memeorandum: The Constitution does not authorize a general impeachment power (Sen. Mike Lee/Washington Examiner)

5:50 AM ET, January 29, 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 …

Axios:

Scoop: GOP ignored its early fears about Marjorie Taylor Greene — During previously unreported meetings last summer, House Republican leaders discussed — but then largely set aside — fears that QAnon-supporting conspiracy theorist Marjorie Taylor Greene would end up a flaming trainwreck for their party.

Discussion: USA Today, Business Insider, Raw Story, National Review, Mock Paper Scissors, Washington Post, The Hill, The American Independent and IJR

Washington Post:

Hostility between congressional Republicans and Democrats reaches new lows amid growing fears of violence — Open hostility broke out among Republicans and Democrats in Congress on Thursday amid growing fears of physical violence and looming domestic terrorism threats from supporters …

Discussion: Politico, Fox News and CNN

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: Washington Post, The Independent, Business Insider, The Intellectualist, RedState, Denver Post, Deseret News, Crooks and Liars, HuffPost, NPR and Roll Call

Politico:

Trump may poison the party, but Republicans have decided they need him — Three weeks ago, Donald Trump was radioactive, even in the top quarters of his own party. Now, those same Republicans are convinced they can't live without the energy he gives off, even if it proves toxic. — “We need each other.

Discussion: Washington Post, NPR, Mother Jones, Associated Press and Daily Kos

Matthew Choi / Politico:
Ignoring calls to pull back, Gaetz slams Cheney in her home state

Discussion: Media Matters for America, CNN, The Hill, POLITICUSUSA, ABC News, Breitbart, Washington Times, Florida Politics and Fox News

Eric Hananoki / Media Matters for America:
Marjorie Taylor Greene penned conspiracy theory that a laser beam from space started deadly 2018 California wildfire

Michael Warren / CNN:
Trump targets Cheney as he unites with McCarthy

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Hill, Forbes and Mediaite

New York Times:

Robinhood, in Need of Cash, Raises $1 Billion From Its Investors — The no-fee trading app, which is popular with young investors, has been strained by the high volume of trading this week in stocks such as GameStop. — Facing an onslaught of demands on its cash amid a stock market frenzy …

Discussion: Vox, The Verge, Law & Crime, TechCrunch, New York Post and Yahoo Finance, more at Techmeme »

Matt Taibbi / TK News:

Suck It, Wall Street — In a blowout comedy for the ages, finance pirates take it up the clacker — In the fall of 2008, America's wealthiest companies were in a pickle. Short-selling hedge funds, smelling blood as the global economy cratered, loaded up with bets against finance stocks …

Discussion: True News Hub, Washington Post, NOQ Report and CNN, more at Techmeme »

Under the Hood:

An Update on Market Volatility — This past year, we've seen the financial markets become a voice for the voiceless. We've seen a new generation of people come into the markets, sparking conversations about what it means to be an investor. Our customers have shown the world that investing …

Discussion: Bloomberg, Washington Times, New York Times, GameSpot, Law & Crime, Mic, TechCrunch, RedState, Breitbart, 9to5Mac and The Verge, more at Techmeme »

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: VICE, NBC News, Townhall, RedState, Trending Politics, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, New York Post, CNBC and Popular Information, more at Techmeme »

Matt Levine / Bloomberg:
How Will the GameStop Game Stop?

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

George Prayias / The Rush Limbaugh Show:
GameStop Story Illustrates What I've Told You About the Elites

Discussion: Reuters, Townhall, Liberty Unyielding and We Hunted The Mammoth

Robert Kuttner / American Prospect:
What We've Learned From the Robinhood Affair

Discussion: New Republic, CNN, Washington Examiner, National Review and Breitbart

Financial Times:
Robinhood taps banks in rush to restore GameStop trading

Discussion: Marginal REVOLUTION

Dartunorro Clark / NBC News:

Arizona GOP lawmaker introduces bill to give Legislature power to toss out election results — The Republican chair of Arizona's state House Ways and Means Committee introduced a bill Wednesday that would give the Legislature authority to override the secretary of state's certification of its electoral votes.

Discussion: Arizona Republic, Business Insider and NPR

Dan Diamond / Washington Post:

U.S. handling of American evacuees from Wuhan increased coronavirus risks, watchdog finds — The special counsel also criticized the HHS general counsel's office for its ‘attempts to shame the whistleblower.’ — As the first American evacuees from Wuhan, China, touched down at a California military base …

Discussion: Business Insider, Fox News and Raw Story

New York Times:

Body Camera Footage Shows Capitol Rioters Trampling Over Woman — Video obtained by The Times provides a police officer's view of the deadly battle to defend a key entryway from the surging mob. — As 34-year-old Rosanne Boyland lay dying on the steps of the Capitol on Jan. 6 after being crushed by a mob …

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: Fox News, IJR, National Review and The RFAngle

Maggie Haberman / New York Times:
McCarthy Seeks Thaw With Trump as G.O.P. Rallies Behind Former President

Discussion: Raw Story, Associated Press, Wall Street Journal and Forbes

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:
RNC invites Trump to speak at spring meeting

Discussion: Raw Story and Political Wire

Politico:

‘Betrayed’: Republicans urge Biden to change course on stimulus — When a bipartisan Senate coalition helped clinch a coronavirus relief bill last year after months of gridlock, it was supposed to be a model for governing in the Biden era. But now Democrats' surprise takeover of the Senate threatens to leave the group behind.

