Top Items:
Burgess Everett / Politico:
Senate GOP moderates fume as McConnell prepares to block Jan. 6 commission — During Thursday's Senate Republican lunch, Sen. Susan Collins made one last plea to her colleagues to advance a proposed independent commission to probe the Capitol riot, with changes she fought for.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Washington Post, Breitbart, Crooks and Liars, ABC News, HotAir, IJR, Page Array, POLITICUSUSA, Alaska Public Media and Mock Paper Scissors
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CNN:
McConnell doubles down to pressure Republicans, asking for ‘a personal favor’ to block January 6 commission — Why GOP is standing in the way of Capitol riot investigation — One of those Republicans told CNN that McConnell has even made the unusual move of asking wavering senators …
Discussion:
Insider, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, The Intellectualist, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Talking Points Memo, Fox News, KEYT-TV, HotAir and The Hill
Tim Miller / The Bulwark:
Mitch McConnell Saw the Insurrection Clearly and Then Decided He Liked It — McConnell now considers protecting the insurrectionists a personal favor. — In February, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell described the events of January 6 and laid out the case against former President Trump in stark, unequivocal terms.
Discussion:
National Memo, Occupy Democrats, One America News Network and Bulwark+
Natasha Bertrand / CNN:
First on CNN: Former DHS secretaries tell Senate to ‘put politics aside’ and support January 6 commission
First on CNN: Former DHS secretaries tell Senate to ‘put politics aside’ and support January 6 commission
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, The Hill, Raw Story, Daily Kos and POLITICUSUSA
Politico:
GOP frets behind the scenes over potential Trump 2024 bid
GOP frets behind the scenes over potential Trump 2024 bid
Discussion:
Page Array, TheBlaze, Raw Story, Washington Times, CNN, Insider, Talking Points Memo, HotAir, Hackwhackers, The Hill and Joe.My.God.
Russell Berman / The Atlantic:
Mitch McConnell's Gift to Progressives
Mitch McConnell's Gift to Progressives
Discussion:
Raw Story, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Hill and The American Independent
New York Times:
U.S. Is Said to Have Unexamined Intelligence to Pore Over on Virus Origins — Intelligence officials have told the White House that computer analysis may shed light on the mystery. — WASHINGTON — President Biden's call for a 90-day sprint to understand the origins of the coronavirus pandemic came …
Discussion:
Insider, Tangle and The Guardian, more at Mediagazer »
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Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
Biden's announcement is the beginning, not the end, of a real covid origin investigation — President Biden took an important but limited step Wednesday toward a genuine investigation into the origins of covid-19. He issued an order directing his intelligence agencies to “redouble their efforts” …
Discussion:
NBC News, The Hill, New York Times, Breitbart, Associated Press, National Review, NBC4 Washington and New York Post
David Frum / The Atlantic:
Trump's Supporters Are Getting the Lab-Leak Story Backwards — Suppose it's true. Suppose the coronavirus spread throughout the world from a Chinese lab. What then? — A ferocious early promoter of the idea that the coronavirus was a Chinese attack was the Trump White House's former chief strategist Steve Bannon.
Discussion:
Washington Post and HotAir
Olivia Troye / The Bulwark:
How the Trump Administration Twisted Coronavirus Intelligence
How the Trump Administration Twisted Coronavirus Intelligence
Discussion:
Breitbart, Raw Story, The Daily Signal, KEYT-TV and Washington Post
Andrew Kerr / The Daily Caller:
Media Downplayed Or Ignored These 8 Lab Leak Theory Facts For Over A Year
Media Downplayed Or Ignored These 8 Lab Leak Theory Facts For Over A Year
Discussion:
Taipei Times, New York Post and Forbes
New York Times:
Prosecutors Investigating Whether Ukrainians Meddled in 2020 Election — The Brooklyn federal inquiry has examined whether former and current Ukrainian officials tried to interfere in the election, including funneling misleading information through Rudolph W. Giuliani.
