memeorandum: Rob Portman's Exit Interview (Peggy Noonan/Wall Street Journal)

8:15 PM ET, January 28, 2021

Top Items:

GOP Congresswoman Blamed Wildfires on Secret Jewish Space Laser — Axios has a small squib about “The Mischief Makers,” a handful of idiosyncratic congressional backbenchers who make trouble for their respective party leadership. The leading Democratic mischief-maker is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez …

Discussion: CNN, Politico, Vox, Washington Post, CAIR, NPR, The Root, Daily Kos, The Hill and Business Insider, more at Mediagazer »

Eric Hananoki / Media Matters for America:

Marjorie Taylor Greene penned conspiracy theory that a laser beam from space started deadly 2018 California wildfire — House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has done little to stop Greene's ascension in the Republican Party — In November 2018, California was hit with the worst wildfire in the state's history.

CNN:

Marjorie Taylor Greene removes social media posts amid scrutiny of past controversial comments — (CNN)Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has removed dozens of Facebook posts from 2018 and 2019 in which she endorsed fringe conspiracy theories and repeatedly indicated support for executing prominent Democratic politicians.

Discussion: The Independent, HuffPost, The Intellectualist, Crooks and Liars, Deseret News, The Hill and CBS News

Karen Tumulty / Washington Post:
The GOP struck a bad bargain. That's how it got stuck with Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Discussion: CNN, Raw Story, Florida Phoenix and Roll Call

Rebecca Shabad / NBC News:
Pelosi condemns GOP for overlooking Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's incendiary comments

Discussion: Fox News, RedState, CNN, Daily Montanan, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Washington Post, WTOP, CBS News, New York Post, National Review, Forbes, Washington Examiner, IJR, Common Dreams, Reuters, Raw Story, Daily Kos and Informed Comment

Politico:
Capitol forces plead for permanent barrier as Pelosi warns ‘the enemy is within’

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Washington Post, CNN, Associated Press, HuffPost, WITF, Roll Call, The Guardian and NBC4 Washington

Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:

Janet Yellen Received $810K In Speaking Fees From Hedge Fund Embroiled In GameStop Saga — Treasury Sec. Janet Yellen received more than $800,000 in speaking fees from a hedge fund that has become embroiled in the saga over stock trades for video game retailer GameStop, according to her financial disclosures.

Discussion: American Prospect, Trending Politics, RedState, Popular Information, New York Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, The National Pulse and Bloomberg

Jordan Pearson / VICE:

Robinhood Stops Users From Trading GameStop Stocks, Other Reddit YOLO Picks — With the market in chaos, even Robinhood has now turned on retail investors pumping dark-horse stocks. — Jordan Pearson — Robinhood, the fee-free investment app that has helped Redditors …

Alexis Goldstein / Markets Weekly:

What happened with GameStop? — It's not David vs Goliath. It's Goliath vs. Goliath, with David as a fig leaf — This is a free post from Markets Weekly, a newsletter by former Wall Street professional Alexis Goldstein. If you appreciated this post, please consider signing up here for premium access to all posts.

Discussion: NBC News, American Prospect, New York Times, CNBC, Vox, New York Magazine and Common Dreams, more at Techmeme »

Matt Levine / Bloomberg:

How Will the GameStop Game Stop? — Plus a little AMC. — Matt Levine is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering finance. He was an editor of Dealbreaker, an investment banker at Goldman Sachs, a mergers and acquisitions lawyer at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, and a clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Slate, Above the Law, Reason and New York Post, more at Techmeme »

Under the Hood:

Keeping Customers Informed Through Market Volatility — Our mission at Robinhood is to democratize finance for all. We're proud to have created a platform that has helped everyday people, from all backgrounds, shape their financial futures and invest for the long term.

Sabrina Eaton / Plain Dealer:

Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan won't run for U.S. Senate next year — WASHINGTON, D.C. - Champaign County GOP Rep. Jim Jordan on Thursday announced that he won't run for the U.S. Senate seat that will be vacated by Republican Rob Portman's upcoming retirement, a decision that opens the field …

Discussion: USA Today, Washington Times, Politico, CNBC, Fox News, Breitbart, The Hill, The Daily Caller, fox8.com, Conservative News Today and New York Post

CNN:
Jim Jordan won't run for Ohio US Senate seat in 2022

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mock Paper Scissors and Gothamist

Brooke Singman / Fox News:
Jim Jordan ‘will not be running’ to fill Ohio Sen. Rob Portman's seat

Discussion: NPR, HotAir, Associated Press and IJR

Chris Stirewalt / Los Angeles Times:

Op-Ed: I called Arizona for Biden on Fox News. Here's what I learned — The New York Evening Express was no great shakes as a newspaper. But in 1886, when the New York Times ran the obituary of one of the Express' former owners, Erastus Brooks, it had to give credit where it was due.

