memeorandum: Scoop: U.S. discussing freeze-for-freeze approach to Iran nuclear program (Barak Ravid/Axios)

6:05 PM ET, April 3, 2023

Top Items:

Jennifer Agiesta / CNN:

CNN Poll: Majority of Americans approve of Trump indictment — Sixty percent of Americans approve of the indictment of former President Donald Trump, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS following the news that a New York grand jury voted to charge him in connection with hush money payments …

Jana Winter / Rolling Stone:

Inside Trump's Demands for a High-Profile Surrender: 'It's Kind of a Jesus Christ Thing' — He passed on an offered low-profile arraignment, instead hoping to paint a public picture of persecution — and send a message to his supporters — DONALD TRUMP INSISTED on turning his Tuesday arraignment …

Discussion: Alternet.org, Washington Post and Raw Story

Erica Orden / Politico:

Trump taps white-collar attorney to helm indictment defense — Todd Blanche resigned from his position as a partner at an elite New York law firm to join the former president's defense team. — Former President Donald Trump has hired a top white-collar criminal defense lawyer …

Discussion: Fox News, Wall Street Journal, New Republic, Joe.My.God., Forbes, Washington Times, Raw Story, CNBC, Political Wire and New York Post

Dan Mangan / CNBC:

Trump lawyers oppose cameras at arraignment, warn of ‘circus-like atmosphere’ — Lawyers for former President Donald Trump urged a judge to deny a request by media outlets for cameras in a Manhattan courtroom where Trump is set to be arraigned on criminal charges Tuesday.

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Examiner, Patterico's Pontifications, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit, New York Post, Political Wire, The Daily Caller, Forbes, Newsbusters, Politico and UPI

Peter Baker / New York Times:

Trump Flourishes in the Glare of His Indictment — The former president's appetite for attention has been fundamental to his identity for decades. Where others may focus on the hazards of a criminal case, he raises money, promotes his campaign and works to reduce the case to a cliffhanging spectacle.

Discussion: Mercury News, The Root, Politico, CNN and Political Wire

New York Times:

Donald Trump and New York City Brace for a Consequential Week — As the former president traveled to Manhattan for his arrest on Tuesday, his team weighed how to capitalize on it, while officials in New York prepared for potential turmoil. — Former President Donald J. Trump …

TIME:
How Trump Is Negotiating the Details of His Indictment to Maximize the Drama

Discussion: Reuters, New York Post and CNN

The City:
Mayor Adams Warns ‘Rabble Rousers’ Ahead of Trump Court Circus in Manhattan

Discussion: NBC News, Fox News, Politico, The Daily Beast, New York Times, New York Post, Gothamist and IJR

Dennis Aftergut / MSNBC:
The New York Trump indictment is huge. A Georgia indictment could be even bigger.

Discussion: Morning Shots and Raw Story

Stephen Neukam / The Hill:
Trump hires white-collar defense attorney in hush money case

Discussion: Bloomberg

Ron Dicker / HuffPost:

Lesley Stahl's Reply To Marjorie Taylor Greene's ‘Pedophile’ Claim Angers Viewers — The “60 Minutes” reporter's incredulous reaction to Marjorie Taylor Greene stirred debate among viewers. — “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl theatrically scoffed at Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's unhinged claim …

Discussion: The Wrap, Newsbusters, NBC News, Raw Story, Mediaite, Slay News, Lawyers, Guns & Money and IJR

Lesley Stahl / CBS News:

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene: From the far-right fringe to the Republican Party's front row — It's rare for a member of the House of Representatives to become well-known nationally, especially someone in only their second term. But Marjorie Taylor Greene - MTG - is as famous as they get.

