memeorandum: Newsom vetoes bill that would require parents to affirm child's gender identity in custody battles (Landon Mion/Fox News)

2:00 PM ET, September 23, 2023

Top Items:

McCarthy stares into the shutdown abyss — The speaker has only one clear exit route away from a government closure: working with Democrats. It's a path he still refuses to take. — Speaker Kevin McCarthy has only one way out of next week's impending government shutdown: working with Democrats.

Discussion: The Hill, Raw Story, CNN, Political Wire, The Guardian and Semafor

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

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

Matt Friedman / Politico:

‘This is horrifying’: Top New Jersey Democrats call on Bob Menendez to resign after his second indictment — Democrats figured there would be new developments in the Bob Menendez investigation, but the charges are far more serious than any of them anticipated.

Governor Phil Murphy / State of New Jersey:

Statement by Governor Murphy on Today's Indictment Against U.S. Senator Robert Menendez — “The allegations in the indictment against Senator Menendez and four other defendants are deeply disturbing. These are serious charges that implicate national security and the integrity of our criminal justice system.

CBS News:

Eye Opener: New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez indicted — New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez has been indicted on bribery charges. Meanwhile, Ukraine's latest missile attack on Russian-occupied Crimea has struck a blow against Russian power. All that and all that matters in today's Eye Opener.

Discussion: The Daily Caller, CNN, USA Today, Washington Examiner and Crooks and Liars

Sebastian Murdock / HuffPost:
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy Calls On Sen. Robert Menendez To Resign

Laura Kelly / The Hill:
Menendez steps down as Foreign Relations chairman after indictment

Discussion: Daily News, Raw Story, Daily Montanan, The Daily Caller, Politico, HuffPost, Washington Examiner, NBC News, Fox News, Talking Points Memo, The Messenger and New Jersey Globe

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 …

more at Mediagazer »

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: Raw Story, Newsbusters and The Messenger

Margery A. Beck / HuffPost:
Nebraska Mother Gets Prison For Giving Abortion Pills To Pregnant Daughter

Discussion: NBC News, New York Daily News and Political Wire

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: Fox News, CNN, Washington Times, Breitbart, NPR, Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, The Mercury News, Wall Street Journal, Insider and New Republic, more at Mediagazer »

Andrew Zhang / Politico:

Biden to join the picket line in UAW strike — His decision to stand alongside the striking workers represents perhaps the most significant display of union solidarity ever by a sitting president. — President Joe Biden will travel to Michigan to join the picket line of auto workers on strike nationwide, he said on Friday afternoon.

Nick Robertson / The Hill:

Michigan lawmaker calls UAW strike a ‘fundamental struggle’ that will benefit all — Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) joined the United Auto Workers picket line in his home state on Friday, claiming the union members' “fundamental struggle” will help all families in the communities he represents.

Washington Post:
UAW widens strike against GM and Stellantis but not Ford

Danielle Kaye / NPR:
UAW significantly ramps up strikes against GM and Stellantis — but not Ford

Zach Montellaro / Politico:

Burgum makes late break for GOP's second debate — No candidate's participation is official until confirmed by the RNC. — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is making a last-minute charge to the primary debate stage next week. — Burgum appears to have qualified for the second GOP debate …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Associated Press, CBS News, The Hill, Washington Times, ABC News and CNN

Landon Mion / Fox News:

Newsom vetoes bill that would require parents to affirm child's gender identity in custody battles — Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, who introduced the bill, said she is ‘extremely disappointed’ in Newsom's veto — California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, vetoed a bill late Friday night …

Discussion: KQCA-TV, The Messenger, Politico, HotAir, One America News Network, Washington Examiner, PinkNews, The Post Millennial, RedState, Sacramento Bee, National Review, The Gateway Pundit, The Daily Caller, Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Twitchy and Pluribus News, more at Techmeme »

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Jack Smith adds war crimes prosecutor — his deputy from the Hague — to special counsel team — The special counsel's office is gearing up to put Donald Trump on trial in two criminal cases next year. — Special counsel Jack Smith has added a veteran war crimes prosecutor …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and Raw Story