memeorandum: Top Senate Democrats push for new ethics rules in wake of Clarence Thomas report as Republicans defend justice (Manu Raju/CNN)

3:05 PM ET, May 4, 2023

Top Items:

Clarence Thomas Had a Child in Private School. Harlan Crow Paid the Tuition. — Crow paid for private school for a relative Thomas said he was raising “as a son.” “This is way outside the norm,” said a former White House ethics lawyer. — In 2008, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas decided …

Philip Bump / Washington Post:

The low cost (for a rich person) of sponsoring a Supreme Court justice — There's a line from “The Godfather” that's been blinking into my thoughts more frequently these days. It's from the scene where Don Corleone is hearing Virgil Sollozzo's pitch for an alliance.

Discussion: Insider

Politico:

Playbook: The Dem begging his party to get real — Presented by With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross — DRIVING THE DAY — NEW SCOTUS BOMBSHELL — “Clarence Thomas Had a Child in Private School. Harlan Crow Paid the Tuition.” by ProPublica's Joshua Kaplan, Justin Elliott and Alex Mierjeski …

Discussion: BizPac Review

Manu Raju / CNN:
Top Senate Democrats push for new ethics rules in wake of Clarence Thomas report as Republicans defend justice

Discussion: New Republic, The Wrap and Newsbusters

John Fritze / USA Today:
GOP donor Harlan Crow paid private tuition for relative of Justice Clarence Thomas

Discussion: NBC News, Insider, HuffPost, Raw Story, Washington Post, Truthout, New Republic and Common Dreams

Washington Post:

Proud Boys Enrique Tarrio, 3 others guilty of Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy — Prosecutors alleged defendants viewed themselves as Donald Trump's army, intent on keeping him in power through violence — Former Proud Boys chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio and three other members of the extremist group …

Discussion: Chicago Sun Times, Mediaite, Political Wire and Mock Paper Scissors

CNN:

Four Proud Boys members found guilty of seditious conspiracy — Four members of the far-right Proud Boys have been found guilty of seditious conspiracy by a jury in Washington, DC, for their roles to forcibly prevent the peaceful transfer of power from then-President Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 election.

Discussion: Alternet.org, CBS News, New Republic, acecomments.mu.nu, NBC4 Washington, Semafor and East Bay Times

Associated Press:

Ex-Proud Boys leader Tarrio guilty of Jan. 6 sedition plot — Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio was convicted on Thursday of orchestrating a plot for members of his far-right extremist group to attack the U.S. Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election.

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

Trump is inviting Dems to make 2024 about Jan. 6. And they're obliging. — The day has featured prominently in campaign launches by Biden and Senate candidates. Here's how it might play, relative to 2022. — President Biden's video announcing his reelection campaign last week began …

Discussion: Resolute Square, Vanity Fair and Wall Street Journal

Philip Bump / Washington Post:

Enrique Tarrio was not just a random seditionist — Enrique Tarrio was there, behind Donald Trump, as the president spoke to a Miami audience in February 2019. The chairman of the right-wing extremist group clapped as Trump, just starting to turn his attention to his 2020 reelection bid …

Discussion: El País and Mediaite

Ryan J. Reilly / NBC News:
There's a verdict in the Proud Boys Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy trial

Discussion: CBS News, UPI, The Mahablog, The Gateway Pundit, Just The News and Crooks and Liars

Dan Friedman / Mother Jones:
GUILTY: 4 Proud Boys, Including Enrique Tarrio, Convicted of Seditious Conspiracy

Discussion: Associated Press, Insider, CNN and American Greatness

Washington Post:
Behind Trump's musical tribute to some of the most violent Jan. 6 rioters

Discussion: Raw Story

Quinn Owen / ABC News:
Jury reaches at least partial verdict in Proud Boys Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy trial

Discussion: New York Daily News

Mark Trevelyan / Reuters:

Russia says U.S. was behind Kremlin drone attack, drawing quick denial — Russia accused the United States on Thursday of being behind what it says was a drone attack on Moscow's Kremlin citadel intended to kill President Vladimir Putin. — A day after blaming Ukraine for what it called …

USA Today:
Russia blames US for alleged drone attack on Kremlin, considers retribution: Live Ukraine updates

Institute for the Study of War:
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 3, 2023

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Perild, The Atlantic, Fox News, Insider, Bloomberg, The Guardian and TASS

Aaron Katersky / ABC News:

Donald Trump seeks to move Manhattan criminal case to federal court — The judge asked the parties to agree to a trial held in early 2024. — Former President Donald Trump will try to move the criminal case brought by the Manhattan district attorney's office into federal court, his attorneys said Thursday.