David Badash / Raw Story:
‘Seditious scumbag’: Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel likens ‘60 minutes’ to Fox News after Marjorie Taylor Greene interview

Discussion: Mediaite, New Republic, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Dot, The Daily Caller and New York Post

Kadia Goba / Semafor:
‘Fake news’ no more: Marjorie Taylor Greene's journey to 60 Minutes

Discussion: Vanity Fair, The Daily Beast, Washington Examiner, Rolling Stone, Fox News, The Hill, New York Post, Variety, Washington Press, The Guardian, Jezebel, Louder With Crowder, Raw Story and The Daily Caller

Roger Friedman / Showbiz411:
Ratings: “60 Minutes” with Marjorie Taylor Greene Down 33% from Last Week, 2nd Lowest Episode of This Season

Discussion: Fox News

NBC News:

Chinese spy balloon gathered intelligence from sensitive U.S. military sites, despite U.S. efforts to block it — The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel.

Daniel Bice / Journal Sentinel:

Dan Kelly travels the state before Supreme Court election while Janet Protasiewicz is grounded by illness — The final full day of campaigning for a crucial seat on the state Supreme Court saw one candidate flying from city to city across Wisconsin while the other was grounded once again because of a respiratory infection.

Ari Berman / Mother Jones:
This Race Could Decide the Fate of Democracy in Wisconsin—and the 2024 Election

Discussion: Bloomberg, HuffPost, National Review, Alternet.org, The 19th, Deseret News and Hackwhackers

Scott Bauer / Associated Press:
Spending in Wisconsin Supreme Court race tops $42 million

Discussion: NBC News, The Federalist, Vox, Political Wire, Wisconsin Law Journal, FiveThirtyEight, New York Times, Mock Paper Scissors and LifeNews.com

Brooks Barnes / New York Times:

DeSantis and Disney Clash Anew Over Florida Theme Park's Authority — The Florida governor wants the state inspector general to look into Disney's efforts to limit oversight of Walt Disney World. The company called his action “anti-business.” — Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida …

Discussion: Florida Politics, The Hollywood Reporter, UPI, New York Post, Variety, Deadline, Forbes, NBC News, The Daily Caller and Political Wire

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
Disney Chief Bob Iger calls Gov. DeSantis' actions ‘anti-business and anti-Florida’

Discussion: Deadline, CNBC, Associated Press, RedState, Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Mercury News, Reuters, Joe.My.God., IndieWire, Florida Politics and The Wrap

Dan Alexander / Forbes:

Trump's Net Worth Plunges $700 Million As Truth Social Flops — The former president's fortune dropped from an estimated $3.2 billion last fall to $2.5 billion today. The biggest reason? His social media business, once hyped to the moon, has come crashing down, erasing $550 million from his net worth—so far.

Discussion: Hackwhackers, Joe.My.God. and Raw Story

Politico:

Centrist Democrats hatch secret plan to head off debt ceiling calamity — The White House and party leaders, however, are distancing themselves from the effort. — A group of House Democrats is secretly crafting a fallback plan to avoid an economy-rattling debt default. — The White House wants no part of it.

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, BizPac Review, New York Post, Washington Examiner, Alternet.org and Vanity Fair

Jeet Heer / The Nation:
Will Jeff Zients Destroy Joe Biden's Presidency?

Discussion: Politico

Max Seddon / Financial Times:

Russia confiscates passports of senior officials to stop defections — Kremlin tightens Soviet-era travel restrictions in ‘sensitive’ areas — Russia's security services are confiscating the passports of senior officials and state company executives to prevent overseas travel …

Romy Ellenbogen / Tampa Bay Times:

DeSantis signs permitless carry gun bill into law with little fanfare — The legislation lets people concealed carry a gun without a permit and without training. — Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed into law a bill that lets people carry guns without a permit and without any training.

