memeorandum: Trump's 2019 El Paso rally cost the city nearly $500,000. He still hasn't paid the bill. (Edward McKinley/Houston Chronicle)

12:35 AM ET, October 23, 2022

Top Items:

CNN:

Former Chinese leader Hu Jintao unexpectedly led out of room as Party Congress comes to a close — Video: ‘High drama’ as Xi's predecessor led out of the meeting Jake Tapper on the lessons from UK's recent political turmoil What Ukrainians learn from downed drones used by Russia A humpback whale got entangled in fishing gear.

Discussion: New York Post, BBC, New York Times, Agence France-Presse, Real China Story, Washington Times, RedState, Fox News, The Daily Wire, Washington Examiner and The Hill

Reuters:

Hu Jintao escorted out of China party congress — Chinese former President Hu Jintao was unexpectedly escorted out of the closing ceremony of a congress of the ruling Communist Party on Saturday. — Hu, 79, Xi Jinping's immediate predecessor, was seated to the left of Xi.

Discussion: The New Normal, Bloomberg, National Review, Power Line, BBC, Japan Times and Politico

Christian Shepherd / Washington Post:

As China's Xi extends his rule, his predecessor makes an unusual exit — A meeting of top Chinese officials concluded on Saturday with leader Xi Jinping's power undisputed, as his “core” status was enshrined in the Communist Party charter, his former political rival retired and his predecessor …

Discussion: The Guardian, The Western Journal and Reuters

James Palmer / Foreign Policy:

What the Hell Just Happened to Hu Jintao? — Xi Jinping's predecessor was forcibly led away from the Party Congress. — China's 20th Party Congress concluded on Saturday with a rare and shocking piece of live drama. Hu Jintao, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from 2002 to 2012 …

Discussion: Breitbart, The Atlantic, HotAir, CNN, Metro.co.uk, Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality and The Gateway Pundit

Carlisa N. Johnson / The Guardian:

Early voters in Georgia face obstacles under state's new election law — Unlimited challenges to eligibility and poorly trained poll workers cause frustration in key gubernatorial and US Senate contests — Jennifer Jones, a Morehouse School of Medicine PhD student, showed up to her precinct …

Nate Hochman / National Review:

Where Do Georgia Republicans Go to Get Their Apology? — When Georgia Republicans passed the Election Integrity Act of 2021 — signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp in March of last year — the commanding heights of institutional progressivism quickly set about laying the groundwork …

Hannah Knowles / Washington Post:

Oz-Shapiro. Warnock-Kemp. Split-ticket voters loom large in midterms. — Such voters have been in decline for years as the country has grown ever more polarized. But they could be pivotal this year in key battlegrounds. — In Pennsylvania, Jon Tucker has held a fundraiser …

Discussion: NBC News

Associated Press:
GOP voters told to hold onto mail ballots until Election Day

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, PoliticusUSA and HotAir

Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:
Voters Stick to Pandemic-Era Habits, as Early Turnout Surges

Discussion: The Nevada Independent, Las Vegas Review-Journal, New York Magazine, Daily Kos, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Just The News, Albuquerque Journal, Washington Times, CNN and Forbes

Jacqueline Keeler / San Francisco Chronicle:

Sacheen Littlefeather was a Native American icon. Her sisters say she was an ethnic fraud — The “Apache” actress and activist wasn't Native American, say her sisters. And that wasn't the only thing she lied about. — You might not know her name, but you've probably seen the video that made her famous.

Discussion: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Vanity Fair and IndieWire

Jacqueline Keeler / Jacqueline's Newsletter:
Hollywood Fantasy: Is Sacheen Littlefeather Apache?

Discussion: The Daily Beast

Edward McKinley / Houston Chronicle:

Trump's 2019 El Paso rally cost the city nearly $500,000. He still hasn't paid the bill. — As former President Donald Trump prepares to host a MAGA-palooza near Corpus Christi this weekend, he still hasn't paid back the city of El Paso the more than $500,000 he owes for hosting his 2019 rally there, a city spokeswoman confirmed.

