memeorandum: Senate Republicans call on Biden to freeze $6B transfer in Iranian funds (Alexander Bolton/The Hill)

12:55 PM ET, October 10, 2023

Top Items:

Playbook: Will Dems keep standing with Israel? — Presented by With help from Eli Okun and Garrett Ross — DRIVING THE DAY — ISRAEL LATEST — 11 Americans dead; some “likely” taken hostage ... IDF estimates 1,500 terrorists dead inside Israel ... U.S. begins arms shipments …

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, The Forward, CNN, Associated Press, NBC News, Al-Monitor, ABC News and The Daily Caller

Zack Beauchamp / Vox:

Benjamin Netanyahu failed Israel — We can now be sure: His policy of repressing Palestinians doesn't make Israelis safe. — In the past 24 hours, two reports out of Israel have pointed to a striking conclusion: that the failure to prevent Hamas's murderous assault on southern Israel rests …

Discussion: The Hill, CNN, Algemeiner.com, Al-Monitor, Washington Post, Middle East Eye and Agence France-Presse

Sam Dagher / Bloomberg:
Hamas Attack on Israel Deals Blow to Saudi Prince's Grand Vision

Discussion: Tangle, Columbia Journalism Review, Al-Monitor, IJR, Semafor, The Hill, WCAX-TV, New York Times and Politico

CBS News:
Israel-Hamas war death toll tops 1,500 as Gaza Strip is bombed and gun battles rage for a third day

Washington Post:
Hamas received weapons and training from Iran, officials say

Politico:

Heat for NYC-DSA after pro-Palestine rally — HAPPENING TODAY: Former Rep. Tom Suozzi is expected to launch his comeback bid for the seat now held by Rep. George Santos, three people familiar with the plan told Playbook. The Democrat — and many other challengers — are thinking …

Discussion: NBC News, The Messenger, The Daily Caller, Newsmax, The Times of Israel, New York Post, Gothamist and Exposing the role …

Nick Reisman / Politico:
AOC knocks ‘bigotry and callousness’ of Times Square rally for Palestinians

Discussion: The Hill, The Guardian, UPI, Breitbart, New York Daily News and CBS News

Caroline Vakil / The Hill:

Gallego leads Lake, Sinema in Arizona Senate race: poll — Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) is leading both former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake (R) and Sen. Krysten Sinema (I-Ariz.) in a hypothetical three-way race in the Arizona Senate race, according to a new poll.

Discussion: ABC News, The Messenger, Washington Examiner, Mock Paper Scissors and Political Wire

The Messenger:

Fani Willis: Pro-Trump Lawyer Not Covered by Attorney-Client Privilege for Documents Allegedly Plotting ‘Fake Elector’ Plan — In a filing Tuesday, the Fulton County DA argued memos and emails are not covered by attorney-client privilege that allegedly show Kenneth Chesebro was the ‘architect’ of the fake electors plot

Discussion: NBC News, Politico and Raw Story

Politico:

Biden faces a host of crises and a stress test for his theory of the presidency — The horrific attack in Israel has created new challenges for the president and his team. They're keenly aware that they are under the microscope. — The White House is scrambling to react to a combination of crises that …

Discussion: The Daily Caller and The Messenger

Washington Post:
White House considers adding Ukraine to Israel aid package

Discussion: Insider, Politico, ZeroHedge News, New York Times, The Dispatch, Associated Press and The Daily Caller

NBC News:
The White House and lawmakers weigh linking Ukraine and Israel aid

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Politico, Political Wire, The Universe As A Causal Set, Wall Street Journal and The Hill

Politico:
Army to Congress: Do your job so we can help Israel and Ukraine

Discussion: Task & Purpose, Reuters and Washington Examiner

Seema Mehta / Los Angeles Times:

Former Dodgers star and Republican Steve Garvey enters U.S. Senate race — After nearly two decades of statewide Republican candidates being rejected by California's left-leaning electorate, former Dodger All-Star Steve Garvey hopes to drag the GOP back toward political relevance.

