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6:15 PM ET, April 16, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
CNN:
IRS making plans to rescind Harvard's tax-exempt status  —  The Internal Revenue Service is making plans to rescind the tax-exempt status of Harvard University, according to two sources familiar with the matter, which would be an extraordinary step of retaliation as the Trump administration seeks …
Discussion: Washington Post, NPR and KDFX-TV
RELATED:
Fatima Hussein / Associated Press:
Trump administration plans to end the IRS Direct File program for free tax filing, AP sources say  —  The Trump administration plans to eliminate the IRS' Direct File program, an electronic system for filing tax returns directly to the agency for free, according to two people familiar with the decision.
Washington Post:
Trump administration asks IRS to revoke Harvard's tax-exempt status  —  The directive to the IRS is a significant escalation of President Trump's feud with Harvard University and other Ivy League institutions and other nonprofit groups his administration views as “woke.”
Discussion: E&E News
Wall Street Journal:
Donald Trump Tries to Run Harvard  —  Many of his demands on the school exceed his power under the Constitution.  —  Click for Sound  —  The Trump Administration on Monday froze $2.2 billion in funds to Harvard after the university refused to surrender to its sweeping demands.
David Sirota / The Lever:
Trump IRS Pick Was Just Enriched By Tax Schemers
Discussion: CBS News
Senator Chris Van Hollen / Senator Chris Van Hollen on YouTube:
Van Hollen speaks to press after meeting with El Salvador VP about return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia  —  Van Hollen speaks to press from El Salvador after meeting with El Salvador Vice President Félix Ulloa about return of wrongly deported Marylander Kilmar Abre...
RELATED:
Reuters:
Trump administration likely acted in contempt of court by not turning around deportation flights, judge says
Chris Geidner / Law Dork:
Judge finds “probable cause” the Trump admin is in contempt over March 15 flights
Discussion: Twitchy
New York Times:
Law Firms Made Deals With Trump.  Now He Wants More From Them.  —  To avoid retribution, big firms agreed to provide free legal services for uncontroversial causes.  To the White House, that could mean negotiating trade deals — or even defending the president and his allies.
NBC News:
Federal judge calls Trump's order targeting prominent law firm a ‘shocking abuse of power’  —  Trump, three months into his term, has moved swiftly to use the powers of the presidency in unprecedented ways to punish, weaken and silence his enemies, experts say.
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Former Trump Official Targeted With Government Probe Vows to Fight  —  Chris Krebs, the top cybersecurity official in Trump's first term, resigned from his private-sector job  —  WASHINGTON—A former top Trump administration official targeted with a federal investigation by President Trump …
Discussion: Axios, more at Techmeme »
Paul Krugman:
Why Trump Will Lose His Trade War  —  Scenes from the trade war:  — In response to Donald Trump's huge tariffs on Chinese exports, China's government has suspended exports of rare earth minerals and magnets, both critical to many modern industries and the military
RELATED:
Washington Post:
Trump's D.C. U.S. attorney pick appeared on Russian state media over 150 times  —  Trump nominee Ed Martin's 100-plus appearances on Russian state-directed media RT and Sputnik from 2016 to 2024 alarm some former national security officials.
Discussion: Bloomberg and Raw Story
RELATED:
Alex Griffing / Mediaite:   Trump Nominee for DC U.S. Attorney Did Not Disclose Over 100 Appearances on Russian State Media to the Senate: Report
Senator Chris Van Hollen / YouTube:
Just landed in El Salvador to discuss release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia  —  I just landed in San Salvador a little while ago, and I look forward to meeting with the team at the U.S. embassy to discuss the release of Mr. Abrego Garcia...
Discussion: The Guardian and Daily Kos
RELATED:
Senator Chris Van Hollen / YouTube:
Headed to El Salvador to meet with government officials and discuss return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia
Discussion: ABC News
Megan Lebowitz / NBC News:
Sen. Chris Van Hollen travels to El Salvador to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia's release
Marc Caputo / Axios:
Trump dashed Musk's secret Pentagon briefing on China  —  Beyond tariffs and court battles over Trump policies, two pieces of White House palace intrigue emerged Tuesday:  — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suspended two top Pentagon officials, Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick …
RELATED:
Eileen Guo / MIT Technology Review:
US office that counters foreign disinformation is being eliminated  —  The only office within the US State Department that monitors foreign disinformation is to be eliminated, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, confirming reporting by MIT Technology Review.
Judd Legum / Popular Information:
Truth Social launches scheme to profit from Trump's tariff policies  —  The signature economic policy of President Trump's second term has been tariffs, which Trump has imposed, frozen, and revised haphazardly.  On April 2, which Trump dubbed “Liberation Day,” Trump imposed “reciprocal” …
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
Inside the Mind of an ICE Agent  —  Is this what she signed up for?  —  ∙ Paid  —  Quick update: Yesterday it was reported Cory Booker is joining Chris Van Hollen in going to El Salvador.  John Lewis would be proud.  This is good trouble; necessary trouble.  —  1. Choices
Nick Miroff / The Atlantic:
We're About to Find Out What Mass Deportation Really Looks Like  —  This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter.  Sign up for it here.  —  The Trump administration is working hard to convince the public that its mass-deportation campaign is fully under way.