Discussion: Raw Story, Sputnik News, Twitchy, Power Line, Washington Examiner, Patterico's Pontifications, The Hill, Washington Post, Mediaite, Deadline, TVNewser and The Wrap

Politico:

Democrats ready to plow ahead on Covid relief — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi will begin moving forward on a massive coronavirus package as soon as next week, with or without Republicans. — In separate remarks Thursday, the top two congressional Democrats …

Discussion: HuffPost, Washington Examiner, CBS News, Fox News, The Hill, Forbes, Bloomberg, IJR, Roll Call and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Politico:
‘Betrayed’: Republicans urge Biden to change course on stimulus

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, Breitbart, Washington Times, Bangor Daily News, Associated Press, Sputnik News and BuzzFeed News

NBC News:
Democrats prepare to go it alone on Covid relief if Republicans don't cooperate

Discussion: Washington Examiner, What The Fuck …, IJR, New York Times, HotAir, Ohio Capital Journal, Daily Kos, Talking Points Memo and Political Wire

Sam Levine / The Guardian:

Republicans considering more than 100 bills to restrict voting rights — Restrictions come on the heels of an election in which federal and state officials called it ‘the most secure in US history’ — After an election filled with misinformation and lies about fraud …

Discussion: Just The News, The American Independent, Brennan Center for Justice, Lawfare and The Hill

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Democrats need to accept the implications of GOP radicalization

Discussion: New York Times, Business Insider, The Atlantic, Daily Kos and The Independent

Drew Florio / Kevin McCarthy for Congress:

Statement Following Meeting With President Trump … Follow Kevin … 661-324-6914 — PO Box 12667 — Bakersfield, CA 93389 — *By adding your name, you become a member of Team Kevin McCarthy. By the choice of communication channels you either choose/agree to receive emails or text messages or both.

Discussion: The RFAngle, IJR and National Review

Marisa Schultz / Fox News:
Trump meets with McCarthy in Florida to plan GOP House takeover in 2022

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, USA Today, Washington Examiner, Politico, Bloomberg, CBS News, Roll Call, IJR, The Daily Caller, New York Post and The Independent

Daniel Lippman / Politico:

GOP senator stocks office with 13 former Trump staffers — As Trump administration alums face a tough job market after the Capitol riot, one new Republican Senate office has turned into a full-employment factory for Trump officials looking for their next gig.

Discussion: Bloomberg, Mock Paper Scissors and Raw Story

Jesse McKinley / New York Times:

N.Y. Severely Undercounted Virus Deaths in Nursing Homes, Report Says — The state attorney general, Letitia James, said the Cuomo administration likely omitted thousands of Covid-19 deaths of nursing home residents. — ALBANY, N.Y. — The New York State attorney general accused …

Juliet Eilperin / Washington Post:

Trump officials moved most Bureau of Land Management staffers out of D.C. More than 87 percent quit instead. — The decision to relocate BLM headquarters to Colorado and redistribute jobs in the West prompted 287 employees to retire or find other jobs — The Trump administration's decision …

New York Times:

Covid-19 Live Updates: Vaccine Stocks Dwindle in the E.U. — President Biden took executive action to expand health care access by strengthening the Affordable Care Act and reopening enrollment. He also moved to protect reproductive rights and expand abortion access.

Discussion: Fox News, HuffPost, The Daily Caller, The Hill, The Guardian and THE CITY

The White House:
FACT SHEET: President Biden to Sign Executive Orders Strengthening Americans' Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care

Discussion: Vox, Crooks and Liars, The Daily Signal, Washington Examiner, ABC News, New York Times, ACA Signups, Washington Post, National Review, Fox News, Breitbart, Daily Kos, NPR, Mother Jones, Reason, The Week and Balloon Juice

Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:

Rob Portman's Exit Interview — He worries about the Trump trial's precedent, but he's bullish to serene on the Republican future. — Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio isn't running for re-election in 2022. This is not good. He is a rightly respected figure. He tries to advance serious legislation.

Juliegrace Brufke / The Hill:

Gaetz takes aim at Cheney at rally in her home state — Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), one of former President Trump's most ardent supporters, took aim at House Republican Conference Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on her own turf on Thursday, holding a rally calling for her ouster.

