Top Items:
Washington Post:
Showdown before the raid: FBI agents and prosecutors argued over Trump — An exclusive look at behind-the-scenes deliberations as both sides wrestled with a national security case that has potentially far-reaching political consequences — Months of disputes between Justice Department prosecutors …
Discussion:
The Independent, Washington Examiner, Alternet.org, Raw Story, 19FortyFive, Mediaite, The Guardian, Hackwhackers and emptywheel
Lillian Rizzo / CNBC:
Schumer, Jeffries pressure Murdoch, Fox News over Trump's false election fraud claims — Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are calling foul on Rupert Murdoch. — The top Democrats in Congress sent a letter to Murdoch, urging Fox News leadership …
Discussion:
ABC News, Washington Post, Deadline, CBS News, Alternet.org, The Root, Political Wire, Patterico's Pontifications, Sputnik News, TVNewser, Washington Times, HuffPost and Al Jazeera
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Judd Legum / Popular Information:
Murdoch, exposed — It's not a secret that Fox News is a political operation seeking to bolster the prospects of Republicans. Jeanne Pirro, co-host of Fox News' The Five, regularly appears at Republican fundraisers. Mark Levin, who hosts a weekly Fox News program, appeared at a rally …
Discussion:
The Guardian, RADAR, Election Law Blog, Digby's Hullabaloo, CNN, Political Wire, Washington Post, Insider and Wall Street Journal
Jeremy W. Peters / New York Times:
Fox Leaders Wanted to Break From Trump but Struggled to Make It Happen — Executives and top hosts found themselves in a bind after Donald Trump began pushing unfounded claims about election fraud, court filings show. — Five days after a pro-Trump mob attacked the U.S. Capitol …
Philip Bump / Washington Post:
The ‘trust’ Fox News seeks from its viewers isn't about truth
The ‘trust’ Fox News seeks from its viewers isn't about truth
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Daily Beast and NPR
Berkeley Lovelace Jr / NBC News:
Drugmaker Eli Lilly caps the cost of insulin at $35 a month, bringing relief for millions — Eli Lilly will cap the out-of-pocket cost of its insulin at $35 a month, the drugmaker said Wednesday. The move, experts say, could prompt other insulin makers in the U.S. to follow suit.
Discussion:
The Hill, CBS News, Plain Dealer, Washington Press, Orange County Register, New York Times and Reuters
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Washington Post:
‘Havana syndrome’ not caused by energy weapon or foreign adversary, intelligence review finds — After a years-long assessment, five U.S. intelligence agencies conclude it is ‘very unlikely’ an enemy wielding a secret weapon was behind the mysterious ailment
Discussion:
Semafor
Andrew E. Kramer / New York Times:
In an Epic Battle of Tanks, Russia Was Routed, Repeating Earlier Mistakes — A three-week fight in the town of Vuhledar in southern Ukraine produced what Ukrainian officials say was the biggest tank battle of the war so far, and a stinging setback for the Russians.
Discussion:
Morning Shots and StrategyPage
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Mithil Aggarwal / NBC News:
What could Chinese artillery and ammunition mean for Putin's war in Ukraine?
What could Chinese artillery and ammunition mean for Putin's war in Ukraine?
Discussion:
The Daily Beast
Maggie Severns / Grid News:
Ron DeSantis is using a new breed of local right-wing media to make national news — These websites didn't exist five years ago. — The Florida Standard is a fledgling website, launching last July. It lists only five writers and editors on its site. But in January, it landed a blistering scoop …
Discussion:
The Nation
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Jonathan Chait / New York Magazine:
DeSantis Promises Florida Will Control Disney's Content … Last year, after Disney had the temerity to issue a statement opposing one of his prized legislative initiatives, Ron DeSantis punished the company by removing its self-governing status. (DeSantis justified the maneuver as a removal …
Discussion:
Law & Crime, Washington Post and Insider, more at Mediagazer »
Al Weaver / The Hill:
Vance pitches PPP for Ohio while other Republicans say to wait — Sen. J.D. Vance's (R-Ohio) call for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)-style plan to help workers and businesses affected by the East Palestine train derailment is being greeted skeptically by Senate Republicans …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner
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Politico:
GOP urges no ‘burdensome regulations’ on freight rail, after derailment
GOP urges no ‘burdensome regulations’ on freight rail, after derailment
Discussion:
CBS News, CNN, Brotherhood … and E&E
Jeff Stein / Washington Post:
Biden aides weigh economic aid for East Palestine after derailment
Biden aides weigh economic aid for East Palestine after derailment
Discussion:
Political Wire, NBC News, Washington Free Beacon, Washington Examiner, Big League Politics, US EPA, WKBN-TV and BBC
Jim Geraghty / National Review:
We Told You the Truth about Covid (and a Whole Lot More) — On the menu today: Day after day, week after week, unscrupulous actors in the world of politics pelt you with a hurricane of BS and try to get you to believe that two plus two equals five. A big part of the mission of National Review …
Discussion:
Public and The Daily Signal
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Adam Sabes / Fox News:
FBI director says COVID pandemic ‘most likely’ originated from Chinese lab
FBI director says COVID pandemic ‘most likely’ originated from Chinese lab
Discussion:
UPI, Daily Mail, Financial Times, NBC News, Fox News, BBC, Politico, USA Today, Insider, Los Angeles Times, JONATHAN TURLEY, New York Post, NBC News, The Post Millennial, GZERO, Breitbart, HuffPost, ABC News, Twitchy, CNN, Fox News, The Dispatch, Raw Story, Political Wire, Power Line, Metro.co.uk, The Hill, NPR, HotAir, Wholistic, Axios, New York Post, Breitbart, FOX News Radio, IJR, Alaska Public Media, Al Jazeera, Sputnik News, Washington Examiner, RedState, Washington Times, National Review, The Daily Caller, Just The News, TASS, Vox, The Daily Beast, New York Daily News, Talking Points Memo and Associated Press
Ron DeSantis / Wall Street Journal:
Why I Stood Up to Disney — On Monday, I signed the law ending the Walt Disney Co.'s self-governing status over 43 square miles in central Florida, an area almost as big as Miami. Disney no longer has its own government. It has to live under the same laws as Universal Studios …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Florida's Voice, The Daily Caller and Deadline
Yaron Steinbuch / New York Post:
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot blames election loss on racism, gender — Democratic Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot blamed racism and her gender for her landslide defeat in her re-election bid, as Chicagoans wary of the rising crime of her watch celebrated her fall from “political rock star to rock bottom.”
