memeorandum: US production of planet-heating fuels hits record levels (Saul Elbein/The Hill)

4:00 PM ET, November 27, 2023

Top Items:

Donald P. Moynihan / New York Times:

Trump Has a Master Plan for Destroying the ‘Deep State’ — I study government bureaucracies. This is not normally a key political issue. Right now, it is, and everyone should be paying attention. — Donald Trump, the former president and current candidate, puts it in apocalyptic terms …

Discussion: Raw Story and Digby's Hullabaloo

Erica Orden / Politico:

Trump is fighting an uphill battle in his fraud trial. But it could be years before penalties kick in. — A verdict is expected in December. Here's how the case is going — and what comes next. — NEW YORK — Two months into Donald Trump's civil fraud trial, the case does not seem to be going well for him.

Discussion: USA Today, The Messenger, Raw Story, Political Wire, New York Times and New Yorker

Philip Bump / Washington Post:

With Trump moving closer to renomination, rewriting Jan. 6 attack gains urgency — There is no mystery about the Capitol riot. There is nothing intangible, no unseen engine for what occurred. There is no uncertainty about what happened and why. — But because everything about what unfolded …

Discussion: American Greatness, Raw Story, The Gateway Pundit and Mediaite

Adam Klasfeld / The Messenger:

Donald Trump and Eric Trump's Defense Case Testimony Scheduled in Civil Fraud Trial — The former president will be the final defense witness on Dec. 11 — and his son will testify on Dec. 6, according to their attorney — Former President Donald Trump and his son Eric Trump's second stints …

Discussion: Political Wire

Gary Fields / Associated Press:
Trump hints at expanded role for the military within the US. A legacy law gives him few guardrails

Discussion: Raw Story and The Messenger

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:
The Rule Of Law Is The Only Thing That Matters In 2024

Discussion: CNN, Washington Post, Washington Examiner, The Mahablog, HuffPost, RedState and USA Today

Mike Allen / Axios:
Scoop: Haberman, Swan sign deal for Trump book

Discussion: Mock Paper Scissors, more at Mediagazer »

Judd Legum / Popular Information:
Kushner's Mexican connection

Discussion: Breitbart, The Messenger, The Hollywood Reporter and Digby's Hullabaloo

Kelby Vera / HuffPost:
Chris Christie Says Trump's Behavior ‘Encourages’ Antisemitism And Intolerance

Discussion: New York Magazine, Salon, RedState, Washington Times, The Guardian, Daily Kos, The Messenger, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Breitbart, Rolling Stone, Crooks and Liars, Politico, New York Post, Raw Story and CNN

Rolling Stone:
Trump, Who Destroyed Roe, Thinks He Can Run As an Abortion ‘Moderate’ in 2024

Discussion: New Republic, No More Mister Nice Blog, RedState, Off Message, Daily Kos, Raw Story, The Daily Beast and Political Wire

Lloyd Green / The Guardian:
MTG review: far-right rabble rouser makes case to be Trump's VP

Discussion: New Republic, Mediaite, HuffPost, Daily Kos, Raw Story and The Hill

Washington Post:

Donations to GOP drop as worries mount about the party's finances — Donors have not cut as many large checks to the RNC in recent years, and the party's small-dollar program has also suffered — The Republican Party's finances are increasingly worrisome to party members …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, RedState, Politico, Business Insider, Breitbart, Rolling Stone, The Hill, PoliticusUSA, Digby's Hullabaloo, Raw Story, The Dispatch, The Daily Caller and NBC News

Arek Sarkissian / Politico:

‘This guy is a charlatan’: University of Florida turns against Joe Ladapo — Colleagues say the state surgeon general rarely is on campus and has “sullied” the reputation of the flagship school. — TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Professors at the University of Florida had high hopes for Joseph Ladapo.

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, Balloon Juice, Raw Story and Daily Kos

Sam Brodey / The Daily Beast:

Matt Gaetz Is Miraculously More Hated Than Ever in Congress — And that's saying something for a man who was under FBI investigation for allegedly sex-trafficking a minor. … In this unsettled moment on Capitol Hill, truth is relative, chaos reigns, and virtually nothing is for certain.

Discussion: Raw Story and Washington Examiner

Juan Williams / The Hill:
Matt Gaetz is 2023's ‘Politician of the Year’

Discussion: Raw Story and Mediaite

Ben Jacobs / Slate:

Trump Rallies Aren't Even Really About Politics at This Point — Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley have partisans. Donald Trump has fans. — For all of Donald Trump's rhetorical innovations, personality quirks, and alleged criminal malfeasance, what has made him truly unique as a political figure …

Discussion: Raw Story and National Review

Justin Rowlatt / BBC:

COP28: UAE planned to use climate talks to make oil deals — The United Arab Emirates planned to use its role as the host of UN climate talks as an opportunity to strike oil and gas deals, the BBC has learned. — Leaked briefing documents reveal plans to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations.

Discussion: The Guardian, RTÉ, The Diplomat, The Daily Beast, Politico, Washington Examiner, Business Insider and Centre for Climate Reporting

Rachel Frazin / The Hill:
Leaked documents show UAE effort to push fossil fuel deals amid leadership of global climate summit

Discussion: Bloomberg

Miranda Nazzaro / The Hill:

Man pleads not guilty in shooting of 3 Palestinian American students in Vermont — The man accused of shooting three Palestinian American students in Vermont pleaded not guilty to charges at an arraignment hearing Monday. — Jason Eaton, 48, appeared in court virtually …

Nikki McCann Ramirez / Rolling Stone:

Netanyahu Welcomes Elon Musk to Israel After Antisemitic Post — The editor of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz bashed the prime minister for giving the “blatant antisemite” X owner a “PR visit” — DAYS AFTER ENDORSING an antisemitic conspiracy theory on X, Elon Musk flew to Israel to meet …

Discussion: The Hill, CBS News, TMZ.com, Shore News Network, Bloomberg, Semafor, Reuters, New York Post, New York Times, The Messenger, ABC11, Louder With Crowder, The Daily Beast, RTÉ, Politico, Las Vegas Review-Journal and Los Angeles Times, more at Techmeme »

Rolling Stone:

We Spied on Trump's ‘Southern White House’ From Our Couches — Tracking people in-and-out of Mar-a-Lago was easy, thanks to commercial software. Think your privacy is any better protected? — SPYING ON PRESIDENTS used to be a tough business. One of the great unsung heroes of American history …

Miranda Nazzaro / The Hill:

Trump Organization no longer prepares financial statements at heart of trial, executive testifies — Former President Trump's company no longer prepares the sweeping financial statements now under scrutiny in his civil fraud trial in New York, an executive testified on Monday.

Discussion: Raw Story and Associated Press

Mychael Schnell / The Hill:

Johnson speaks to Santos ‘about his options’ amid threatened expulsion — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Monday said he spoke with Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) “at some length” during the holiday recess “about his options” as the embattled lawmaker faces a likely third vote on his expulsion.

Discussion: NBC News, Washington Examiner, Tangle, New Republic, Raw Story, Breitbart, Washington Post, New York Daily News and CBS News

Emily Brooks / The Hill:

Speaker Johnson says he's ‘confident’ Ukraine, Israel aid will pass House — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said he is “confident and optimistic” that Congress can push through supplemental funding for both Israel and Ukraine — but did not commit to tying the two together …