memeorandum: Arizona governor vetoes bill seeking to erase trans folks from public life (John Russell/LGBTQ Nation)

2:40 AM ET, April 19, 2024

Top Items:

Israeli missiles have hit a site in Iran — A U.S. official confirmed to ABC News Israeli missiles have hit a site in Iran. The official could not confirm whether Syria and Iraq sites were hit as well.

Discussion: Breitbart, Semafor, CNN, Fox News, New York Post and New York Times

CBS News:

Israeli missile hits Iran, U.S. officials confirm — Two U.S. officials confirm to CBS News that an Israeli missile has hit Iran. The strike follows last weekend's retaliatory drone and missile attack against Israel, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to respond to.

Discussion: Associated Press, CNN, New York Times, The Daily Beast, New Statesman, Bloomberg, Forbes, The Times of Israel, Euractiv, The Guardian, Axios, Al-Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Al Jazeera, The Gateway Pundit, The Japan Times and WTOP News

Tzvi Joffre / Jerusalem Post:

Israeli strikes reported in Iran — Syrian reports indicated airstrikes targeted sites belonging to the Syrian Army in the As-Suwayda and Daraa Governorates of southern Syria. — An Israeli missile strike targeted a site in Iran early Friday morning, according to ABC News.

Discussion: The Hill, Washington Examiner, Associated Press, The Sun, Human Events, 6abc and Al-Monitor

Tom Bowman / NPR:

Israel launches missile strikes into Iran in response to Tehran's attack Sunday — The Israeli military has conducted missile strikes against Iran, a senior U.S. military official told NPR on Thursday. There are also reports of explosions in Iraq and Syria.

Discussion: Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Wall Street Journal

Jerusalem Post:
US approves Rafah op. in exchange for no Israeli counter-strikes on Iran - report

Discussion: The Guardian, Orange County Register, HotAir, One America News Network, Twitchy, Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion, Working Class Solidarity, acecomments.mu.nu and The Times of Israel

James Finn / NOLA.com:

Louisiana lawmakers vote to remove lunch breaks for child workers, cut unemployment benefits — A House committee approved the bill along with others to reduce unemployment benefits and workers' compensation wages. — 3 min to read — A Louisiana House committee voted Thursday to repeal …

Discussion: Louisiana Illuminator and Los Angeles Times

New York Times:

Live Updates: One Juror Dismissed as Selection Continues in Trump Trial — The third day of Donald J. Trump's criminal trial began with the dismissal of one of the seven jurors who had already been seated. The former president is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a sex scandal.

Maya Yang / The Guardian:
All 12 jurors seated for Trump's historic criminal trial - as it happened

Discussion: Associated Press, NBC News, New York Times, The Hill, USA Today, MeidasTouch, Bloomberg, One America News Network, Raw Story, Fox News, Washington Examiner, Reuters, NPR, New York Daily News, CBS News and PBS NewsHour

CBS News:
2 members of Trump jury excused, including woman who feared being identified

president.columbia.edu:

Statement from Columbia University President Minouche Shafik — To the Columbia University community: — This morning, I had to make a decision that I hoped would never be necessary. I have always said that the safety of our community was my top priority and that we needed to preserve …

Catie Edmondson / New York Times:

In Unusual Vote, Democrats Rescue Measure to Allow Vote on Ukraine Bill — A resolution to pave the way for the foreign aid package was on track to die in committee amid Republican opposition when Democrats stepped in to save it. — House Republicans took a critical step late Thursday night toward bringing …

Edith Olmsted / The Daily Beast:
Top Dem Goes Nuclear on GOP for ‘Diddling Around’ While People Die in Ukraine

Discussion: Raw Story, Washington Examiner and CBS News

Lauren Sforza / The Hill:
Top Democrat in fiery speech says House ‘diddling around’ while people ‘dying in Ukraine’

Discussion: HotAir, New York Daily News and Al-Monitor

New York Times:
House Moves Toward Bundling TikTok Bill With Aid to Ukraine and Israel

New York Times:

Biden, Eyeing Threat From R.F.K. Jr., Turns to His Famous Family for Help — The rollout of endorsements from the Kennedys signaled the urgency the Biden campaign feels toward Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s independent bid, and its desire to discredit him. — The elaborate rollout …

Discussion: The Guardian, Newsbusters, Vanity Fair, Washington Post, HuffPost, CBS News, ABC7, UPI, USA Today, Politico, Washington Examiner and Los Angeles Times

Scott Dworkin / The Dworkin Report:

Kennedy Family Strongly Endorses Biden — “That's right, the Kennedy family endorses Joe Biden for President,” Kerry Kennedy said in a speech with President Biden flanked to her right, and 5 siblings behind her. — Subscribe now — Kerry Kennedy spoke firmly and clearly …