Discussion: NBC News, Plain Dealer, The Daily Caller, Forbes and Mercury News

Washington Post:

After years of exaggerating his business assets, Trump confronts them in court — A civil case entering its second week threatens to put on display unprecedented details about how Trump's business operated — When Donald Trump needed to value his Trump Tower apartment for homeowner's insurance in 2010 …

Discussion: The Messenger, Associated Press and DCReport.org

Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:

Supreme Court turns away coal baron's defamation claim against news companies — The justices decline to consider overturning 1964 precedent that concluded there must be evidence of “actual malice” for a public figure to pursue a defamation claim. — WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court …

Discussion: CNN, Reason and Law & Crime

Bloomberg:

Former Maryland Governor Hogan Says He's Not Closing Door on 2024 Presidential Bid — Former Maryland governor says Nikki Haley's on the ascent — Hogan calls Matt Gaetz ‘a cancer’ on the GOP, Congress — Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said he hasn't ruled out running for president in 2024 …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, The Messenger, Breitbart and ABC News

Rotimi Adeoye / The Daily Beast:

North Carolina Republicans Are Creating a ‘Secret Police Force’ — The euphemistically named “Gov Ops” is a civil liberties disaster waiting to happen. … Republican state legislators In North Carolina are establishing a new investigative body that Democratic critics have aptly compared to a “secret police force.”

Discussion: Raw Story

Anton Troianovski / New York Times:

Putin Offers Muted Response to Attack on Israel. That Speaks Volumes. — Vladimir Putin has long projected friendly ties to Israel. But his silence since Saturday's assault illustrates how the war in Ukraine has strained the relationship between the two countries.

Discussion: The Hill, Reuters, CNBC, Politico, Florida Phoenix, Semafor, Mock Paper Scissors, Political Wire, The Messenger, Associated Press, Althouse and Financial Times

Zachary Faria / Washington Examiner:

Universities are hotbeds for terrorist-sympathizing antisemitism — is the area of life most consumed by progressive left-wing ideology. It is also, apparently, the biggest hotbed of antisemitism in the United States. — Harvard University, with the pristine reputation in higher education …

Julia Manchester / The Hill:

House Speaker chaos threatens GOP majority — The political chaos surrounding the vacant Speakership in the House threatens to upend Republican efforts to hold onto their slim majority in next year's elections. — Questions over who would succeed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy …

Discussion: Politico, Raw Story, Snapshot and KTSM-TV

Alexander Bolton / The Hill:

Senate Republicans call on Biden to freeze $6B transfer in Iranian funds — A group of Senate Republicans led by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) are calling on the Biden administration to refreeze the $6 billion in assets it allowed Iran to use for humanitarian purposes in exchange for the release of five American prisoners.

Discussion: The Messenger, The Daily Caller, Fox News, Wall Street Journal, UPI, National Review, The Gateway Pundit, Breitbart, The Post Millennial, Washington Post and BizPac Review

New York Times:

‘Everyone Died’: How Gunmen Killed Dozens In Sderot — The city of Sderot, a mile from Gaza, was hit on Saturday by a brutal terrorist attack by Palestinian gunmen. An analysis of available footage shows an estimated 20 civilians were killed across multiple locations, though the toll could climb.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway and Digby's Hullabaloo

Politico:

Dems' bad dream: Menendez taunts party with potential reelect — More than half of Senate Democrats have now called on the indicted senator to resign. Beyond that, right now they're just hoping he doesn't run again. — Indicted Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) is torturing Democrats trying …

Discussion: Washington Examiner and Raw Story

John Hendrickson / The Atlantic:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Last Gasp — Three words told the story. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign had billed this afternoon's event in Philadelphia as a “much-anticipated announcement.” Of course, that specific phrase may have been more true than intended.

Discussion: National Review and TheBlaze