memeorandum: White House urges Spotify to take further action on Joe Rogan: ‘More can be done’ (John Bowden/The Independent)

4:35 PM ET, February 2, 2022

Top Items:

Michael M. Grynbaum / New York Times:

Jeff Zucker Exits CNN After Relationship With Senior Executive — The relationship came up during the network's investigation into the former anchor Chris Cuomo. “I was required to disclose it when it began but I didn't,” Mr. Zucker wrote in a memo to colleagues.

Discussion: Mediaite, New Republic, Insider, Washington Post, The Right Scoop, Vanity Fair, TheBlaze, Louder With Crowder, Newsbusters, POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story, The Verge, BizPac Review, Political Wire and Eschaton, more at Mediagazer »

Shawn McCreesh / New York Magazine:

The Mystery Behind the Zucker Shocker … At first, it seemed like Jeff Zucker was just another piece of collateral damage from Andrew Cuomo's demise, caught in the same blast radius that knocked Chris Cuomo out of CNN months earlier. It all seemed so rich, considering Zucker …

CNN:

Jeff Zucker resigns from CNN — New York (CNN Business)CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker, the influential news executive who reshaped the iconic network, abruptly announced Wednesday morning that he has resigned from his position effective immediately. — “As part of the investigation …

Allahpundit / HotAir:
Whoa: Jeff Zucker resigns from CNN over relationship with “my closest colleague”; Update: Trump celebrates

Discussion: Politico, Twitchy, New York Post, Breitbart, Washington Free Beacon and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

CNBC:
CNN boss Jeff Zucker resigns, says he failed to disclose office relationship with former Andrew Cuomo aide

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, RedState, Campaign Update, The Daily Caller, The Wrap, Associated Press, New York Post, NOQ Report, TVNewser, Boing Boing and CBS New York

Zachary Basu / Axios:

Exclusive: Hawley calls on Biden to drop support for Ukraine membership in NATO — Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is calling on the Biden administration to drop longstanding U.S. support for Ukraine's eventual membership in NATO, arguing that a binding commitment to defend the country would undermine efforts to counter China.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Wall Street Journal, The Hill, The Right Scoop, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, Media releases, Raw Story, Mediaite, Forbes, New York Post, The Daily Beast, Insider and National Zero

Insider:
Adam Kinzinger calls Josh Hawley ‘one of the worst human beings’ and a ‘con artist’ after the senator urges Biden to block Ukraine from joining NATO

Discussion: Bloomberg, HuffPost, Fox News and The Hill

Felicia Sonmez / Washington Post:
White House says Sen. Josh Hawley is ‘parroting Russian talking points’ by arguing against Ukraine's admission to NATO

Discussion: Insider, Fox News, Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller and Washington Times

Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Psaki accuses Hawley of ‘parroting Russian talking points’

Discussion: Associated Press and Mediaite

The Economist:
How big is Russia's military build-up around Ukraine?

Discussion: The Drive, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Washington Examiner, Euractiv, Bloomberg, Politico and Newsy

Tara Palmeri / Politico:

Trump considered blanket pardons for Jan. 6 rioters before he left office — In the final days of his presidency, Donald Trump seriously considered issuing a blanket pardon for all participants in the Jan. 6 riot, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Discussion: Washington Post, Insider, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, Mediaite, Rolling Stone, CNN and National Zero

Quint Forgey / Politico:
Jan. 6 committee member: Trump ‘absolutely’ tampering with witnesses

Discussion: CBS News, ABC News, Raw Story, Insider, CNN, National Review, New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Breitbart, The Hill, Mediaite, Washington Post and New York Times

Caroline Vakil / The Hill:
Trump: ‘RINO’ Graham ‘wrong’ on pardoning Jan. 6 rioters

Discussion: Mother Jones, Vanity Fair, New York Post, National Review, POLITICUSUSA, BizPac Review, Rolling Stone, Page Array, Mediaite, Washington Examiner, People.com, Insider, Raw Story and IJR

Alexander Vindman / USA Today:

Why I'm seeking accountability against Trump allies in court — Public servants who do their duty, tell the truth and uphold their oaths of office shouldn't be subjected to intimidation and retaliation. — In July 2019, my life took a dramatic and unexpected turn when I listened …

Discussion: NBC News, NPR, WFXRtv and POLITICUSUSA

Allison Quinn / The Daily Beast:
Key Impeachment Witness Sues Trump, Don Jr. Over ‘Conspiracy’ to Silence Him

Discussion: Political Flare, The Daily Caller and CNN

Amy B Wang / Washington Post:
Alexander Vindman sues Trump Jr. and Giuliani, alleging retaliation over first Trump impeachment proceedings

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, Insider, UPI and Raw Story

Charles C. W. Cooke / National Review:

Whoopi Goldberg's Suspension from The View Is Illiberal and Irrational — Whoopi Goldberg is being suspended from ABC's The View: … This isn't just illiberal, it's irrational. What Goldberg said was factually incorrect, yes. But so what? Figures on political TV shows say stupid …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Mediaite and Althouse

Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:

Whoopi Goldberg ‘livid,’ threatening to quit ‘The View’ over her suspension: source — Whoopi Goldberg is “livid” after she was suspended from “The View” over her claim that the Holocaust was “not about race” — and is telling coworkers she is going to quit the show, according to a source.

