memeorandum: Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus (Gina Kolata/New York Times)

12:35 AM ET, April 9, 2021

Top Items:

Gaetz Paid Accused Sex Trafficker, Who Then Venmo'd Teen … In two late-night Venmo transactions in May 2018, Rep. Matt Gaetz sent his friend, the accused sex trafficker Joel Greenberg, $900. The next morning, over the course of eight minutes, Greenberg used the same app to send three young women varying sums of money.

Discussion: The Hill, CNN, Insider, New York Post, TheBlaze, The Week, The Daily Caller, The Intellectualist, Mediaite, Raw Story, Forbes, Florida Politics, Orlando Sentinel, HuffPost, Fox News, NBC News, Vox, Talking Points Memo, Washington Examiner and The Sun

Politico:

Gaetz-tied group threatens to sue reporters writing on his Trump relationship — A boutique conservative consultancy group working on behalf of Rep. Matt Gaetz is threatening to sue journalists for their coverage of the embattled congressman. — The entity, Logan Circle Group …

Discussion: Raw Story, Insider, New York Magazine, CNN, Mediaite and The Intellectualist

New York Times:

Indicted Matt Gaetz Associate Is Expected to Plead Guilty, Lawyers Say — The associate could cooperate with prosecutors, giving them information about Mr. Gaetz's relationships that investigators are examining for possible sex trafficking violations. — ORLANDO, Fla. …

Discussion: Raw Story, HillReporter.com, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Talking Points Memo, Digby's Hullabaloo, Mediaite, Associated Press, The Week, Orlando Weekly, Vanity Fair, Insider and Poynter

New York Times:

Biden Announces Action on Guns, Saying ‘This Is Just a Start’ — Representative Matt Gaetz's communications director has also resigned amid a federal sex trafficking investigation. President Biden inaccurately described “loopholes” in federal regulations of firearms during a speech outlining his first actions to combat gun violence.

Discussion: Forbes, Raw Story, The Daily Beast, Insider, Vox, Mediaite and The Hill

Brandon Gage / HillReporter.com:

Matt Gaetz Could Be ‘Uncomfortable’ After Informant's Lawyer Makes This Announcement — The future prospects for Congressman Matt Gaetz (R-FL) darkened significantly on Thursday when Fritz Scheller, the defense attorney for Joel Greenberg, Gaetz's wingman in an alleged sex trafficking ring …

Discussion: Raw Story and HotAir

Orlando Sentinel:
Joel Greenberg paid $7,500 to Anthony Sabatini while Seminole Tax Collector

Discussion: Fox News

Manu Raju / CNN:
First GOP member of Congress calls on Matt Gaetz to resign

Discussion: Politico, The Week, Raw Story and Political Wire

Ross Ibbetson / Agence France-Presse:
Punchy billboard appears overnight in Matt Gaetz's home state of Florida as he denies sex trafficking a 17-year-old girl

Discussion: Raw Story

Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Key figure in Matt Gaetz probe likely cooperating with federal prosecutors

Discussion: HillReporter.com, The Daily Beast, CBS News, Law & Crime, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, Bloomberg, Orlando Weekly, Raw Story, USA Today, The Week, Washington Post, Vanity Fair, New York Post and New Republic

Washington Post:
Gaetz associate likely to strike plea deal with prosecutors in sex-trafficking case

Discussion: HuffPost, Congressman Matt Gaetz, The Daily Caller, Orlando Sentinel, Townhall, Crooks and Liars, HotAir, Associated Press, CNBC, Florida Politics, Wall Street Journal and Insider

Tom McLaughlin / Northwest Florida Daily News:
Hub City Florida billboard takes a pot shot at U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz

Discussion: The Hill

Gina Kolata / New York Times:

Kati Kariko Helped Shield the World From the Coronavirus — Collaborating with devoted colleagues, Dr. Kariko laid the groundwork for the mRNA vaccines turning the tide of the pandemic. — She grew up in Hungary, daughter of a butcher. She decided she wanted to be a scientist, although she had never met one.

Luke Broadwater / New York Times:

In New Book, Boehner Says He Regrets Clinton Impeachment — Former Speaker John Boehner, Republican of Ohio, writes that the drive to remove President Bill Clinton was a politically motivated move he wishes he had repudiated. — WASHINGTON — Former Speaker John Boehner, Republican of Ohio …

Discussion: Raw Story, National Review and POLITICUSUSA

Julian E. Zelizer / New York Times: Book Review: ‘On the House,’ by John Boehner

Washington Post:

Manhattan district attorney seizes evidence from Trump executive's former daughter-in-law — NEW YORK — Investigators from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, acting on a grand jury subpoena, took possession of financial records Thursday morning from the apartment of Jennifer Weisselberg …

Discussion: Insider, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal, HillReporter.com, Vanity Fair, New York Times, CNN, Talking Points Memo, CNBC and The Hill

Kara Scannell / CNN:
Mueller fraud investigator brought in to help Vance's probe of Trump Org.