Discussion: The Hill, New Republic, TheBlaze, Washington Press, Just The News, Florida's Voice, The Daily Caller, WINK News, Joe.My.God., New York Daily News, Associated Press, El País, Breitbart, NBC 6 South Florida, WFLA-TV and Political Wire

Emma Colton / Fox News:
DeSantis' signature tips US into majority ‘constitutional carry’ nation with new Florida gun rights law

Discussion: Washington Examiner, NBC News, HuffPost, Raw Story, One America News Network, al.com, Florida Phoenix, National Review, RedState, The Western Journal, Forbes, New Republic, Florida Politics, Twitchy, Florida's Voice, Slay News and The Daily Caller

Del Quentin Wilber / Associated Press:

Unlike in Trump case, Secret Service kept this one secret — The last time Secret Service agents escorted a U.S. leader to face criminal charges, they kept their mission a secret — even from their own bosses. It was Oct. 10, 1973, and just a few agents knew the history they would make in ensuring …

Discussion: Fox News and Twitchy

Sahil Kapur / NBC News:

Democrats target 31 GOP-held seats in aggressive campaign for House majority — In a list first shared with NBC News, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee laid out the House districts it's aiming to flip next year. — WASHINGTON — Democrats have targeted 31 Republican-held districts …

Discussion: Washington Times, DCCC, Washington Examiner, The Texas Tribune, Raw Story, The Hill, Roll Call and The Daily Caller

Barak Ravid / Axios:

Scoop: U.S. discussing freeze-for-freeze approach to Iran nuclear program — The Biden administration discussed with its European and Israeli partners in recent weeks a proposal for an interim agreement with Iran that would include some sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran freezing parts …

Discussion: FDD

Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:

Musk loses in court, has to delete tweet threatening Tesla workers who join union — Ruling also says Tesla illegally fired pro-union worker and must reinstate him. — Tesla CEO Elon Musk violated US labor law by threatening to take stock options away from employees who join a union, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.

Discussion: Mashable

Justin Kirkland / The Daily Beast:

Texas Wants to Make Last Night's CMT Music Awards Illegal — But there is nothing more “country” than what host Kelsea Ballerini did on stage Sunday night. — When the CMT Music Awards announced that country star Kelsea Ballerini would be hosting this year's ceremony …

Discussion: The Hill, Insider, TMZ.com, BizPac Review, The Wrap and Associated Press

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:

Fox News has been blown to smithereens — It's not just Democrats who believe that Fox News hosts and their guests lied repeatedly about Dominion Voting System efforts to “steal” the 2020 election. It's also the opinion of Superior Court Judge Eric M. Davis.

Discussion: Alternet.org

Democracy Docket:

Mississippi Legislature Passes Bill Creating Unelected Court in Jackson — WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, March 31, the Mississippi Legislature passed a controversial bill that would create a separate, unelected court over parts of Jackson, Mississippi, the state capital.

Ina Fried / Axios:

At Elon Musk's Twitter, speech is anything but free — A series of changes at Twitter has laid bare what the service has become under Elon Musk: a place where speech is anything but free. … Pay for play “verification” — April 1 marked the official deadline for previously verified Twitter users …

Discussion: New York Times, New Republic, Twitchy, IJR and NBC News, more at Techmeme »

William Harwood / CBS News:

NASA introduces 4 astronauts who will fly to the moon on Artemis II mission — A Canadian astronaut and three NASA veterans, including one of the world's most experienced female spacewalkers, will fly around the moon next year in the first piloted voyage beyond Earth orbit since …

Yasmeen Abutaleb / Washington Post:

On foreign policy, Biden's gut is his guide — The president often rejects the views of aides and experts in favor of his long-honed instincts — Around 3 a.m. on Nov. 15, hours before the start of President Biden's final day at a summit in Bali, Indonesia, an aide nudged him awake to deal …

Discussion: RedState and HotAir

Emily Yoffe / The Free Press:

‘I Felt Bullied’: Mother of Child Treated at Transgender Center Speaks Out — When he was 14 years old, Caroline's son got a pharmaceutical implant in his arm that was supposed to help relieve his psychological distress. It was a puberty blocker called Supprelin, and it would continuously release …

Discussion: The Texas Tribune and BizPac Review