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Exclusive: Ex-Trump World Tower doorman releases ‘catch-and-kill’ contract about alleged Trump affair — (CNN)A former Trump World Tower doorman who says he has knowledge of an alleged affair President Donald Trump had with an ex-housekeeper, which resulted in a child, is now able to talk …
Discussion:
Talking Points Memo, FOX6Now.com, Splinter, Raw Story, Joe.My.God., Hill Reporter, POLITICUSUSA, Booman Tribune, Political Wire, Balloon Juice and Daily Kos


The three illegal acts that may have helped Trump win the presidency — The nation heard this week accusations that Donald Trump was personally involved in the decision to offer two women money shortly before the 2016 election to keep them from sharing stories of alleged affairs.
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA
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Allen Weisselberg, Top Trump Organization Official, Was Granted Immunity for Testimony — Federal prosecutors in Manhattan struck a deal earlier this summer with Allen Weisselberg, the longtime chief financial officer of the Trump Organization, granting him immunity for his grand jury testimony …
Discussion:
emptywheel, Salon, Politico, Wall Street Journal, The National Memo, The Guardian and Axios, more at Mediagazer »

Aides expect Trump to go rogue on Manafort pardon
Discussion:
Daily Caller News Foundation, The Daily Caller, Axios, Joe.My.God., AOL, The Hill and Yahoo

Allen Weisselberg, the Man Who Knows Donald Trump's Financial Secrets, Has Agreed to Become a Coöperating Witness
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Vox, The Atlantic and Daily Kos

QAnon Leaders Crack Down on Mentions of Cohen After He Turned on Trump
Discussion:
Mashable and Hullabaloo

Trump on Weisselberg: ‘He Did Whatever Was Necessary’
Discussion:
USA Today, The Atlantic, The Real Deal New York, MSNBC and Towleroad Gay News


Trump Meets QAnon Kook Who Believes Democrats Run Pedophile Cult … President Donald Trump posed for Oval Office photos on Thursday with one of the leading promoters of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which claims that top Democrats are part of a global pedophile cult.
Discussion:
ThinkProgress, Washington Post, New Republic, Boing Boing, Balloon Juice and twitchy.com


Beto O'Rourke says “nothing more American” than NFL players protesting the national anthem — Rep. Beto O'Rourke, the Democratic candidate challenging Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, was featured in a viral video posted to Twitter on Tuesday giving an answer at a town hall defending NFL players who kneel during the national anthem before games.
Discussion:
Mediaite, New York Times, The Hill, Hot Air, theGrio, Conservative News Today and Breitbart


Bad blood between McCain and Trump lingers, even as the Arizona Republican nears the end — It got off to a bad start, and President Trump's venomous relationship with Sen. John McCain probably won't end well either. — The president was reportedly disinvited to McCain's funeral months ago …
Discussion:
Politico, POLITICUSUSA, The Week, Joe.My.God., CNN and Reuters
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What Will Mueller Do? The Answer Might Lie in a By-the-Book Past — The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has approached law enforcement consistently for decades: leading aggressive investigations marked by adherence to precedent and higher office. — WASHINGTON — Long …


APNewsBreak: DNC, TV networks discuss presidential debates — CHICAGO (AP) — The Democratic Party has begun conversations with television networks about a series of presidential primary debates in 2019, a top party official has told The Associated Press. — The talks are “in the very early stages …
Discussion:
Political Wire and Daily Caller News Foundation


Trump renews attack on Attorney General Jeff Sessions, claiming ‘real corruption goes untouched’ — President Trump lashed out again at Attorney General Jeff Sessions, saying he lets “real corruption” go untouched while special counsel Robert Mueller's team is “having a field day.”
Discussion:
Wall Street Journal, CNN and Breitbart


Judge Strikes Down Key Parts of Trump's Orders Easing the Firing of Federal Workers — A federal district judge in Washington struck down most of the key provisions of three executive orders that President Trump signed in late May that would have made it easier to fire federal employees.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Axios, Joe.My.God. and The Guardian


How Far America Has Fallen — The thing with every shocking revelation about Trump is that it's already baked into his image. I've never met a Trump supporter who did not know exactly who he is. — RIDGWAY, Colo. — It's different in the West. It's easier to feel in touch with some essence of what America is.


Trump anxiety spreads through South Korea — Many South Koreans worry that the U.S. president — though hailed for bringing Kim Jong Un to the table — lacks the patience for a true breakthrough with the North. — SEOUL — South Koreans are growing more anxious about President Donald Trump's commitment …
Discussion:
Axios, Shareblue Media and Joe.My.God.
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Chapel Hill Police Officer With Anti-Government Militia Tattoo Will Keep His Job — The North Carolina officer's Three Percenters tattoo was visible as he stood guard near the “Silent Sam” Confederate memorial. — The Chapel Hill Police Department will not discipline a police officer …


A dirty plan that would kill Americans — OF THE many negative results stemming from President Trump's election, this was perhaps the most predictable: The Environmental Protection Agency revealed Tuesday a sorry new climate-change plan, seemingly designed to weaken as much as legally possible …
Discussion:
nrdc.org, New York Times and CleanTechnica


Money Really Does Lead to a More Satisfying Life — New research suggests that more money really does lead to a more satisfying life. Surveys of thousands of Swedish lottery winners have provided persuasive evidence of this truth. — Lottery winners said they were substantially more satisfied with their lives than lottery losers.


TPUSA Members Quit in Protest of ‘Exploiting’ Mollie Tibbetts' Death … The University of Iowa chapter of a conservative student organization declined a proposal that the campus host two of the group's highest-profile national leaders for an “immigration event” following the alleged murder …
Discussion:
POLITICUSUSA, Althouse, Spectator USA and Mediaite
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Republicans Are Exploiting the Murder of Mollie Tibbetts
Discussion:
Hit & Run


Paul Manafort's trial in D.C. to take 3 weeks, probe Ukraine lobbying world — The Paul Manafort trial set for September in Washington is expected to last three weeks and, on the basis of a list of 1,500 possible exhibits, will delve far more deeply into how he operated as a lobbyist …
Discussion:
Political Wire


Las Vegas shooting survivor becomes Springfield police officer to help others — Ten months ago, Lauren Card was running from danger. — Now she's ready to run toward it, after taking an oath to serve and protect the residents of Springfield as the newest member of its police force.
Discussion:
Fox News Insider, IJR and Daily Caller News Foundation


Rudy Giuliani distances himself from Trump over his ‘flipping’ comments: ‘The President is not a lawyer’ — When it comes to flipping, Rudy Giuliani won't budge. — The former federal prosecutor — famous for coaxing New York mobsters into spilling the beans on their bosses …
Discussion:
Joe.My.God. and Talking Points Memo


Clemson RAs freed from mandated ‘commitment to social justice’ — Clemson University has dropped its requirement that Resident Assistants “demonstrate a commitment to social justice” in order to qualify for the position. — This year's position description does asks RAs to interact with residents …
Discussion:
The College Fix


Baghdad gets its groove back — Violence is receding and Iraq's capital is partying again — It's nearing midnight on a Thursday and the streets are jammed with traffic. There are people heading home after dinner with family and friends, and people for whom the night has just begun.