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Guardian, HuffPost, CNN, Insider, Washington Examiner, POLITICUSUSA and The Intellectualist
Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
Can Democrats avoid the pitfalls of 2020? A new analysis offers striking answers. — As Democrats face a 2022 midterm landscape that could cost them the House, they are grappling with hard strategic challenges. Democrats in tough districts with many Republican voters in them feel twin pressures …
Discussion:
The Mahablog
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Ronald Brownstein / The Atlantic:
Democrats Are Running Out of Time — Anxiety is growing among a broad range of civil-rights, democracy-reform, and liberal groups over whether Democrats are responding with enough urgency to the accelerating Republican efforts to both suppress voting and potentially overturn future Democratic election victories.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Vox, Raw Story, Washington Post, The Week, National Review, Snopes.com, Insider, The Editorial Board, HotAir, CNBC, NBC News, Bloomberg, OpenSecrets.org, New York Post and KEYT-TV
Allahpundit / HotAir:
Paul Ryan: Conservatism isn't going anywhere if it depends on the appeal of one man — Asked for reaction to news of what Ryan will say in his speech tonight, Jason Miller replied to the NYT: “Who is Paul Ryan?” — Which is the second-funniest thing to come out of this.
Discussion:
Occupy Democrats, New York Post and POLITICUSUSA
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Jonathan V. Last / The Triad:
The Worst Bush — Picking sides in the Lone Star State's Iran-Iraq war. — 1. The Iran-Iraq War of Texas
The Worst Bush — Picking sides in the Lone Star State's Iran-Iraq war. — 1. The Iran-Iraq War of Texas
Discussion:
New York Times, HotAir and TheBlaze
Annie Karni / New York Times:
Paul Ryan Critiques Trump's Grip on the Republican Party
Paul Ryan Critiques Trump's Grip on the Republican Party
Discussion:
Washington Examiner and Forbes
Marc Caputo / Politico:
‘The only Bush who got it right,’ as far as Trump is concerned
‘The only Bush who got it right,’ as far as Trump is concerned
Discussion:
Daily Kos, Raw Story, Hackwhackers and Insider
Janet Hook / Los Angeles Times:
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan urges GOP to return to Reaganism, end Trump fixation
Former House Speaker Paul Ryan urges GOP to return to Reaganism, end Trump fixation
Discussion:
Fox News, Bloomberg, UPI and Wall Street Journal
Daniella Diaz / CNN:
Paul Ryan to enter GOP's civil war by criticizing Trump's hold on party
Paul Ryan to enter GOP's civil war by criticizing Trump's hold on party
Discussion:
Washington Post, Mediaite, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Daily Herald, The Daily Caller, KEYT-TV, POLITICUSUSA, Washington Times, Vanity Fair and The Hill
Giovanni Russonello / New York Times:
QAnon Now as Popular in U.S. as Some Major Religions, Poll Suggests — Fifteen percent of Americans believe that “patriots may have to resort to violence” to restore the country's rightful order, the poll indicated. — As hopes fade for a bipartisan inquiry into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6 …
Discussion:
Washington Post and Florida Politics
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PRRI:
Understanding QAnon's Connection to American Politics, Religion, and Media Consumption — THREE COMPONENTS OF THE QANON CONSPIRACY MOVEMENT — Three Components of the QAnon Conspiracy Movement — The far-right conspiracy theory movement known as QAnon emerged on the internet in late 2017 …
Discussion:
Forbes, Digby's Hullabaloo, Daily Kos, Washington Post, NPR, Insider, Nieman Lab, Raw Story and NBC News, more at Techmeme »
Associated Press:
BLM's Patrisse Cullors to step down from movement foundation — A co-founder of Black Lives Matter announced Thursday that she is stepping down as executive director of the movement's foundation following what she has called a smear campaign from a far-right group and recent criticism from other Black organizers.
Discussion:
HotAir, Washington Examiner, Fox News, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, TheGrio and TheBlaze
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Natalie O'Neill / New York Post:
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigns amid controversy
Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigns amid controversy
Discussion:
NOQ Report, The Gateway Pundit and Twitchy
Jim Tankersley / New York Times:
Biden to Propose $6 Trillion Budget to Boost Middle Class and Infrastructure — The president's plans to invest in infrastructure, education, health care and more would push federal spending to its highest sustained levels since World War II. — WASHINGTON — President Biden will propose …
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Anita Kumar / Politico:
Biden mocks Republicans for promoting recovery plan they voted against
Biden mocks Republicans for promoting recovery plan they voted against
Discussion:
HuffPost, Breitbart, Washington Examiner, Crooks and Liars, CNN, Insider and KEYT-TV
Jordain Carney / The Hill:
GOP snag complicates Schumer's China bill — again — A bill aimed at combating China's competitiveness is hitting another last-minute snag threatening to push the Senate late into the night. — Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Republican senator, told reporters as he returned to the Capitol that …
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Timothy Bella / Washington Post:
‘No vaccine!’: Woman arrested for allegedly driving through vaccination site in protest, nearly hitting workers — As a coronavirus vaccination tent was set up in the hope of inoculating more residents in Maryville, Tenn., sheriff's deputies working at the site this week saw an SUV speeding their way …
Discussion:
ABC News, Law & Crime, TheBlaze, The Hill and New York Post
CNN:
Trump appointee on West Point Board spreads conspiracy that Biden is replacing White people of European ancestry — (CNN)A Trump appointee serving on West Point's advisory board has repeatedly spread a conspiracy that the Biden administration is bringing in non-White immigrants as part of a …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Caroline Kelly / CNN:
Idaho lieutenant governor signs ban on mask mandates while governor is out of state — Busy memorial Day weekend could lead to more fights over mask policies — (CNN)Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin issued an executive order on Thursday banning mask mandates while Gov. Brad Little was unaware and out of town.