Discussion: ABC News, CNN, Talking Points Memo, POLITICUSUSA, Washington Post and Florida Politics

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook: SCOOP: Inside the White House's new thinking on Covid relief

Discussion: Associated Press, The Message Box, USA Today, The Guardian, The Bulwark, Daily Kos, Crooked Media, Roll Call, Real America's Voice, Outside the Beltway, Raw Story, Florida Politics, ABC7, Common Dreams and Political Wire

Joseph Choi / The Hill:

Man arrested with gun, ammunition near Capitol — A man was arrested on Wednesday after it was discovered there was a handgun in his vehicle parked near the U.S. Capitol, authorities said. — Dennis Westover, 71, of South Charleston, W.Va., was arrested on Wednesday …

Discussion: United States Capitol Police, HuffPost, The Daily Beast, Washington Examiner and The Daily Caller

Lara Seligman / Politico:

Pentagon halts Trump appointments to advisory boards — The Pentagon has suspended the processing of a number of former President Donald Trump's last-minute appointees to defense advisory boards as the new administration looks to weed out loyalists to the former president.

Discussion: Raw Story, Trending Politics and Political Wire

The Daily Beast:

Star NY Times Reporter Accused of Using ‘N-Word,’ Making Other Racist Comments — The paper's top COVID reporter joined a group of students on a trip to Peru in 2019. Participants alleged he repeatedly made racist comments. … Less than six months before he became the New York Times …

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post, New York Post, Mediaite and The Wrap, more at Mediagazer »

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

RNC invites Trump to speak at spring meeting — The Republican National Committee is planning to invite former President Donald Trump to its upcoming spring donor meeting, according to a person familiar with preparations for the event. — The RNC is also expected to invite …

Discussion: Raw Story and Political Wire

ProPublica:

“This Is War”: Inside the Secret Chat Where Far-Right Extremists Devised Their Post-Capitol Plans — Chats from a private Telegram group obtained by ProPublica show how a suspect tied to the Jan. 6 insurrection tried to organize a self-styled militia. The hidden proliferation of such groups worries experts.

Adam Klasfeld / Law & Crime:

Man Who Boasted That Fellow Capitol Rioters Smoked a Joint Inside a Politician's Office Charged and Bailed Out of Jail by His Dad — One of the many images of disrespect by U.S. Capitol insurrectionists shows two men inside a Congress member's office flashing “V” signs: one kicking his feet on a desk with a …

Adam Bernstein / Washington Post:

Cicely Tyson, actress who gave electrifying portrayals of resilient Black women, dies at 96 — Cicely Tyson, an actress whose electrifying portrayals of resilient Black women — foremost in the 1974 TV movie “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” but also as Coretta Scott King and Harriet Tubman …

Discussion: New York Times and Associated Press

Henry J. Gomez / BuzzFeed News:

This Doctor Became The Face Of Ohio's Coronavirus Response. Some Democrats Want To Make Her A Senator. — CLEVELAND — When Sen. Rob Portman announced his retirement this week, nearly every ambitious politician in Ohio, from mayors to other sitting members of Congress …

Tim Carman / Washington Post:

Subway's tuna is not tuna, but a ‘mixture of various concoctions,’ a lawsuit alleges — Subway describes its tuna sandwich as “freshly baked bread” layered with “flaked tuna blended with creamy mayo then topped with your choice of crisp, fresh veggies.” It's a description designed to activate …

Discussion: CBS News, New York Post, Fox News, Eater, Law & Crime and Boing Boing

Charlie Sykes / Bulwark+:

Tucker Carlson and The Deep Lie — No, conservatives are not being “muzzled.” — 9 hr ago — The Trump era has introduced us to the concepts of the “Deep State,” and “Fake News.” — But perhaps it's time to introduce something new: The Deep Lie. — The Deep Lie needs to be distinguished …

American Prospect:

Merrick Garland Wants Former Facebook Lawyer to Top Antitrust Division — Susan Davies has spent much of the last decade working on behalf of major mergers and fending off antitrust enforcement. — Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland is working behind the scenes to install longtime aide Susan Davies …

Discussion: Washington Post and Breitbart

J. Miles Coleman / Sabato's Crystal Ball:

2022 Senate Races: Initial Ratings — On a potentially limited playing field, both parties look to expand past their current 50 seats — KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE — Republicans will be defending more Senate seats than Democrats in 2022, but both sides have some potential pickup opportunities …

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, CBS News, The Daily Caller and USA Today

David Brooks / New York Times:

Children Need to Be Back in School Tomorrow — Teacher resistance is a disaster for the most vulnerable. — There's a wave of anti-intellectualism sweeping America. There are people across the country who deny evidence, invent their own facts and live in their own fantasyland.

Discussion: Eduwonk, Reason and Bloomberg

VI Free Press / Virgin Islands Free Press:

Former Vice President Mike Pence Escapes Harsh Media Glare With St. Croix Vacation — CHRISTIANSTED — The now-former vice president could have gone anywhere. — But to get away and just feel safe, Mike Pence — who left office eight days ago — chose St. Croix.

Discussion: The Independent, theslot.jezebel.com, Raw Story and Crooks and Liars