Discussion: The Daily Caller, One America News Network, Bloomberg, The Hill, Mediaite and WINK News

Steven Nelson / New York Post:

White House admits Biden uncle wasn't eaten by cannibals, died in Pacific Ocean crash — WASHINGTON — White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged Thursday that President Biden's maternal uncle, Ambrose Finnegan, actually died when his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean during World War II …

Discussion: USA Today, RedState, Washington Examiner, Twitchy and Fox News

Bonchie / RedState:
SENILE: Joe Biden's Painfully Awkward Trip to a Gas Station Is a Major Red Flag

Discussion: HotAir, Middle East Monitor and IJR

Steven Nelson / New York Post:
Biden suggests uncle eaten by ‘cannibals’ in New Guinea — but military says his WWII plane lost at sea

Yvonne Wingett Sanchez / Washington Post:

Turning Point Action official resigns after accusation of election-related fraud — PHOENIX — A top leader of the national conservative group Turning Point Action, which has amplified false claims of election fraud by former president Donald Trump and others, resigned Thursday after being accused …

Discussion: Arizona Mirror, Rolling Stone, Associated Press, Raw Story, PoliticusUSA and MeidasTouch

The Hill:

Momentum grows to remove Johnson over potential change to ouster rule — Momentum is growing quickly behind the effort to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from power if he moves to alter the motion to vacate rule as part of a package of foreign aid that's expected to pass through the House this weekend.

Discussion: Punchbowl News, CNN, WRIC-TV, New York Post, New Yorker, WPRI-TV, Politico, Fox News, Washington Times, Alternet.org, Vanity Fair, Washington Examiner, Digby's Hullabaloo and NewsNation

Laura Kelly / The Hill:
Pompeo puts support behind Johnson in pushing aid for Ukraine

Discussion: Breitbart

Juliegrace Brufke / Axios:
Conservatives corner Mike Johnson in House floor confrontation

Discussion: Newsweek, The Hill, Alternet.org, Commentary Magazine, Politico, Voice of America, The Mahablog and Washington Examiner

Kyle Cheney / Politico:

Jan. 6 lawsuits against Trump may advance despite criminal case, judge rules — Instead, the judge ordered Trump to begin describing the basis for his claim that he is immune from the lawsuits. — Lawsuits by members of Congress and police officers against Donald Trump for his actions …

Discussion: Associated Press, New York Times, Forbes, Raw Story and Press Herald

David Ingram / NBC News:

Hyundai pauses X ads over pro-Nazi content on the platform — The move came after a Hyundai ad appeared next to antisemitic posts from a user who has posted pro-Hitler content. — The automaker Hyundai said it had paused its advertising on Elon Musk's social media app, X …

Discussion: HuffPost, LGBTQ Nation and The Hill, more at Mediagazer »

John Russell / LGBTQ Nation:

Arizona governor vetoes bill seeking to erase trans folks from public life — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed 13 Republican bills on Tuesday, including one that LGBTQ+ advocates say would have erased transgender people from legal recognition in the state.

David Badash / Alternet.org:

‘They want Russia to win so badly’: GOP congressman blasts far-right House Republicans — A sitting Republican Congressman is harshly criticizing far-right House Republicans over their apparent support of Russia. — “I guess their reasoning is they want Russia to win so badly that they want to oust the Speaker over it.

Discussion: Mediaite and IJR

David Gilbert / Wired:

Far-Right Sheriffs Want a Citizen Army to Stop ‘Illegal Immigrant’ Voters — Speakers at a conference for Constitutional Sheriffs claimed that militias need to patrol polling stations to stop the “expected flood” of immigrant voters. — As the presidential election approaches …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo

Andrew Solender / Axios:

36-year-old joins wave of House Republican retirements … - Two House Republicans told Axios they expect more retirement announcements in the coming weeks. … - “It is time to pursue other opportunities and have the benefit of spending more time with my family,” he said.

Discussion: Associated Press, Washington Examiner, Alternet.org, Roll Call, The Gateway Pundit, Kansas Reflector, The Hill, KSNT-TV and Blaze Media

Politico:
Dems sit back as House GOP dukes it out over foreign aid

Discussion: Axios, PennLive, Raw Story, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, HotAir, Press Herald and Daily Kos

Filip Timotija / The Hill:

FBI watching for threats to Jewish Americans ahead of Passover, Wray says — The FBI is monitoring for threats against Jewish Americans ahead of the Passover holiday, FBI Director Christopher Wray said, adding that the number was already high before Hamas's Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Washington Free Beacon, ABC7 and Jewish Telegraphic Agency