Discussion:
HuffPost, East Idaho News, Associated Press, Washington Times and TheBlaze
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Anne Steele / Wall Street Journal:
Rush Limbaugh's Radio Show to Be Taken Over by Clay Travis and Buck Sexton — Duo's show to begin airing in the coveted weekday time slot on June 21 in hundreds of markets — The Rush Limbaugh replacements are in, as Clay Travis and Buck Sexton will take over his three-hour conservative talk radio show …
Discussion:
OutKick, Deadline, Mediaite, The Daily Caller, KEYT-TV, HotAir, Forbes, RedState, National Review, Washington Examiner, Fox News, The Hill, New York Post, Twitchy and The Intellectualist, more at Mediagazer »
Tess Owen / VICE:
Gun Church That Worships With AR-15s Bought a 40-Acre Compound in Texas for Its ‘Patriots’ — The Rod of Iron Ministries has become more militant since leader Hyung Jin “Sean” Moon attended the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6. — TO — A religious sect known for worshipping …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars and Raw Story
Wall Street Journal:
Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates Explore Changes to Foundation — The philanthropists have discussed adding a board and outside directors in wake of divorce filing, people familiar with matter say — Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates are discussing changes to the structure …
Discussion:
New York Magazine and New York Times
Katherine Tully-McManus / Roll Call:
'They wouldn't care if I was dead' — staffer fallout from Jan. 6 continues — A congressional staffer froze recently when elevator doors opened and there stood a member of the House who has downplayed the violence of the Jan. 6 insurrection. Some congressional employees are shaken …
David M. Drucker / Washington Examiner:
Top Republicans think GOP can win in Puerto Rico — Sen. Rick Scott believes Puerto Rico will achieve statehood — and the Florida Republican rejects arguments by some in his party that the Caribbean island territory would elect Democrats to Congress in perpetuity.
Discussion:
Fox News and Political Wire
John Ratcliffe / Jerusalem Post:
Ex-US intel chief to ‘Post’: Biden is surrendering to Iran — If Biden administration re-enters a nuclear deal with Iran and lifts sanctions on the regime, this will be like giving them another airplane full of cash. — President Joe Biden's national security team appears …
Discussion:
Washington Post
David Corn / Mother Jones:
Emails Tie Top Trump Exec Allen Weisselberg to Yet Another Trump Financial Scandal — Allen Weisselberg is in the hot seat—and that's bad news for Donald Trump and his family. Assorted news reports have identified Weisselberg, the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization …
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
Exclusive: Meet The Murky Russian Network Behind An Anti-Pfizer Disinformation Drive In Europe — A network of Russian marketing companies known for selling dubious nutritional supplements and pushing malware is behind a disinformation campaign to denigrate Western coronavirus vaccines, according to a new RFE/RL investigation.
Discussion:
New York Times, Digby's Hullabaloo and Insider
Barak Ravid / Axios:
Exclusive: Evictions of Palestinians could spark further conflict, Blinken warns — Secretary of State Tony Blinken warned Israeli leaders on his visit to Jerusalem this week that evictions of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem or further unrest on the Temple Mount could spark renewed …
Mehdi Hasan / MSNBC:
Saying Israel is guilty of apartheid isn't antisemitic. Just ask these Israeli leaders. — Here are two statements that can be true at the same time: Most criticism of Israel isn't antisemitic; Some criticism of Israel is extremely antisemitic. — Neither one contradicts the other.
Discussion:
Mondoweiss, Al-Monitor and Vox
Matt Lewis / The Daily Beast:
The Gaetz-Greene Traveling Freak Show is the Future of the GOP … And that's bad news for Trump, whether he knows it or not, as these attention hungry creeps are trying to get in on the hustle he's monopolized over the last five years. — The last time an “America First” …
Discussion:
Raw Story