memeorandum: New Transcript Blows Up James Comer's Entire Hunter Biden Argument (Tori Otten/New Republic)

6:55 PM ET, January 23, 2024

Top Items:

Greg Sargent / New Republic:

Elise Stefanik's Deranged Defense of Trump Offers Democrats a Lesson — When it comes to Donald Trump's legal travails, there are two general schools of thought among Democrats. In one, a jury's finding that Trump is liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll—and his pending trials …

Discussion: Notus, New York Post, NewsNation, Digby's Hullabaloo, Raw Story, Salon, The Daily Caller, Washington Examiner, New York Magazine, CBS News, Sun-Sentinel and UPI

Politico:

Donald Trump has a big problem ahead — A whole swath of GOP voters appears firmly committed to not voting for Trump in November. — Donald Trump has a problem no matter what happens in New Hampshire on Tuesday night: There's a whole swath of the Republican electorate and a good chunk …

Marc Fortier / NBC Boston:

With DeSantis out, Trump widens lead over Haley in NH, new tracking poll shows — Former President Donald Trump now leads his only serious challenger, Nikki Haley, by 22% in the New Hampshire primary, according to our daily poll — With Ron DeSantis out of the GOP race …

Josephine Harvey / HuffPost:
Former Trump Aide Says Ex-President's Recent Fumbles Are ‘Concerning’

Discussion: BizPac Review, Raw Story, CBS News, MyNorthwest.com, Associated Press and CNN

Steve Reilly / The Messenger:
Trump DC Trial Should Be Audio Live Streamed at Minimum, Media Coalition Argues

Discussion: Raw Story, Politico and Bloomberg

New York Times:
New Hampshire Primary: Voting Is Brisk as Trump and Haley Push to the Finish in a Key Early Test

Discussion: GB News, The Daily Beast, New York Post, The Federalist, CBS News, Boston Herald, Bloomberg and The Guardian

Axios:
Trump's surprise fan club: Why many Dems want him to win big in N.H.

Miranda Nazzaro / The Hill:
Farah Griffin says Trump victory in NH would be ‘bad for America’

Discussion: Washington Post, Forbes, USA Today, Fox News, The Messenger, New York Post and IJR

Ben Feuerherd / The Messenger:
Trump Defamation Trial Postponed Until at Least Thursday After COVID Scare: Court Docs

Discussion: The Hill, Raw Story, Breitbart, New York Post, KGW-TV, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Politico, CNBC, New York Daily News, NewsNation, NBC News, New York Times, CBS News and Forbes

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
Trump's increasing flubs risk blunting big polling edge on mental sharpness

Discussion: The Hill, Raw Story, Mediaite and Issues & Insights

The Hill:
Low energy in New Hampshire may point to depressed turnout

Discussion: NPR, The Messenger, USA Today and Political Wire

Molly Ball / Wall Street Journal:
The GOP Wants Pure Uncut Trumpism

Discussion: Raw Story and The Hill

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:
The gamble Republicans are about to take on Trump

Discussion: Off Message, The Bulwark, Washington Examiner, Fox News, Daily Kos, HotAir, The Gateway Pundit and New York Times

Politico:
Playbook: How Trump is winning on the issues

Discussion: RedState

Lauren Irwin / The Hill:
Sununu: Trump on ticket ‘hurts our Senate races, our gubernatorial races’

NBC News:

Alaska Airlines CEO: We found ‘many’ loose bolts on our Max 9s following near-disaster — “I'm angry,” said Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci. “This happened to Alaska Airlines. It happened to our guests and happened to our our people.” — The CEO of Alaska Airlines said new …

Discussion: CNBC, Politico, The Hill, The Register, KRDO, New York Post, Forbes, The Daily Caller and New York Times

Oliver Darcy / CNN:

The Los Angeles Times plunges into ‘chaos’ as brutal layoffs loom and senior editors call it quits — Editor's Note: A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Sign up for the daily digest chronicling the evolving media landscape here. — New York CNN —

Discussion: Louder With Crowder, JONATHAN TURLEY, Poynter, Fox News, Political Wire, HotAir and New York Times, more at Mediagazer »

Associated Press:
Los Angeles Times to lay off one-fourth of newsroom staff starting this week, union head says

Discussion: Politico, HotAir, Breitbart, Associated Press, Twitchy, Deadline, acecomments.mu.nu and KRDO

Meg James / Los Angeles Times:
L.A. Times to lay off at least 115 people in the newsroom

Discussion: The Daily Beast, The Messenger, The Dossier, New York Times, The Gateway Pundit, RedState, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, KRDO and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »

Gary Fineout / Politico:

Florida insiders fear vengeful DeSantis will ‘burn it all down’ — Many wonder if he'll seek political vengeance against people he views as disloyal. — TALLAHASSEE, Florida — Ron DeSantis is out of the Republican presidential race. But in Florida, his second term as governor has only just gotten started.