Discussion: PoliticusUSA and Raw Story

Jon Levine / New York Post:

Cori Bush's debut book sells just 729 copies in first week — A new book by lefty Democratic Rep. Cori Bush (D-Missouri) debuted with a face-plant this month, selling just 729 copies in its first week, according to industry tracker NPD BookScan. — “The Forerunner: A Story of Pain …

Discussion: Breitbart, BizPac Review, OutKick, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Examiner and Twitchy

Chloe Folmar / The Hill:

Kinzinger campaigns for McMullin in Utah: 'I'm surrounded by cowards' in Congress — Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger (Ill.) campaigned for Utah independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin Thursday, slamming GOP lawmakers for their actions following the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Discussion: Salt Lake Tribune and Breitbart

Sam Metz / Associated Press:
Utah Senate race: Referendum on direction Trump has led GOP

Discussion: Salt Lake Tribune, Raw Story and CNN

Emma Bubola / New York Times:

Using Adoptions, Russia Turns Ukrainian Children Into Spoils of War — Thousands of Ukrainian children have been transferred to Russia. “I didn't want to go,” one girl told The New York Times from a foster home near Moscow. — As Russian forces laid siege to the Ukrainian city of Mariupol this spring …

Discussion: Japan Times and CBS News

New York Times:

The Times Endorses Kathy Hochul for Governor of New York — The editorial board is a group of opinion journalists whose views are informed by expertise, research, debate and certain longstanding values. It is separate from the newsroom. — The race for the governor of New York is unusually close this fall.

Discussion: The Post Millennial and New York Post

Politico:
New York governor's race takes sudden turn after Zeldin surge

Discussion: New York Post, New York Times, Breitbart, Instapundit, RedState, Just The News, HotAir, Althouse and The Daily Wire

Josh Gerstein / Politico:

Court clears way for Jan. 6 probe to get Ward's phone records — A federal appeals court has turned down former Arizona GOP senate candidate Kelli Ward's attempt to block a House committee subpoena for her phone records in connection with an investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 …

New York Times:
Trump Could Harness Unresolved Legal Issues to Resist Jan. 6 Panel's Subpoena

David Wickert / Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Editor: Walker using false statements about AJC to raise money — U.S. Senate candidate Herschel Walker's campaign used false statements about The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to raise money from supporters, the newspaper's editor said Saturday. — The statements stem from a campaign event Tuesday …

CNN:

Oz loans his Pennsylvania Senate campaign another $1 million — Mehmet Oz, the Republican nominee for US Senate in Pennsylvania, loaned his campaign an additional $1 million on October 20, according to a filing with the FEC. — Oz has loaned his campaign money from his personal fortune throughout …

Discussion: Insider, Just The News, HuffPost, Fox News, Twitchy and Washington Examiner

Victoria Bekiempis / The Guardian:

White House urges borrowers to apply for student debt relief despite court order — Federal appeals court temporarily halts Biden's cancellation of student debt after motion brought by six Republican-led states — The Biden administration is urging student loan borrowers to continue applying …

Discussion: USA Today, The Hill, CNN, BizPac Review, Mother Jones, Reason, Newsday, Vanity Fair, The Western Journal, NPR, Common Dreams, NBC4 Washington, Bloomberg, Politico, UPI, TheBlaze, Chicago Sun-Times, ABC News, NBC News, Forbes, Insider, New York Times, Associated Press, MyNorthwest.com, Daily Kos and HuffPost

New York Times:

For Trump's Backers in Congress, ‘Devil Terms’ Help Rally Voters — In vilifying tweets and speeches, G.O.P. lawmakers who contested the election have far outpaced other Republicans and Democrats in fueling polarization. — As Representative Mary Miller embarked on her first congressional campaign …

Discussion: Raw Story

Daniel Dale / CNN:

A guide to the election deniers in midterm races — Election deniers are running for important offices around the country in the November 8 midterms. And some of them will win. — Dozens of Republicans trying to be elected in 2022 as governor, state secretary of state or US senator …

Discussion: Twitchy