Juliette Rihl / PennLive:
Pa. Gov. Shapiro was targeted for ‘what he wants to do to Palestinian people’: warrant  —  The suspect in the arson attack at the Governor's Residence targeted Josh Shapiro due to his perceived stance on Palestine, according to a search warrant obtained by PennLive.
Nick Timiraos / Wall Street Journal:
Powell Warns of ‘Challenging Scenario’ for Fed as Trade War Rages  —  Sees strong likelihood that consumers face higher prices while unemployment rises because of tariff increases  —  Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the central bank could have less flexibility to quickly cushion …
Washington Post:
Internal budget document reveals extent of Trump's proposed health cuts  —  HHS would be asked to absorb a $40 billion cut, about one third of its discretionary budget.  —  Just now  —  The Trump administration is seeking to deeply slash budgets for federal health programs …
Discussion: Politico
Severin Carrell / The Guardian:
Legal definition of woman is based on biological sex, UK supreme court rules  —  Judges say Equality Act definition excludes transgender women, after gender-critical campaigners' challenge  —  The UK supreme court has ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” in the Equality Act refer …
Bryan Anderson / Anderson Alerts:
Riggs on track to win NC Supreme Court race  —  Based on a court filing from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Democratic Supreme Court Justice will defeat Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin.  —  ∙ Paid  —  Democratic Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs …
Discussion: The Guardian
Dylan Matthews / Vox:
Manufacturing jobs are never coming back  —  “Jobs and factories will come roaring back into our country,” President Donald Trump promised on “Liberation Day,” as he announced tariffs that have shocked global markets and set the country on course for a recession.  “We will supercharge our domestic industrial base.
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Schumer Moves to Block Trump Picks for Two Key Prosecutor Positions  —  An arcane Senate tradition effectively gives senators veto power over nominees for U.S. attorney in their home states, providing Democrats a potential opening to stop President Trump's picks.
NPR:
Judge: ‘Probable cause’ to hold U.S. in contempt over Alien Enemies Act deportations  —  Judge James Boasberg of the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia ruled Wednesday that there is “probable cause” to find the Trump administration in criminal contempt of court after he said it violated …
Jill Lawrence / The Bulwark:
America's Shameful ‘No’ to the World  —  A HISTORIC GEORGETOWN CHURCH recently mailed out flyers about its 2025-26 concert season, and I was drawn to the opening performance this fall: “Stellar Mexican quartet honors music of the New World on farewell tour.”
Discussion: Lucid
Carolyn Y. Johnson / Washington Post:
Women, minorities fired in purge of NIH science review boards  —  Scientists, with expertise in fields that include mental health, cancer and infectious disease, typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal.  —  Thirty-eight of 43 experts cut last month …
Molly Taft / Wired:
DOGE Cuts Pull AmeriCorps Volunteers Off of Disaster Relief Jobs  —  Workers for the National Civilian Community Corps were sent home due to “new operational parameters.”  The program's long-term fate is unclear.  —  AmeriCorps, the US federal agency that oversees volunteerism and service work …
Discussion: Associated Press
Brooke Migdon / The Hill:
Judge rules against parents who wore wristbands to protest transgender student athlete  —  A federal judge ruled Monday that two fathers cannot wear pink wristbands with two X's — the symbol for female chromosomes — drawn on them in opposition to a transgender high school athlete on one of their daughters' rival soccer teams.
NPR:
Trump exploiting antisemitism fears to undermine rule of law, warns Jewish coalition  —  A coalition of Jewish groups warns that the Trump administration is making Jews less safe by targeting international students who protested Israel's war in Gaza and the universities where they study.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Bloomberg:
GOP Senator McCormick Says Millionaire Tax Hike Won't Fly
New York Times:
Musk's Team Is Building a System to Sell ‘Gold Card’ Immigrant Visas
Discussion: Raw Story
Cass Sunstein / Cass's Substack:
Universities and Federal Funding
President Donald J. Trump / The White House:
Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement
Tina Reed / Axios:
RFK Jr. contradicts CDC on causes of autism
 Earlier Items: 
Elena Schneider / Politico:
In unprecedented move, DNC official to spend big to take down fellow Democrats
Lori Ann LaRocco / CNBC:
Trade war fallout: Cancellations of Chinese freight ships begin as bookings plummet
Maya C. Miller / New York Times:
2 Protesters at Marjorie Taylor Greene Town Hall Are Subdued With Stun Guns
New York Post:
Trump administration refers NY AG Letitia James for potential prosecution over alleged mortgage fraud
Dana Mattioli / Wall Street Journal:
The Tactics Elon Musk Uses to Manage His ‘Legion’ of Babies—and Their Mothers