Discussion: Law & Crime, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, HotAir, The Intellectualist and The Week

Meg Kinnard / Associated Press:

AP source: NFL player Phillip Adams killed 5, then himself — COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — The gunman who killed five people including a prominent doctor in South Carolina was former NFL player Phillip Adams, who killed himself early Thursday, according to a source who was briefed on the investigation.

Discussion: WBTV-TV, CNN, East Bay Times, WCBD News 2, The Daily Beast, Q City Metro, Faithwire, CBS News, CBS New York, WAVY-TV, KTLA, The Daily Caller, Associated Press, The Root, The Week, Deseret News, The Hill, The Sun, Law & Crime, TheGrio and Washington Examiner

New York Times:

Partial tally in Amazon union drive favors ‘No’ votes. — With about half the ballots counted late Thursday, votes against unionization had a more than 2-to-1 advantage over those in favor, according to a live broadcast of the counting that was tallied by The New York Times.

Discussion: The Guardian, Raw Story, Al Jazeera, New York Post and TheBlaze, more at Techmeme »

Jay Greene / Washington Post:
Emails show Amazon pressed Postal Service for mailbox outside warehouse before union vote

Discussion: Insider, Common Dreams, TechCrunch, NPR, Payday Report and Chicago Sun-Times

John Bowden / The Hill:

‘Tiger Mom’ Amy Chua says Yale punishing her over false student allegations — The author of a controversial 2011 book on parenting says that Yale Law School is punishing her over false allegations raised by students by removing her from a position teaching one of the law school's “small groups …

Discussion: Instapundit and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Katelyn Polantz / CNN:

Federal prosecutors get the green light to start offering plea deals to Capitol riot defendants, attorneys say — (CNN)Federal prosecutors have informed some Capitol riot defendants the Justice Department has given the green-light to cut guilty plea deals, a step toward bringing …

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo and Insider

WTOP: Capitol riot defendant ‘viciously’ beaten in D.C. jail, lawyer says

Brad Esposito / Nieman Lab:

“The idea that we can change anything, I have given up on”: NBC News' Brandy Zadrozny on documenting the “depressing” internet — “Suddenly, the stupid stuff on the internet, the scary stuff on the internet, became just so mainstream and important. And that totally should not be.”

Media Matters for America:

Tucker Carlson gives passionate defense of “white replacement theory” — Carlson: “If you suggest that the Democratic Party is trying to replace the current electorate ... they become hysterical because that's what's true. Let's just say it that it's true”

Teo Armus / Washington Post:

Video shows Texas GOP official seeking ‘army’ of volunteers to monitor polls in mostly Black and Hispanic Houston precincts — In a leaked video of a recent presentation, a man who identifies himself as a GOP official in Harris County, Tex., says the party needs 10,000 Republicans for an “election integrity brigade” in Houston.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Let Texas Vote, Common Dreams and The Hill

Dave Gilson / Mother Jones:

Trump Put a Right-Wing Radio Host in Charge of a National Park. Emails Show the Chaos That Ensued. — Click the highlighted text for more. — Last December 7, Michael Savage kicked off his radio program by railing yet again against the “demonic” and “fascist” governors who had locked down their states to slow the spread of COVID.

Discussion: Raw Story

Noah Bierman / Los Angeles Times:

Politicians dread the sting of #KHive, the fervent online fans of Kamala Harris — When Rep. Ro Khanna started pressing Vice President Kamala Harris to use her procedural power to push a national minimum wage hike a few weeks ago, he found himself targeted by a swarm of online Harris supporters.

Discussion: Politico

Dylan Byers / NBC News:

Disney makes its pick for next ABC News president — Disney has found the next president of ABC News. — Kimberly Godwin, the executive vice president of CBS News, is in the final stages of negotiations with Disney to become president of ABC News, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation.

