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12:35 PM ET, January 31, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Washington Post:
Senior U.S. official to exit after rift with Musk allies over payment system  —  A top Treasury career staffer is expected to depart.  Surrogates of Musk's DOGE effort had sought access to sensitive payment systems.  —  The highest-ranking career official at the Treasury Department …
RELATED:
Hafiz Rashid / New Republic:   Elon Musk Is Trying to Get Control of Key Payment System—at Any Cost
New York Times:
Paramount in Settlement Talks With Trump Over ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit  —  A settlement, if reached, would be an extraordinary concession by a major U.S. media company to a sitting president.  —  When Donald J. Trump sued CBS for $10 billion days before the 2024 election, accusing the company …
RELATED:
Brian Stelter / CNN:
CBS staff alarmed by reports of settlement talks with Trump over ‘60 Minutes’ Harris interview  —  Journalists, including some at CBS News, are expressing alarm at reports that CBS parent company Paramount Global is trying to settle a legally dubious lawsuit lodged by President Donald Trump last fall.
Discussion: The Daily Wire and Daily Kos
Oliver Darcy / Status:
The Art of the Kneel  —  If a settlement deal is inked with Donald Trump, Shari Redstone will be remembered as the mogul who sold out “60 Minutes.”  —  The journalists at CBS News are livid at Paramount Global boss Shari Redstone over the company's move to engage in settlement talks with Donald Trump.
Discussion: New York Post
New York Times:
Clues From D.C. Plane Crash Suggest Multiple Failures in Aviation Safety  —  Clues emerging from the moments before an Army helicopter collided with a passenger jet suggest breakdowns in the system meant to help aircraft land safely at the busy Reagan National Airport.  — 1.2k
RELATED:
Kate Kelly / New York Times:
Official Email Urges Federal Workers to Find More Productive Jobs  —  On Thursday, vast numbers of the government work force received an “F.A.Q.s” e-mail on how to leave their “lower productivity jobs” in government for more productive ones in business.  —  Late on Thursday …
Discussion: Reuters and Townhall
John Hudson / Washington Post:
A career official tried to undo Trump's purge at USAID.  He was then purged, too.  —  The dramatic purge and counter-purge played out in emails obtained by The Washington Post, as Trump's pause on aid upends humanitarian work around the world.  —  The Trump administration's purge of dozens …
RELATED:
Sam Stein / The Bulwark:
Rising Dem: Don't Raise Debt Limit Without Concessions From Trump  —  Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) joins Sam Stein to discuss Trump's first 10 days, including the chaos around federal funding, mass deportation orders, the possibility he may run for governor, and how the Democratic Party can find success in the age of Trump.
Wall Street Journal:
Trump Aides Hunt for 11th-Hour Deal to Dial Back Canada-Mexico Tariffs  —  President says he will decide tonight whether oil will be included in levies … President Trump's advisers are considering several offramps to avoid enacting the universal tariffs on Mexico and Canada that he had pledged …
RELATED:
Peter Baker / New York Times:
From Anguish to Aggression: Trump Goes on Offense After Midair Collision  —  President Trump at moments of national tragedy has always been more comfortable finding fault than providing comfort or expressing empathy.  —  After TWA Flight 800 crashed in New York in 1996, President Bill Clinton asked …
Discussion: The Japan Times, Advocate and The Hill
RELATED:
Axios:
What the data says about Trump's DEI air crash claims
Jonathan Chait / The Atlantic:
Is There Anything Trump Won't Blame on DEI?
RELATED:
Joseph Shapiro / NPR:
People with intellectual disabilities do lots of jobs — but they don't direct air traffic
David Corn / Mother Jones:
SCOOP: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Admits Settlement for “Misconduct” Accusation  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has admitted to the US Senate that he has reached at least one settlement agreement in which he was accused of misconduct or inappropriate behavior.  —  After the Senate Finance Committee …
Discussion: New Republic
Natasha Korecki / NBC News:
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker blocks Jan. 6 rioters from state jobs after Trump pardons  —  In a written directive, the Democratic Illinois governor tells his hiring office that “no one who attempts to overthrow a government should serve in government.”  —  Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is blocking …
Discussion: Raw Story
E&E News by POLITICO:
The fight over spending just got a lot more complicated … Russell Vought's likely confirmation to be President Donald Trump's White House budget chief is stoking fears among Democrats and other observers that the administration will disregard federal spending laws and throw a wrench into Congress' efforts to reach a funding deal.
RELATED:
Politico:
Hey, where's that Trump-proofing money already?
Politico:
Pentagon shocked by Trump's order to house migrants in Guantanamo Bay  —  Defense officials are trying to figure out how to hold thousands of people on an aging military base with minimal staff.  —  President Donald Trump's plan to use Guantanamo Bay to detain migrants thrusts the Pentagon …
RELATED:
Brady Leonard / Washington Examiner:   Trump 2.0 is miles ahead of the Democrats