Discussion: HotAir, The Daily Wire, Mediaite, RedState, Louder With Crowder, Daily Mail, The Gateway Pundit, OutKick, The Wrap, New York Times, Twitchy, Fox News and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »

Yaron Steinbuch / New York Post:
Whoopi Goldberg's co-hosts reportedly furious over suspension from ‘The View’

Discussion: Ace of Spades HQ, Jewish News, Raw Story, Mediaite, The Daily Beast, Variety, Outside the Beltway, Fox News, Townhall, The Times of Israel, BNO News, Instapundit, abc7NY, Associated Press and ET Canada

Alexander Sammon / American Prospect:

Michelle Childs's Punitive Criminal Justice Rulings Were Repeatedly Overturned — The candidate for the Supreme Court vacancy has a history of tough-on-crime sentences and opinions that higher courts subsequently tossed out. — Judge J. Michelle Childs, who was nominated by President Barack Obama …

Discussion: Washington Post, Common Dreams and Occidental Dissent

Burgess Everett / Politico:
Why Lindsey Graham is going all-in on Biden SCOTUS pick

Discussion: Fox News, The Hill, Insider and Slate

Adam Serwer / The Atlantic:
Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism

Discussion: The Editorial Board, Bloomberg, Raw Story, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal and Newsbusters

Washington Post:

Biden officials push to hold up $11.3 billion USPS truck contract, citing climate damage — The Environmental Protection Agency warns Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to halt his plan to replace the aging delivery fleet with thousands of gas-powered vehicles.

Politico:

Directed-energy could explain unsolved ‘Havana Syndrome’ cases, U.S. intelligence panel finds — A panel convened by the U.S. intelligence community has assessed that the core symptoms of some unsolved “Havana Syndrome” cases cannot be explained by mass hysteria or psychosomatic effects alone …

Discussion: CBS News, ABC News, CNN, New York Times and Washington Examiner

Shane Harris / Washington Post: External energy source may explain ‘Havana syndrome,’ panel finds, renewing questions about possible foreign attack

NBC News:

Biden to deploy troops to Eastern Europe amid Ukraine standoff — Biden approves sending troops to Eastern Europe — WASHINGTON — The U.S. is deploying about 3,000 troops to help defend European allies amid the standoff over Russia's military buildup on Ukraine's borders, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.

Discussion: MSNBC, CNN, HotAir, Politico, The Western Journal, TheBlaze, KXAN-TV, Al Jazeera, Townhall, Common Dreams, Insider, UPI and NBC 6 South Florida

Simon Shuster / TIME:
The Untold Story of the Ukraine Crisis

Discussion: The Guardian and New York Times

Pete Williams / NBC News:

Conspiracy charges possible for filing bogus Trump election slates, experts say — The Justice Department could pursue criminal charges related to the filing of Electoral College votes for Donald Trump from states that actually voted for Joe Biden in 2020, according to several experts on election law.

Discussion: The Bulwark

Greg Sargent / Washington Post:
As Trump rages, a new plan to prevent a 2024 coup quietly advances

Discussion: Raw Story and The Status Kuo

NBC News:

FBI identifies 6 juveniles as persons of interest in bomb threats at Black colleges — FBI identifies six juvenile persons of interest in HBCU bomb threats — Six “tech savvy” juveniles have been identified as persons of interest by the FBI in threats to historically Black colleges …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The Hill, The Daily Beast, Insider and WFXRtv

John Bowden / The Independent:

White House urges Spotify to take further action on Joe Rogan: ‘More can be done’ — Psaki says Spotify disclaimer is welcome, but platform could actually fight misinformation — Jen Psaki speaks about Joe Rogan controversy and says ‘more can be done’ by Spotify

Discussion: HotAir, Newsbusters, Washington Post, Page Array, By Any Memes Necessary!, Louder With Crowder and The Daily Wire, more at Mediagazer »

Bobby Burack / OutKick:
Joe Rogan Sounds Scared

Discussion: lewrockwell.com

Emily Glazer / Wall Street Journal:

Melinda French Gates No Longer Pledges Bulk of Her Wealth to Gates Foundation — Billionaire still promises to give away fortune, cites Pivotal Ventures and Gates Foundation in new Giving Pledge letter — Melinda French Gates is no longer pledging to give the bulk of her wealth …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, New York Post, Forbes, The Daily Caller and Al Jazeera

Josh Rogin / Washington Post:

Olympic athletes are getting ready to boycott the opening ceremony in Beijing — When the Winter Olympics officially begins Friday in Beijing, U.S. diplomats and international fans won't be the only ones missing from the festivities. Olympic athletes from multiple countries who want to show solidarity …

Discussion: Outsports, HotAir, CNN, National Review, New York Times, Mediaite and The Guardian

Justice News:

Four Defendants Arrested In Connection With The Overdose Death Of Michael K. Williams — Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Keechant Sewell, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department ("NYPD"), announced that IRVIN CARTAGENA …

Discussion: The Hill, CBS News, Deadline, Rolling Stone, The Wrap and Law & Crime

David Wasserman / Cook Political Report:

Democrats Move to Purge Half of New York's House Republicans — The biggest redistricting weapon of 2022 has always been the Empire State, and Democrats are poised to finally use it. On Sunday, New York Democrats unveiled a gerrymander that could expand their lead in the delegation from 19D-8R to 22D-4R …

Discussion: It's the democracy, stupid