memeorandum: New Jersey rep. announces challenge to unseat Menendez following indictment (Nick Robertson/The Hill)

3:35 AM ET, September 24, 2023

Top Items:

McCarthy reverses on Ukraine aid as GOP scrambles on funding bills — The backtrack comes as Republicans try to shore up votes to move forward after two setbacks. — Speaker Kevin McCarthy is backtracking on his plan to remove Ukraine aid from a massive military spending bill …

Discussion: Washington Post, WHNT-TV, RedState, The Hill, Political Wire, Military.com, ABC News, Washington Examiner and Insider

CNN:

McCarthy works through weekend but no progress on short-term fix with just one week until shutdown — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Saturday he still lacks support from a handful of GOP hardliners to put a Republican stopgap measure on the floor next week, making a government shutdown likely with just one week until the deadline.

Discussion: Mediaite and The Daily Beast

Paul Kane / Washington Post:

Was McCarthy distracted from governing by impeachment inquiry? — House Republicans pledge a slow, methodical pace on the Biden impeachment inquiry, but some rank-and-file believe that their leaders have missed the target on priorities — Congressional bureau chief

Discussion: Raw Story and Reuters

Mychael Schnell / The Hill:

McCarthy backtracks, says he will keep Ukraine aid in Pentagon funding bill — Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Saturday said he will keep Ukraine aid in the Pentagon funding bill, a reversal from his announcement one day earlier that he would strip the money out due to opposition from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit, Washington Times, Washington Examiner, NewsNation, The Georgia Star News and al.com

Politico:
McCarthy stares into the shutdown abyss

Discussion: Associated Press, CNN, Raw Story, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Financial Times, New York Times, Fox News, Political Wire, The Guardian, Digby's Hullabaloo and Washington Times

Slate:

Clarence Thomas' Latest Pay-to-Play Scandal Finally Connects All the Dots — ProPublica released a new report on Friday detailing Justice Clarence Thomas' close relationship with the Koch brothers with previously undisclosed and extraordinarily damning new details.

Discussion: Forbes, The Moderate Voice, Fox News, Instapundit, CNN, USA Today, Washington Post, Washington Times, Raw Story, NPR, Talking Points Memo and Wall Street Journal, more at Mediagazer »

Shan Wu / The Daily Beast:
Clarence Thomas' Koch Party Is Latest Shocking Ethics Breach

Discussion: Raw Story, Twitchy, The Mercury News and Insider

Nick Robertson / The Hill:

New Jersey rep. announces challenge to unseat Menendez following indictment — Rep. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) announced Saturday that he will primary Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) after the senator was indicted on corruption charges Friday. — “After calls to resign, Senator Menendez said 'I am …

Mia McCarthy / Politico:

Fetterman calls for Menendez to resign — Menendez was indicted for accepting bribes Friday. — Sen. John Fetterman (D-Penn.) called for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) to resign from the Senate on Saturday, making him the first Democratic senator to call for his resignation.

CBS News:
Eye Opener: New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez indicted

Discussion: NBC New York, The Daily Caller, NBC News, New York Times, Politico, USA Today, CNN, RedState, New York Magazine, Washington Examiner, Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars and HuffPost

Matt Friedman / Politico:
‘This is horrifying’: Top New Jersey Democrats call on Bob Menendez to resign after his second indictment

Washington Post:

Misinformation research is buckling under GOP legal attacks — An escalating campaign, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and other Republicans, has cast a pall over programs that study political disinformation and the quality of medical information online — Academics, universities …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Raw Story and Political Wire, more at Mediagazer »

Tim Murphy / Mother Jones:

Joe Biden Is About to Go Where No President Has Gone Before — A picket line. — On September 15, the United Auto Workers began a targeted strike against Ford, GM, and Stellantis (the conglomerate that includes Chrysler) in an effort to secure higher wages, a four-day work week, and other protections in the union's next contract.

Carl Hulse / New York Times:

The Wrecking-Ball Caucus: How the Far Right Brought Washington to Its Knees — Right-wing Republicans who represent a minority in their party and in Congress have succeeded in sowing mass dysfunction, spoiling for a shutdown, an impeachment and a House coup.

Discussion: Politico and Raw Story

Carter Sherman / The Guardian:

US mother sentenced to two years in prison for giving daughter abortion pills — Jessica Burgess pleaded guilty in July to providing an abortion after 20 weeks and tampering with human remains — Jessica Burgess, a Nebraska mother accused of helping her teenage daughter use pills to end her pregnancy …

Discussion: scheerpost.com, Lawyers, Guns & Money, Eschaton, Newsbusters, The Messenger and New York Daily News

Austin Svehla / The Norfolk Daily News:
Norfolk woman who facilitated daughter's illegal abortion sentenced to prison

Discussion: CNN, HotAir, RedState, New York Post, Washington Examiner, NBC News and Los Angeles Times

New York Times:

U.S. Provided Canada With Intelligence on Killing of Sikh Leader — American intelligence gave assistance, but communications intercepted by Canada were more definitive in linking India to the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar. — American spy agencies provided information to Ottawa …

Discussion: The Intercept, Breitbart and The Messenger

Robert Draper / New York Times:

Cassidy Hutchinson Reappears. She Has More Trump Stories to Tell. — “I would like not to be a hermit,” the former White House aide says upon the publication of a memoir about her journey down a political rabbit hole. — Cassidy Hutchinson dropped out of sight last year after she testified …

Discussion: Mediaite, Raw Story, CBS News, Insider, Political Wire and New York Post

Nicholas Nehamas / New York Times:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Flirts With the Libertarian Party — Mr. Kennedy sat down with the party's chair in July, a previously undisclosed meeting, as Democrats fret about a third party bid. — For months, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has said he plans to continue his long-shot challenge …

Discussion: RedState, Washington Examiner and Political Wire

Lauren Irwin / The Hill:

Richard Branson to climate change deniers: 'it's a fact of life' — While in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson shared details of his next endeavor: combating climate change. — The billionaire British businessman announced Monday …

Discussion: NBC News