memeorandum: Eroding Freedom in the Name of Freedom (Erik Eckholm/New York Times)

10:00 AM ET, March 31, 2015

Top Items:

Gov. Pence, fix ‘religious freedom’ law now — We are at a critical moment in Indiana's history. — And much is at stake. — Our image. Our reputation as a state that embraces people of diverse backgrounds and makes them feel welcome. And our efforts over many years to retool our economy …

Mike Pence / Wall Street Journal:

Ensuring Religious Freedom in Indiana — Our new law has been grossly misconstrued as a ‘license to discriminate.’ That isn't true, and here's why. — By — Last week I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, known as RFRA, which ensures that Indiana law will respect religious freedom …

New York Times:

In Indiana, Using Religion as a Cover for Bigotry — Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana, who last week signed a religious-freedom law driven by bigotry against gays and lesbians, has been complaining that the law's opponents — which include top business leaders and civil-rights groups — are spreading “misinformation.”

Discussion: Washington Post, Guardian, Common Dreams, The Week, AMERICAblog News, Bloomberg View, Human Rights Campaign Blog, Boston Globe, Daily Kos, WLFI-TV and bizjournals

Erik Eckholm / New York Times:

Eroding Freedom in the Name of Freedom — When the federal government adopted a religious protection act in 1993, same-sex marriage was not on the horizon. — An informal coalition of liberals and conservatives endorsed the Religious Freedom Restoration Act because it seemed to protect members …

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, National Journal, Religion Clause and Josh Blackman's Blog

Hugh Hewitt / The Hugh Hewitt Show:

Jeb Bush On The Indiana Law, Iran, and Hillary — Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is making a California swing this week, and came by the studio today: — Audio: — 03-30hhs-bush-1 — 03-30hhs-bush-2 — Transcript: — HH: I begin with a great drop-in guest, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush joins me in the studio.

Discussion: BREITBART.COM, McClatchy Washington Bureau, Washington Post, Washington Blade, Business Insider, New York Times and Bloomberg Business

Ross Douthat / New York Times:

Questions For Indiana's Critics — I know that I should say something about the backlash and debate over Indiana's version of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, but it's been hard to come up with something that I didn't already say in my column when it was Arizona's variation on the same law …

Discussion: Washington Post, The Week, RedState, The Daily Caller, Hot Air, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, Obsidian Wings and ThinkProgress

ABC News:

GOP Presidential Hopefuls Back Indiana ‘Religious Freedom’ Law — Key Republican presidential hopefuls are backing Indiana's new Religious Freedom Restoration Act amid growing concern over possible discrimation against gays and lesbians when the law takes effect.

Discussion: New York Times, No More Mister Nice Blog, BarbWire.com, Re/code, OnPolitics, Hit & Run, Raw Story, Slate and CNN

Tom Davies / Associated Press:
Indiana Lawmakers Try to Quiet Firestorm Surrounding New Law

Discussion: Common Dreams

Matt Wilstein / Mediaite:
Ben Carson Has a Hot Take on Indiana's ‘Religious Freedom’ Law

Discussion: Washington Post

Emily Zanotti / American Spectator:
Wilco Cancels IN Show But Not Shows In 9 Other RFRA States

Discussion: Bloomberg Business, WGN-TV and National Review

Ben Kamisar / The Hill:
Rubio backs religious freedom law

Discussion: The Right Scoop

Alex Swoyer / BREITBART.COM:
EXCLUSIVE: Dr. Ben Carson: ‘Absolutely Vital’ Americans Stand Up For Indiana's Religious Freedom Law

Discussion: The Huffington Post, The Charlotte Observer, USA Today, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Washington Times, Mediaite, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Political Insider blog, Talking Points Memo and Bloomberg Business

Brian Eason / Indianapolis Star:
Ballard to legislature: Add sexual orientation as protected class

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Huffington Post, Daily Kos, Politico, Raw Story and Towleroad News #gay

