew Cooper / Washington Monthly:
The Case for Neera Tanden

Discussion: Washington Examiner and Fox News

Brian Schwartz / CNBC:
Biden's pick to lead OMB could face scrutiny for Wall Street ties, clashes with progressives

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

Christopher Krebs / Washington Post:

Trump fired me for saying this, but I'll say it again: The election wasn't rigged — Christopher Krebs is the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. On Wednesday at 11 a.m. on Washington Post Live, Post columnist David Ignatius will interview Christopher Krebs …

Rebecca Shabad / NBC News:
Fired cybersecurity chief hints at legal action after Trump campaign lawyer said he should be executed

Discussion: Axios, Washington Times, TODAY.com, Forbes, IJR, Talking Points Memo, Politico, The Hill, NPR, news.com.au, NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth and Business Insider

Heather Knight / San Francisco Chronicle:

S.F. Mayor London Breed had her own French Laundry party — the night after Gavin Newsom's — Gov. Gavin Newsom is in good company when it comes to politicians attending fancy birthday parties while encouraging others to avoid gathering. — It turns out San Francisco Mayor London Breed dined …

Discussion: Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Los Angeles Times, TheBlaze, FOX 11 Los Angeles, The Federalist, Law & Crime, Washington Examiner, Conservative News Today, The Guardian, Althouse and HotAir

Washington Post:

Trump allies to ask Supreme Court to block Pennsylvania ruling on mail-in ballots — President Trump's allies said Tuesday they have asked the U.S. Supreme Court to block a decision by Pennsylvania's highest court dismissing a challenge of the state's mail-in voting system.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Associated Press, The Gateway Pundit and Political Wire

Greg Stohr / Bloomberg:
Trump Allies Ask High Court to Nullify Biden's Pennsylvania Win

Discussion: CNBC

Daniel Horowitz / TheBlaze:
Republicans have a moral obligation to support the Pennsylvania lawsuit against universal mail-in ballots

Discussion: Law & Crime, National Review and Washington Examiner

Zach Montellaro / Politico:

Georgia election official condemns Trump after threat to worker — Gabriel Sterling, an aide to Georgia's secretary of state, said Trump should “stop inspiring people to commit potential acts of violence.” — Gabriel Sterling, Voting Systems Manager for the Georgia Secretary of State's office …

Discussion: USA Today, Reuters, Bloomberg, Mediaite, The Guardian, National Review and Mother Jones

Greg Bluestein / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Duncan pushes back on false voter fraud claims: 'We're better than this'

Discussion: Washington Post, Fox News, Alternet.org and Crooks and Liars

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Georgia Republicans beg Trump to release them from his prison of lies

Discussion: CNN, Mediaite, HotAir, The Hill, Raw Story, POLITICUSUSA, The Daily Caller, Talking Points Memo, Newsbusters, The American Independent, Reuters, Daily Kos and Politico

New York Times:
As Trump Attacks Georgia Republicans, Party Worries About Senate Races

Axios:

“Couldn't keep his zipper up”: Schumer regrets recruiting Cunningham in N.C. Senate race — Chuck Schumer told party donors during recent calls that the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the fact that Cal Cunningham “couldn't keep his zipper up” crushed Democrats' chances of regaining the Senate …

Discussion: Fox News, RedState, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, Washington Free Beacon and American Prospect

Alayna Treene / Axios:
Exclusive: Don Jr. tells Georgia Senate voters that Trump is on the ballot

Discussion: Fox News, Breitbart, Forbes, The Hill, HotAir, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Political Wire and Mock Paper Scissors

Washington Post:

Bipartisan group of Senators prepares $908 billion stimulus plan, aiming to break partisan logjam — Package comes amid signs economy is weakening but so far does not have buy in from White House, congressional leaders — A bipartisan group of senators is expected to unveil …

Matt Gertz / Media Matters for America:

The staggering cost of the Scott Atlas debacle — Trump picked a coronavirus adviser because he liked his Fox hits, and now a lot of Americans are dead — Dr. Scott Atlas resigned from his post on the White House's coronavirus task force on Monday, ending an experiment in governance …

Discussion: Fox News, The Atlantic, Washington Examiner, IJR, Business Insider, Slate, HotAir and Washington Post

Tim Stickings / Daily Mail:
Trump critics call Dr Scott Atlas a ‘mass murderer’ as they celebrate the controversial Covid-19 adviser's White House exit

Discussion: Alternet.org

Adam Payne / Business Insider:

An anti-gay Hungarian politician has resigned after being caught by the police fleeing a 25-man orgy through a window … - An ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban resigned from the European Parliament after attending what was described as a 25-man orgy in Brussels.

Discussion: Politico, The Guardian, euronews, The Gaily Grind, The Daily Caller, Associated Press and New York Post

NBC News:

First Covid vaccines to be offered to health workers, nursing homes, CDC panel says — Health care personnel and residents of long-term care facilities will be the first groups to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, according to a new proposal from an independent advisory committee within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg, Washington Post, Forbes, New York Post, Associated Press, WTMJ, Raw Story, Denver Post, KTLA and ABC News

Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Panel Recommends Giving First Covid Vaccines to Health Workers, Nursing Homes

Discussion: Just The News

New York Times:

Utah Monolith Removed by Four Men, Photographer Says — A photographer said four men dismantled the mysterious shiny object that has captivated the country. — It was, by most standards, a short stay. The pop-up metal monolith that became the focus of international attention …

Discussion: NPR, Observer, Full Feed, INSIDER, New York Post, The Guardian, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller and Slate

Military Times:

This retired three-star falsely claims US soldiers died attacking a CIA facility in Germany tied to election fraud — It is a scenario that makes the antics of animated spy Archer seem plausible by comparison, spun by the former third in command of the U.S. Air Force.

Discussion: Snopes.com and Task & Purpose

NBC News:

Trump considers 2024 campaign kickoff on Inauguration Day — WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is discussing possibly launching a 2024 campaign to retake the White House on Inauguration Day and skipping the swearing-in of his successor, according to three people familiar with the discussions.

Discussion: Washington Post, Raw Story, MSNBC and The Hill

NBC Bay Area:

San Jose Mayor Ignored Health Protocols During Holiday Celebration — San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo appears to have broken health protocols in celebrating Thanksgiving with family members outside of his own household. — The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit has learned Liccardo celebrated …

Discussion: Fox News, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, CBS San Francisco, California Globe, RedState, The Stream, TheBlaze, Townhall and HotAir

ABC News:

White House vetting pardon requests as some push Trump to preemptively pardon family — Vetting has already commenced in some cases by White House lawyers, sources say. — Catch up on the developing stories making headlines. — As White House aides come to terms with the election results …

Discussion: Washington Post, Vanity Fair, CNN, The Hill, POLITICUSUSA, The Week, Slate, Talking Points Memo and Forbes

Paul Bedard / Washington Examiner:

Whistleblowers: Post Office labeled Trump mail ‘Undeliverable,’ 388,000 ballots backdated, ‘disappear’ — Several whistleblowers on Tuesday cast new uncertainty on the 2020 election process, claiming up to 288,000 ballots disappeared, another 100,000 were improperly backdated …

Discussion: We Love Trump

CNBC:

Trump sues to reverse Biden win in Wisconsin — President Trump's campaign filed a lawsuit in Wisconsin seeking to invalidate President-elect Joe Biden's win there. — The suit asks the Wisconsin Supreme Court to nullify and withdraw Gov. Tony Evers' certification of the election.