memeorandum: Federal criminal investigation opened into Key Bridge crash (Washington Post)

11:05 AM ET, April 15, 2024

Top Items:

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

How to pick a jury that can judge Donald Trump — Tailoring questions to probe prospective jurors' political biases and opinions of the former president is more art than science. — Former President Donald Trump's criminal trial in New York begins Monday with an immediate and fundamental challenge …

Discussion: Washington Post, NBC News, New York Magazine, Associated Press, Metro.co.uk, Digby's Hullabaloo, Raw Story, New York Post, New York Times, The Daily Beast, Civil Discourse …, Axios and USA Today

The Bulwark:

It's Time to Play to Win — Pushing the advantage against Iran and a new poll that shows the new normal. — BUCKLE UP—Donald Trump's first criminal trial starts today. The jury—when they manage to seat one—will consider whether Trump falsified business records to cover up hush-money payments …

Discussion: Telegraph, Wall Street Journal and The Atlantic

New York Times:

Trump's Criminal Trial to Begin in Manhattan With Jury Selection — Hundreds of Manhattanites have been summoned to court so that prosecutors and defense lawyers can choose 12 who will decide the fate of Donald J. Trump. — The first criminal trial of an American president will begin Monday …

Erica Orden / Politico:
How a hush money scandal turned into a criminal case: The whirlwind history of People v. Trump

Discussion: Vox, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Axios, USA Today, Al Jazeera, AM New York and New York Daily News

Michael Tomasky / New Republic:
We May Finally Get to Write: “Convicted Felon Donald Trump”

Discussion: Deadline, more at Mediagazer »

Nick Robertson / The Hill:
Trump attorney calls hush money case a ‘6-week-long media extravaganza’

Discussion: HuffPost

Washington Post:
COULD YOU JUDGE TRUMP IMPARTIALLY?

Discussion: NPR, Althouse and Associated Press

Washington Post:

Federal criminal investigation opened into Key Bridge crash — The FBI has opened a criminal investigation focusing on the massive container ship that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month — a probe that will look at least in part at whether the crew left …

Kevin Breuninger / CNBC:

Trump Media shares plunge 13% after company files to issue additional DJT stock … This photo illustration shows an image of former President Donald Trump reflected in a phone screen that is displaying the Truth Social app, in Washington, DC, on February 21, 2022.

Discussion: Quartz

Politico:

US to Israel: Don't do something you'll regret — In private calls and public moves, President Joe Biden and his aides are pointing to reasons to look for an off-ramp. — The Biden administration's main message for Israel following Iran's aerial assault comes down to this: Stop and think.

Discussion: Semafor, Washington Post, NBC News, The White House, Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Politico, Diplomatic,, Al-Monitor, RedState, Washington Examiner, CNN, israelhayom.com, Twitchy, Breitbart, Power Line and Reuters

Evan McMorris-Santoro / NOTUS:

Iran's Attack on Israel Has U.S. Politicians Scrambling … As the world waits to see what will come next between Israel and Iran, politicians in America are scrambling to determine their own next steps. — The roiling Israel policy debate has remained near the center of U.S. politics …

Discussion: Townhall, The Guardian, NBC News, UPI, The Hill, USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, Politico, Washington Examiner, Blue Virginia, Axios, NPR and U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell

Yaroslav Trofimov / Wall Street Journal:

Israel Repelled Iran's Huge Attack. But Only With Help From U.S. and Arab Partners. — Working with partners, it fended off worst of Iranian strikes; what comes next will test powers in the Middle East and beyond — Saturday's Iranian strike on Israel was huge by any standard.

Discussion: The Hill, Vox, Talking Points Memo, UPI, The Times of Israel, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, American Military News, Exposing the role …, Israpundit, The Sun, RedState, Louder With Crowder, New York Times, The Atlantic, Al-Monitor, New York Post and Haaretz

Olivia Reingold / The Free Press:
American Anti-War Activists Cheer for Iran's War

Discussion: HotAir, New York Post, Fox News, RedState, CNN, New York Daily News, The Post Millennial, FRSO, Atlantic Council, Instapundit, Reuters, The Gateway Pundit and Althouse

Associated Press:

Tax Day reveals a major split in how Joe Biden and Donald Trump would govern — Tax Day reveals a major split in how Joe Biden and Donald Trump would govern: The presidential candidates have conflicting ideas about how much to reveal about their own finances and the best ways to boost the economy through tax policy.

Discussion: Americans For Tax Fairness, The White House and Robert Reich

Kwan Wei Kevin Tan / Business Insider: Mark Cuban says he's proud to pay $288 million in taxes this year, unlike a certain former president

Gavin Bade / Politico:

Trump trade advisers plot dollar devaluation — Advisers close to the former president — particularly his former trade chief Robert Lighthizer — are considering policies that would weaken the dollar relative to other currencies, which could juice U.S. exports but also fuel inflation.

Erika Solomon / New York Times:

Far Right's Ties to Russia Sow Rising Alarm in Germany — As cases proliferate, opponents fear the Alternative for Germany party is becoming a tool of Russian influence operations to undermine support for Ukraine. — To enter a secret session of Germany's Parliament, lawmakers must lock their phones and leave them outside.

Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:

Supreme Court rejects BLM activist's bid to evade police officer's lawsuit — DeRay Mckesson was sued by a police officer who was injured during a Baton Rouge protest sparked by the killing of a Black man. — WASHINGTON — Rejecting an appeal brought by Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson …

Discussion: Reuters

Riley Rogerson / The Daily Beast:

GOP Lawmakers Are All-In on Trump—a Conviction Be Damned — FIFTH AVENUE FAITHFUL — We asked more than 20 Republicans in Congress whether they were comfortable with the GOP nominee potentially being a convicted felon. Only one expressed any issue with it.

Discussion: New Jersey Online, Reuters, The Guardian, USA Today, Bloomberg, NBC News and NPR

Nick Robertson / The Hill:

Haley joining conservative think tank — Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is set to join the Hudson Institute think tank, the group announced Monday. The post will allow her to keep a notable profile as she mulls a second presidential bid for 2028. — Haley, former President Trump's …

Discussion: Fox News