Discussion:
HotAir, RedState, NBC Chicago, National Review, Twitchy, PinkNews, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, Fox News, IJR and Associated Press
RELATED:
Fran Spielman / Chicago Sun-Times:
2023 Chicago Election: How Lori Lightfoot wound up a one-term mayor
2023 Chicago Election: How Lori Lightfoot wound up a one-term mayor
Discussion:
Politico, CBS News, Fox News, Sputnik News, UPI, National Review, HuffPost and WTOP News
Natasha Korecki / NBC News:
Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election
Lori Lightfoot becomes the first Chicago mayor in 40 years to lose re-election
Discussion:
Fox News, New York Post, Chicago Tribune, PinkNews, ABC7, Financial Times, Bloomberg, National Review, One America News Network, Washington Examiner, Chicago Sun-Times, ABC News, Just The News, Eschaton, Associated Press, CBS News, USA Today, The Hill, New York Daily News, NBC Chicago, New York Times, Forbes and Politico
Politico:
Trump ties GOP in knots over Medicare and Social Security — Donald Trump is driving a wedge through the GOP over one of American politics' thorniest issues: the future of Medicare and Social Security. — The former president's attacks on potential GOP primary opponents …
Discussion:
Washington Examiner, Raw Story, CBS News, Political Wire, The Bulwark, Just The News and National Review
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Aris Folley / The Hill:
Senate group wades into tough talks on Social Security
Senate group wades into tough talks on Social Security
Discussion:
CNBC, Washington Examiner and Semafor
Josh Kraushaar / Axios:
Trump's February bump — Four new polls show former President Trump has received a boost in Republican support — with one survey showing him hitting 50% support in a crowded GOP field. … - His visit to the derailment site in East Palestine, Ohio — ahead of President Biden …
RELATED:
Martin Pengelly / The Guardian:
Ron DeSantis called a ‘tyrant’ as Trump supporters barred from book signing
Ron DeSantis called a ‘tyrant’ as Trump supporters barred from book signing
Discussion:
Mediaite, The Daily Beast, RADAR, Alternet.org, Big League Politics, The Gateway Pundit and Raw Story
Heidi Przybyla / Politico:
Dark money and special deals: How Leonard Leo and his friends benefited from his judicial activism — A network of political non-profits formed by judicial activist Leonard Leo moved at least $43 million to a new firm he is leading, raising questions about how his conservative legal movement is funded.
Discussion:
Alternet.org
Maria Cramer / New York Times:
New York Will Pay Millions to Protesters Violently Corralled by Police — The police boxed in racial justice demonstrators in 2020, an anti-protest practice known as “kettling,” then hit them with batons and pepper spray. Hundreds will receive $21,500 each.
Discussion:
Rolling Stone, Gothamist, Al Jazeera and Bloomberg
Gabriel Debenedetti / New York Magazine:
Biden's Translator — Kate Bedingfield explains the press to the president (and keeps the White House from leaking). — Kate Bedingfield, the White House communications director, first tried to leave in July. She had started working for Joe Biden in 2015 and was looking forward to spending …
Discussion:
jihadwatch.org
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Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Trump's enablers must face consequences, too — There's no doubt that Donald Trump was the instigator of the 2020 insurrection. But the former president's schemes never would have gotten far (or even off the ground) without the participation of right-wing media executives, lawyers and pliant state officials.
Discussion:
Alternet.org
The Hill:
McCarthy, GOP pump brakes on release of Jan. 6 footage to Tucker Carlson — House Republicans are pumping the brakes on the release of Jan. 6 surveillance footage they've offered to Fox News host Tucker Carlson and going on offense against Democrats who have spent the past week slamming the move.
Sally Jenkins / Washington Post:
The NFL deserves every bit of its raging Daniel Snyder headache — Dan Snyder is being unreasonable, is he? Making irrational, insulting and perhaps even extortive demands? Stifle for a moment your heavy, knowing sigh over the predictability of Snyder's conduct and the fact that he hasn't sold the Washington Commanders yet.
Discussion:
New York Post, NBC4 Washington and FOX News Radio
Barak Ravid / Axios:
Scoop: Trump's former ambassador to Israel slams Bibi's judicial overhaul plan — Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman used a recent conservative conference in Tel Aviv to express concern and push back against the Netanyahu government's judicial overhaul plan, according to two people with direct knowledge of the issue.
CNN:
Girls high school basketball team forfeits tournament rather than play against transgender player — A Vermont girls high school basketball team forfeited an out of state tournament after refusing to play against a team that had a transgender player. — Mid Vermont Christian School (MVCS) …
Zack Budryk / The Hill:
EPA to award $250 million in IRA funds to reduce climate pollution — The Biden Administration will make $250 million in grants available to develop strategies to cut climate pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday. — The funds are the first in $5 billion …