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:

Why filibuster reformers aren't (quite) ready to give up on Joe Manchin — Sen. Joe Manchin III's declaration in a Post op-ed piece that there is “no circumstance in which I will vote to eliminate or weaken the filibuster” continues to stir angst. After all, if the West Virginia Democrat means …

Discussion: The Intercept, HuffPost and New York Times

CNN:

Scathing watchdog report reveals Capitol Police had expired ammo and ineffective shields during riot — Mother of injured officer to riot accomplices: How dare you? — (CNN)A scathing report by the US Capitol Police watchdog obtained by CNN reveals that there were even more law enforcement failures prior …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

CBS News:

“60 Minutes” on its story about vaccine distribution in Palm Beach County — CBS News issued a statement Wednesday that defended a “60 Minutes” segment that aired Sunday, April 4, on the early vaccine rollout in Palm Beach County and pushed back against claims made in recent days by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Discussion: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, HotAir, spectator.us, The Daily Caller and Poynter

Sherman Smith / Kansas Reflector:

Kansas Senate Majority Leader had 0.17 blood alcohol level in wrong-way pursuit — TOPEKA — Senate Majority Leader Gene Suellentrop reeked of alcohol, struggled to speak or walk, and threatened the Kansas Highway Patrol officer who stopped him in the early hours of March 16 for driving the wrong way on Interstate 70 in Topeka.

Discussion: Political Wire

Tucker Higgins / CNBC:

Man who carried Confederate flag to Capitol during Jan. 6 riot indicted — Kevin Seefried, who was photographed carrying a Confederate flag in the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 riots in Washington, has been indicted by a grand jury on five counts related to obstruction, entering restricted property and disorderly conduct.

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Forbes, The Gateway Pundit and Raw Story

Rep. Nancy Mace / Washington Examiner:

Vaccine passports: When fear threatens freedom — “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction,” former President Ronald Reagan said in his famous freedom speech. “It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for [our children] to do the same, or one day we will spend …

Emily Anthes / New York Times:

Has the Era of Overzealous Cleaning Finally Come to an End? — This week, the C.D.C. acknowledged what scientists have been saying for months: The risk of catching the coronavirus from surfaces is low. — When the coronavirus began to spread in the United States last spring, many experts warned of the danger posed by surfaces.

Discussion: SFist

Amos Harel / Haaretz:

Analysis | Iran's Retaliation to Israel at Sea Has Been Largely Symbolic. That Could Change — The attack on Tuesday that was attributed to Israel, in which an Iranian ship in the Red Sea was damaged by a mine, was not a routine operation. It differs from its predecessors in the nature of the target …

Discussion: The Times of Israel, FDD's Long War Journal and The National Interest

Joseph Wulfsohn / Fox News:

YouTube faces backlash as progressive journalist claims tech giant ‘trying to push us off the platform’ — Status Coup's Jordan Chariton says YouTube's suppression of independent journos favors mainstream outlets — Scalise blasts Big Tech crackdowns: 'These aren't mistakes'

Rachel Elbaum / NBC News:

Holocaust survivors launch new campaign to show how ‘it started with words’ … LONDON — Abe Foxman was a year old when the Nazis ordered his parents to report to the Jewish ghetto in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 1941. — His nanny, a Catholic, told them to leave the child with her, expecting that they would be back several weeks later.

Steve Marowski / MLive.com:

Student responsible for racist graffiti that was found in Albion College dorm, officials say — ALBION, MI — Albion College and the Albion Department of Public Safety say a student is responsible for racist graffiti found in a dorm last weekend. — Albion police brought the 21-year-old Black male …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller and Liberty Unyielding

Naomi Lim / Washington Examiner:

Biden suggests commercial aircraft will fly at 21,000 miles an hour in next decade — President Joe Biden has caused confusion after predicting some commercial airplanes could fly at speeds of up to 21,000 miles per hour in the next 10 years, faster than the hypersonic weapons under development by the military.

Discussion: National Review and Mediaite

Zachary Petrizzo / Salon:

White nationalist “groyper” movement links up with anti-vaxxers, threatens use of weapons — “Manipulate my DNA or inject satan juice, nah, I'm good,” wrote a follower of young white nationalist Nick Fuentes — Young white nationalist leader Nicholas Fuentes and his “groyper army” …

Doha Madani / NBC News:

1 dead, 5 others shot in Texas industrial park shooting; suspect in custody … At least one person is dead and five others were shot — four in critical condition — in a shooting at an industrial park in Bryan, Texas, and the suspect is in custody. — Officers responded to a call reporting …

Discussion: FOX 26 Houston, CBS News and Raw Story

Paul Caron / taxprof.typepad.com:

Bar Exams May Soon Be Easier To Pass, As States Eye Changes — Bloomberg Law, Bar Exams May Soon Be Easier to Pass, as States Eye Changes: — Several states say they could make their bar exams easier to pass as a way to address racial diversity problems and access-to-justice issues entrenched in the legal profession.

Discussion: Power Line

Ezra Klein / New York Times:

Four Ways of Looking at the Radicalism of Joe Biden — It's unexpected, but it's not inexplicable. — Joe Biden didn't wake up one day and realize he'd been wrong for 30 years. — I covered him in the Senate, in the Obama White House, in the Democratic Party's post-Trump reckoning.