James Romoser / Politico:
How Trump Could Snatch a Third Term — Despite the 22nd Amendment  —  Four ways Trump could stay in power beyond 2028.  —  Less than two weeks have passed since the last presidential inauguration, but try to imagine the next one.  —  It's Jan. 20, 2029.  The nation has weathered another tumultuous four years under Donald Trump.
Sanjana Karanth / HuffPost:
New DOT Memo Directs Funds To Communities With Higher ‘Marriage And Birth Rates’  —  The memo also said recipients of federal transportation funding must also cooperate with immigration enforcement, a hit to so-called sanctuary cities.  —  LOADING  —  The Department of Transportation …
Discussion: Raw Story and CT Mirror
Stephanie Kirchgaessner / The Guardian:
WhatsApp says journalists and civil society members were targets of Israeli spyware  —  Messaging app said it had ‘high confidence’ some users were targeted and ‘possibly compromised’ by Paragon Solutions spyware  —  Stephanie Kirchgaessner in Washington DC
Discussion: Reuters, Engadget and TechCrunch
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
Senate Democrat: Republicans ‘really uncomfortable’ with Gabbard nomination  —  Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) says he's unsure about the fate of former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard's nomination as director of national intelligence, casting doubt on her ability to garner enough support for confirmation.
RELATED:
John Sakellariadis / Politico:
Gabbard was hoping for the Pete Hegseth hearing treatment. She didn't get it.
Matt Heilman / KBSL-TV:
Civil rights attorney, former Miss Kansas contestant killed in plane crash near DC airport  —  WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - As families and communities identify victims in Wednesday night's plane crash near Washington, D.C., we're learning that a well-known civil rights attorney and former Miss Kansas contestant is among the 67 people dead.
Washington Post:
Records undercut Tulsi Gabbard's claim of ignorance on cleric's views  —  The nominee for director of national intelligence said, under oath, that she did not know “until today” that a prominent cleric she met in Syria threatened to unleash suicide bombers in the United States.
Jay Stahl / USA Today:
Chuck Todd exiting NBC News after nearly 20 years as Trump starts second term  —  Chuck Todd is leaving NBC News.  —  The NBC chief political analyst and former “Meet The Press” moderator announced the news in a memo shared with staff Friday.  The exit comes amid broad shifts …
Bloomberg:
Costco Raises Pay to Over $30 an Hour for Most Store Workers  — Company will raise wages for highest tier of hourly workers  — Costco is latest retailer to boost rates to attract more labor  —  Costco Wholesale Corp. is raising pay for most of its hourly US workers to more than $30 …
Discussion: Quartz and FOX 13 Tampa Bay
New York Times:
Trump Administration Shocks Senior F.B.I. Ranks by Moving to Replace Them  —  Top officials have been told to retire or be fired in the coming days, fueling fear within an agency that has been a target of President Trump and Kash Patel, his nominee to be F.B.I. director.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Brian Rokos / Daily News:
Neo-Nazi group coerced 2 San Bernardino County children to film child porn, harm themselves, feds say
Discussion: Los Angeles Times
Jon Brodkin / Ars Technica:
Trump's FCC chair investigates NPR and PBS, urges Congress to defund them
Joseph Choi / The Hill:
Democrats want answers on cost-cutting prescription payment models abandoned by Trump
Peggy Noonan / Wall Street Journal:
Trump and the Collapse of the Old Order
Discussion: HotAir
Washington Monthly:
Trump is About to Step on Putin's Trap
Discussion: The National Interest and The Hill
ProPublica:
ProPublica's Coverage of Donald Trump's Appointments — and How They Could Reshape Federal Agencies
New York Times:
How the World Is Reeling From Trump's Aid Freeze
Discussion: Progress Pond and The Hill
STAT:
With little fanfare, Biden administration stacked vaccine advisory committee with new members
 Earlier Items: 
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Scoop: Democrats want cable companies to pay for TV blackouts
Bloomberg:
Trump Sparks Lasting Panic With Funding Ban That Ended in Two Days
Neko Pitcher / The Japan News:
JAEA Plans Hydrogen Facility Integrated with N-Reactor; Goal Is Steady Supply of Hydrogen without CO2 Byproduct
Discussion: RedState
Zack Stanton / Politico:
Playbook: Trump's narrative shift
Discussion: Just Security
Adam B. Vary / Variety:
‘Emilia Pérez’ Star Karla Sofía Gascón Under Fire Over Tweets About Muslims, George Floyd, Oscars Diversity
Eric Boodman / STAT:
National Science Foundation suspends salary payments, leaving researchers unable to pay their bills
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Bron Maher / Press Gazette:
Newsquest's editorial development director says it now employs 36 “AI-assisted” reporters, freeing up the rest of the newsroom to “be out pounding the beat”

Brian Steinberg / Variety:
A look at CBS' bet on its massive overhaul of the Evening News, with greater emphasis on in-depth reporting on the ground from places beyond NYC, DC, and LA

Dominic Ponsford / Press Gazette:
Tortoise Media names Times journalist Rachel Sylvester as The Observer's political editor; a source says 50%+ of Observer staff have decided to leave

 
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