William C. Rhoden / New York Times:
Off the Dribble and Into a Firestorm in Indiana

Discussion: Salon and The Mahablog

Washington Post:

Poll: Clear majority supports nuclear deal with Iran — By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Americans support the notion of striking a deal with Iran that restricts the nation's nuclear program in exchange for loosening sanctions, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Wall Street Journal, Politico, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, The Colorado Independent, The Hill, Prairie Weather, Political Wire, The Times of Israel and Power Line

Jordan Fabian / The Hill: Rabbi warns Obama against appeasing Iran

Numbers / Pew Research Center for the People …:
More Approve Than Disapprove of Iran Talks, But Most Think Iranians Are ‘Not Serious’

Discussion: Politico, Washington Post, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, ABC News and Hot Air

Jack Gillum / Associated Press:

Clinton also used iPad for email; mixed personal, work chats — 1 photo — WASHINGTON (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton emailed her staff on an iPad as well as a BlackBerry while secretary of state, despite her explanation she exclusively used a personal email address on a homebrew server …

Discussion: Politico, Bloomberg Business and Hot Air

Chicago Tribune:

Mayor Rahm Emanuel opens big lead on mayoral challenger Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia — Mayor Rahm Emanuel has opened up a substantial lead on challenger Jesus “Chuy” Garcia with only a week to go in the runoff campaign, a new Chicago Tribune poll has found. — Emanuel has the backing of 58 percent …

Discussion: Politico and Chicago

Ben Terris / Washington Post:

He's got a 'Downton Abbey'-inspired office, but Rep. Aaron Schock won't talk about it. — The Rayburn House Office Building is a labyrinth of beige offices. — And then, there's . . . Rep. Aaron Schock's new digs. — Bright red walls. A gold-colored wall sconce with black candles.

Discussion: ABC News and OnPolitics

Jason Silverstein / NY Daily News:

EXCLUSIVE: NYPD investigating video of cop unleashing xenophobic rant on Uber driver (WARNING: GRAPHIC LANGUAGE IN VIDEO) — The NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating a video that appears to show a plainclothes cop unleashing a xenophobic rant on an Uber driver during a traffic stop …

Discussion: Raw Story and New York Magazine

Susan Svrluga / Washington Post:

Justice Dept. sues a university for firing a professor who switched gender — The U.S. Justice Department is suing an Oklahoma university, charging that school officials discriminated against a professor who changed gender during her time working there. — Rachel Tudor was hired …

Discussion: Weekly Standard

Andrew Kaczynski / BuzzFeed:

The Political Education Of Rafael Cruz — From a pro-Castro student activist to anti-communist crusader. — The parade. — Historic Images — Long before his son would run for president, or he himself would become a popular political speaker, Rafael Cruz was something else for a brief period: a pro-Castro student activist.

Lawrence Hurley / Reuters:

Supreme Court rejects free speech appeal over Cinco de Mayo school dispute — CBS Local - Officials in Morgan Hill are concerned about protesters converging at Live Oak High School on Cinco de Mayo, after a court upheld the school's decision to discipline students wearing American flag ...more t-shirts.

Discussion: Hot Air and Scared Monkeys

Lawrence Hurley / Reuters:
U.S. Supreme Court rejects Obamacare ‘death panel’ challenge

Discussion: Daily Kos and LifeNews.com

Michael C Bender / Bloomberg Business:

Jeb Bush's Biggest Weakness May be His Biggest Annoyance — The former Florida governor's family name is both a blessing and a curse. — MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.-Eating a buffet breakfast inside a Brazilian steakhouse about a mile from the waves crashing on South Carolina's coast …

Discussion: FishbowlDC

Annie Lowrey / New York Magazine:

Ellen Pao and the Sexism You Can't Quite Prove — A covert culture of discrimination is often the one that hurts women the most. — 10.5k — Shares — 9.3k — 1.1k — It happens all the time when my husband and I are at work events together. Cocktail Party Guy asks my husband …