memeorandum: At R.N.C. Meeting, Talk Is of Coming Trump Merger and Chairwoman's Fate (Shane Goldmacher/New York Times)

3:50 PM ET, February 3, 2024

Top Items:

The Polling ‘Disaster’ That's Starting To Terrify Team Trump — Polls show a criminal conviction could torpedo Donald Trump's chances in 2024 — and some of his close advisers are telling him to take it seriously — IN THE MIDDLE of last year, several of Donald Trump's closest advisers …

Discussion: Raw Story and Forbes

The Daily Beast:

E. Jean Carroll's Lawyer: Trump Told Me ‘See You Next Tuesday’ — ALL CLASS — Roberta Kaplan, the attorney who represented E. Jean Carroll in her successful lawsuit against Donald Trump, says the ex-president used a vulgarity on her at the end of a deposition at Mar-a-Lago.

Discussion: Business Insider, PinkNews, HuffPost, NBC News, The Hill, MeidasTouch, Jezebel and CNN

Shane Goldmacher / New York Times:

At R.N.C. Meeting, Talk Is of Coming Trump Merger and Chairwoman's Fate — Donald Trump has long worked closely with Ronna McDaniel, the head of the Republican National Committee. In private, he has begun to question its direction under her leadership. — In early 2021, when former …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Associated Press, Raw Story, Florida Politics, KRDO and NBC News

New York Times:

After Speedy Start, Appeals Court Slows Down on Trump Immunity Decision — The implications have started coming into focus with the scrapping of March 4 as the start date for the former president's federal trial on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election.

Discussion: Vanity Fair, Politico, New York Post, National Review, DNyuz, New Republic, The Daily Beast, CNBC, Deadline, HuffPost, CBS News, Fox News, Bloomberg, Washington Post, Deseret News, Fox 8 Cleveland WJW, Political Wire and NBC News

Tristan Snell / The Daily Beast:

I Prosecuted Donald Trump and Won. Here's How It's Done. — It might seem like justice will never catch up to the former president. But it has at least once, and it can again. … Most people don't think Donald Trump will ever face justice. Certainly his supporters don't think so …

Discussion: DNyuz and Raw Story

Lauren Irwin / The Hill:

Trump markets himself as an outsider in new campaign ad: ‘Embrace the label’ — Former President Trump released a new campaign advertisement on his Truth Social site where he calls himself an outsider and tells supporters to embrace being one too. — “Treat the word ‘impossible’ as nothing more than motivation.

Discussion: Althouse, Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Crooks and Liars

Politico:
Special counsel mounts forceful — and unusual — defense of Trump classified documents case

Discussion: Vanity Fair, Benzinga, Associated Press, Raw Story, PoliticusUSA, NBC News, Law & Crime, DNyuz, The Guardian, Washington Post, Daily Kos, Plain Dealer, Political Wire and RedState

Politico:
Biden's economy keeps messing up Trump's message

Discussion: Digby's Hullabaloo, Washington Examiner, New Republic, Democrats, Political Wire, USA Today and New York Magazine

Washington Post:
The ‘runt’ of Trump cases now likely to be his first criminal trial

Discussion: Raw Story, New York Times, Benzinga, UPI, Forbes and Law & Crime

Philip Bump / Washington Post:
Most Republicans aren't aware of Trump's various legal issues

Discussion: Raw Story, The Mahablog, Outside the Beltway, No More Mister Nice Blog and Florida Politics

Oriana Pawlyk / Politico:

Ted Cruz wants lawmakers to get security escorts through America's airports — Cruz told POLITICO that his amendment is about ensuring that political VIPs aren't endangered as they pass through public spaces in airports. — Viral photos of politicians jetting off to a tropical hideaway during …

Discussion: Washington Examiner and View from the Wing

Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:

Supreme Court may look to the Civil War to resolve whether Trump can be on the ballot — Chief Justice Salmon Chase's handling of cases involving Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a Black man in Virginia help inform the Supreme Court ahead of Feb. 8 hearing.

Discussion: Reason

Mark Sherman / Associated Press:

Can Trump be on the ballot? It's the Supreme Court's biggest election test since Bush v. Gore — The Supreme Court will decide if Donald Trump can be kept off 2024 presidential ballots — A case with the potential to disrupt Donald Trump's drive to return to the White House is putting …

Discussion: DNyuz, Daily Montanan and nationalinterest.org

Drew Harwell / Washington Post:

The wild probe into investors of DWAC, Trump Media's proposed merger ally — Sales of Digital World Acquisition stock triggered a widespread federal probe that involved a confidential informant, a secret airport phone scan and an elite anti-money-laundering squad. Three people were indicted, but the investigation continues.

Discussion: Raw Story

Bianca Quilantan / Politico:

Education Department sends final Title IX rule to OMB for approval — Department officials were initially supposed to finalize the regulation on sexual misconduct and gender identity in May of 2023. — A long-awaited policy that mandates how schools respond to sexual misconduct …

Discussion: Daily Caller News Foundation

Katherine Fung / Newsweek:

Exclusive: Republican Hits Clarence Thomas With Lawsuit Over His Taxes — Republican John Anthony Castro is filing a lawsuit against Clarence Thomas, accusing the U.S. Supreme Court associate justice of failing to file his income taxes, Newsweek has learned.

Discussion: Raw Story

Sahil Kapur / NBC News:

House will vote next week on standalone Israel aid bill, Johnson tells colleagues — The unexpected move indicates that Johnson is digging his heels in against an immigration package and Ukraine funding, instead seeking to pressure Democrats on Israel aid. — WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson …

Discussion: Fox News, Politico, Washington Examiner, The Hill, Wall Street Journal, DNyuz, Roll Call and KRDO

New York Times:

Kamala Harris Bolsters Biden for 2024 and Lays Groundwork for 2028 — Stumping for the president ahead of South Carolina's Democratic primary, Ms. Harris has been working to shore up his vulnerabilities with Black voters and younger voters. — For decades, ambitious politicians with eyes …