Discussion: Insider, New York Times, The Hill, Bloomberg, New York Daily News, New York Post, CBS News, Associated Press, Raw Story, CNN, ABC7 and Political Wire

NBC News:

Intel chief says China and Russia will likely use debt default to portray U.S. as chaotic — Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers that a debt default likely would create global uncertainty about the U.S. dollar's value and lead to volatility in financial markets.

Discussion: The Hill

Peter Martin / Bloomberg:
Top US Spy Warns That China Would Seek to Exploit a Debt Default

Discussion: Washington Examiner

Eric Cortellessa / TIME:

Raskin Taking the Month of May to Decide on Senate Bid — Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, will spend the rest of the month deciding whether he will run for U.S. Senate, in what is already shaping up to be a crowded primary battle to replace outgoing Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin.

Discussion: The Hill, Bloomberg, Washington Examiner, PoliticusUSA, Maryland Matters, NBC4 Washington and Political Wire

Ally Mutnick / Politico:
Total Wine magnate makes his bid for open Maryland Senate seat official

Discussion: NBC News, USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, The Hill, Roll Call, Washington Times, CNN, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Washington Examiner and Political Wire

Cillian Sherlock / London Evening Standard:

Donald Trump cutting Ireland trip short to ‘confront’ accuser in New York case — The former US president was speaking to reporters while golfing at his resort outside the village of Doonbeg in Co Clare — F — ormer US president Donald Trump has said he is cutting his trip to Ireland short …

Discussion: The Hill, Politico, Washington Press, Raw Story, New York Daily News and Political Wire

Washington Post:

Tucker Carlson floats plan to host alternative GOP debate in post-Fox future — The fired Fox host, hoping for a next act bigger than podcasting, would forfeit millions owed to him in his network contract to have a voice in the 2024 election, associates say, and has talked to Trump about a candidate forum

Discussion: New York Times, Breitbart, Rolling Stone, Mediaite and Digby's Hullabaloo, more at Mediagazer »

Charlie Sykes / MSNBC:

The GOP megadonors with buyer's remorse — Billionaires like Peter Thiel are reportedly uncomfortable with 2024's MAGA culture warriors. If only someone could have seen this coming. — Peter Thiel is (allegedly) having second thoughts. — The billionaire, right-wing megadonor reportedly …

Discussion: New York Post, Washington Examiner, Raw Story and Morning Shots

Jared Gans / The Hill:

North Carolina House approves measure banning abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy — The North Carolina state House passed a bill on Wednesday that would ban abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, sending it to the state Senate for approval. — The House vote came just a day after Republicans …

Discussion: Raleigh News & Observer, Reuters, CBS17.com, Daily Kos, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Planned Parenthood Votes!, NC Newsline, Carolina Journal, USA Today, Associated Press, NBC News, UPI, The 19th and CNN

Associated Press:
Oregon Republicans stay home ahead of abortion, guns votes

Discussion: The Daily Caller, FOX8 WGHP, OPB, Political Wire and Erin In The Morning

Roger Sollenberger / The Daily Beast:

Emails Reveal ‘Jaw-Dropping’ Herschel Walker Money Scandal — Emails show Herschel Walker solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars for his own business from a billionaire donor, with the donor believing he was giving to Walker's campaign. … Pay Dirt is a weekly foray into the pigpen of political funding.

Discussion: HuffPost, BizPac Review, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Raw Story, Insider, PoliticusUSA and Political Wire

Brandon Gage / Alternet.org: ‘Unparalleled in its audacity and scope’: Herschel Walker implicated in ‘jaw-dropping’ wire fraud scheme

Meridith McGraw / Politico:

Secret recording: Top GOP recruit says Trump endorsement isn't all that — Frank LaRose, Ohio's Secretary of State, offered some candid assessments about the value of the Trump backing during closed door remarks. — Former President Donald Trump's endorsement is widely viewed among Republican candidates …

Discussion: NBC News, The Daily Caller, Blue Virginia and Raw Story

New York Times:

Subway Rider Choked Homeless Man to Death, Medical Examiner Rules — Jordan Neely died after a man held him in a chokehold. On Wednesday, the medical examiner's office said the cause of death was compression of the neck, and ruled it a homicide. — The death of a New York City subway rider …

Mitchell Epner / The Daily Beast:

Donald Trump's Rape Trial Goes From One Disaster to Another — It goes from bad to worse for Donald Trump, which on Wednesday saw the re-emergence of the infamous ‘Access Hollywood’ tape. … May 3 was the latest very bad day for Donald Trump at his trial for allegedly raping E. Jean Carroll.