Discussion: CNN, Breitbart, POLITICUSUSA, Washington Times, BuzzFeed News and Bloomberg

HuffPost:
Democrats Poised To Ditch Republicans To Pass Big COVID-19 Relief Bill

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times, CNN, Washington Examiner, GV Wire, Raw Story and The Daily Caller

Carmel Dagan / Variety:

Cicely Tyson, Pioneering Hollywood Icon, Dies at 96 … Emmy- and Tony-winning actress Cicely Tyson, who distinguished herself in theater, film and television, died on Thursday afternoon. She was 96. — “I have managed Miss Tyson's career for over 40 years, and each year was a privilege and blessing …

Discussion: Deadline, Biography, RedState, Fox News, Boing Boing, Sputnik News and UPI

Robert D. McFadden / New York Times:
Cicely Tyson, an Actress Who Shattered Stereotypes, Dies at 96

Discussion: NPR, The Wrap, The Republic and KOIN-TV

Adam Bernstein / Washington Post:
Cicely Tyson, actress who gave electrifying portrayals of resilient Black women, dies at 96

Discussion: The Week

Sen. Mike Lee / Washington Examiner:

The Constitution does not authorize a general impeachment power — The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the United States for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution. But not all legal issues reach the court, and even if they do, it takes years for them to do so.

Discussion: Politico and Bangor Daily News

Eugene Volokh / Reason:
Impeaching Officials While They're in Office, but Trying Them After They Leave

Discussion: National Review

Associated Press:

Man who wore horns at riot willing to speak at Trump's trial — PHOENIX (AP) — The lawyer for an Arizona man who took part in the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol while sporting face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns is offering to have his client testify at former President Donald Trump's upcoming impeachment trial.

Discussion: Business Insider

Thomas Fuller / New York Times:

It's Liberals vs. Liberals in San Francisco After Schools Erase Contested Names — Incredulous parents and the mayor criticized the school board's decision to change the names of 44 schools that honor historical figures like Jefferson, Lincoln and Paul Revere.

Discussion: San Francisco Chronicle

Joe Eskenazi / Mission Local: The San Francisco School District's renaming debacle has been a historic travesty

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Democrats need to accept the implications of GOP radicalization — Democrats have a tendency to engage in a kind of two-step. When they grow frustrated with GOP radicalism, they angrily denounce it — while simultaneously telling themselves that if it can be overcome in the short term, it will be rendered a dead letter forever.

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

Sam Levine / The Guardian:
Republicans considering more than 100 bills to restrict voting rights

Discussion: Just The News, The American Independent, The Hill and Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sean D. Naylor / Yahoo News:

Mattis: Trump ‘fomented’ Jan. 6 Capitol assault — Former Defense Secretary James Mattis said Thursday the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol was “fomented” by former President Donald Trump, and exemplified the “internal threats” faced by the U.S. that should be viewed “with every bit as much gravity …

Discussion: Salon, Washington Examiner, Washington Post and Raw Story

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: Washington Times, Fox News, CNN, Associated Press, USA Today, fox8.com, Talking Points Memo, Conservative News Today, CNBC, Politico, Breitbart, The Daily Caller, The Hill and New York Post

Stephen Groves / Associated Press:

Noem refuses to say whether Biden victory was free and fair — PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem refused to acknowledge Thursday that Democrat Joe Biden defeated her close Republican ally Donald Trump in a free and fair election, instead using the opportunity to criticize Biden's actions since taking office.

Discussion: CNN, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Common Dreams and Political Wire

Douglas Perry / Oregonian:

‘Charming’ D.B. Cooper suspect Sheridan Peterson dies at 94, spent years dedicated to political causes — Sheridan Peterson, long considered a suspect in the D.B. Cooper skyjacking case, died Jan. 8 in California. He was 94. — The California native served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II …

New York Times:

Ella Emhoff Signs to IMG Models — The second daughter follows the inauguration poet Amanda Gorman to IMG. — Amanda Gorman is not the only breakout star to have emerged from the inauguration as the fashion world's latest influencer-in-waiting. — One week after the Miu Miu coat she wore …

Discussion: Breitbart, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Washingtonian, KRON4, Page Six, Mic and The Week

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 …

Politico:

'For Christ's sake, watch yourself': Biden warns family over business dealings — In the midst of his campaign for president, Joe Biden took his younger brother, Frank, aside to issue a warning. — “For Christ's sake, watch yourself,” Biden said of his brother's potential business dealings …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, The Lid, Sputnik News, HotAir, Breitbart, America Rising PAC, The Hill and CNBC

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.