Discussion: Tampa Bay Times, El País, Associated Press, Sun-Sentinel, KRDO, The Hill and Tallahassee Democrat

Gary Fineout / Politico:
Florida plan to have taxpayers pay Trump's legal bills nixed after DeSantis veto threat

Jessica Valenti / Abortion, Every Day:

Breaking: Travel bans proposed in Tennessee & Oklahoma — States would send aunts & grandmas to prison as “traffickers” for helping teens — We knew it was never going to stop with Idaho. — Tennessee Republican Rep. Jason Zachary introduced a travel ban yesterday …

Maggie Haberman / New York Times:

No Labels Sued by Durst Family Members Claiming Breach of Contract — Two members of the Durst real estate family are suing the centrist political group No Labels, saying its pursuit of a possible third-party presidential bid is a breach of contract. — Two members of the powerful Durst …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Raw Story and The Messenger

Filip Timotija / The Hill:
Donors sue No Labels for ‘bait and switch’ 3rd party threat

Discussion: Politico

CBS News:

Charles Osgood, veteran CBS newsman and longtime host of “Sunday Morning,” dies at 91 — Award-winning journalist Charles Osgood, who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for 22 years and was host of the long-running radio program “The Osgood File,” died Tuesday at home in New Jersey. He was 91.

Will Steakin / ABC News:

House ethics probe into Rep. Matt Gaetz picks up steam with new witnesses contacted: Sources — The DOJ last year declined to bring charges against Gaetz following its probe. — Rep. Matt Gaetz greets supporters at the New Hampshire campaign headquarters of former President Donald Trump in Manchester, NH, Jan. 21, 2024.

Discussion: The Messenger, New Republic, Raw Story and Political Wire

emptywheel:

How One New Hampshire Voter and One Politico Journalist Refused to Hold “a Pig ... a Womanizer ... [an] Arrogant Asshole” Accountable — Politico has an interesting profile of a two-time Obama voter, who will today become a three-time Trump voter, New Hampshire voter Ted Johnson.

Discussion: Politico

Tori Otten / New Republic:

New Transcript Blows Up James Comer's Entire Hunter Biden Argument — The House Oversight Committee on Tuesday released the transcript of the testimony of Kevin Morris, a friend of and attorney for Hunter Biden, and his statements undercut everything Republicans have said about the embattled first son.

Discussion: RedState, PoliticusUSA, CBS News, Breitbart and JONATHAN TURLEY

ABC News:

US stages retaliatory airstrikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq, officials say — U.S. personnel suffered brain injuries in a ballistic missile attack Sunday. — A member of the Popular Mobilization Forces (Hashed al-Shaabi), a powerful pro-Iranian militia, stands guard at the site …

Discussion: Reuters, The Hill, CBS News, Bloomberg, UPI, New York Post, MyNorthwest.com, Daily Caller News Foundation, KRDO, FDD, Middle East Monitor, U.S. Central Command, The Universe As A Causal Set, Military.com, Task & Purpose and Washington Examiner

Alexander Ward / Politico:
How to stop the Houthis — With help from Joe Gould, Daniel Lippman, Joseph Gedeon and Lara Seligman

Discussion: RedState, The Daily Caller, Wall Street Journal, Why Evolution Is True, Reuters, UPI, HotAir, Eschaton, ABC News, Fox News, Washington Examiner and The Messenger

Reid J. Epstein / New York Times:

A Top Biden Aide Is Taking the Reins of His Re-election Campaign — The aide, Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, who was the campaign manager for President Biden's 2020 bid, will move from the White House to his re-election headquarters in Wilmington, Del. — President Biden has approved a shake …

Discussion: NBC News, Bloomberg, Politico, Washington Examiner, CNN, Axios and Roll Call

Robert Downen / The Texas Tribune:

Email sheds new light on Texas House candidate Jared Woodfill's role in Southern Baptist leader's sex abuse scandal — Woodfill has been endorsed by Attorney General Ken Paxton despite his connection to Paul Pressler, a prominent religious figure accused of rape.

Discussion: Right Wing Watch