memeorandum: I Know Brett Kavanaugh, but I Wouldn't Confirm Him (Benjamin Wittes/The Atlantic)

8:50 PM ET, October 2, 2018

Top Items:

Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father — The president has long sold himself as a self-made billionaire, but a Times investigation found that he received at least $413 million in today's dollars from his father's real estate empire, much of it through tax dodges in the 1990s.

New York Times:

11 Takeaways From The Times's Investigation Into Trump's Wealth — Donald J. Trump built a business empire and won the presidency proclaiming himself a self-made billionaire, and he has long insisted that his father, the legendary New York City builder Fred C. Trump, provided almost no financial help.

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA, CNBC, Raw Story, Joe.My.God. and Mediaite

New York Times:

4 Ways Fred Trump Made Donald Trump and his Siblings Rich — In Donald J. Trump's version of how he got rich, he was the master dealmaker who parlayed an initial $1 million loan from his father into a $10 billion empire. It was his guts and gumption that overcame setbacks, and his father, Fred C. Trump, was simply a cheerleader.

Discussion: VICE, Raw Story and Mediaite

New York Times:

Kavanaugh's 1983 Letter Offers Inside Look at High School Clique — The beachfront property was rented, the guests were invited and an ever-organized Brett M. Kavanaugh had some advice for the seven Georgetown Preparatory School classmates who would be joining him for the weeklong escapade.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Wall Street Journal, KRTV-TV, Splinter, The Week, Mediaite, Raw Story, Talking Points Memo, The Right Scoop and Politico

Mollie Hemingway / The Federalist:

THE NEW YORK TIMES PREPARING HIT PIECE ON BRETT KAVANAUGH FOR PARTY PLANNING — Multiple sources tell The Federalist that the New York Times is prepping yet another attack piece on Brett Kavanaugh for his party planning efforts in the 1980s. — Having failed to corroborate any allegations …

Discussion: Townhall, Breitbart, Daily Wire, Washington Times, National Review, Washington Free Beacon, NTK Network, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze and Raw Story

Jason Schwartz / Politico:
New York Times says it made mistake by assigning opinion writer to Kavanaugh story

Discussion: CNNMoney, New York Times and One America News Network

Amy Russo / Mediaite:
New York Times Admits Error in Having Op-Ed Writer Who Bashed Kavanaugh Later Report on Him

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Splinter, New York Times, Vox and Daily Wire, more at Mediagazer »

Wall Street Journal:

FBI Probe of Kavanaugh Is Expected to Wrap Up Very Soon — People familiar with the process said Tuesday that the FBI investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct against Judge Kavanaugh could wrap up very soon, well ahead of the end-of week deadline.

Discussion: Washington Post, Crooked Media, The Gateway Pundit, New York Times, Hot Air, The Daily Caller, Philly.com, TheBlaze, Splinter, Washington Free Beacon, Law & Crime, Raw Story, Daily Kos, Daily Wire, Fox News Insider, Vox, Mediaite and Viking Pundit

Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:

2 Of Brett Kavanaugh's Former Classmates Withdraw Support For Him — “We fear that partisanship has injected itself into Judge Kavanaugh's candidacy,” write Michael J. Proctor and Mark Osler. — WASHINGTON Two former law school classmates of Brett Kavanaugh's who previously vouched …

United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary:

Judiciary Committee Receives Statement Regarding Swetnick Allegations — WASHINGTON - The Senate Judiciary Committee today received a signed statement from Mr. Dennis Ketterer, the former Democratic candidate for Congress and weatherman for WJLA Channel 7 in Washington …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, National Review and The Gateway Pundit

Elaina Plott / The Atlantic:

Jeff Flake: 'We Can't Have That on the Court' — As the Senate awaits the results of the FBI investigation into the Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Jeff Flake, one of the lawmakers who spurred the inquiry, criticized the judge Tuesday for his recent appearance in the upper chamber.

Discussion: Hot Air, The Week, TheBlaze, Taylor Marsh, The Gateway Pundit, CNN, The Resurgent, Common Dreams, Talking Points Memo and Political Wire

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

McConnell says only senators will see FBI's Kavanaugh report — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Tuesday that only senators will see the FBI's report on its investigation into the sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. — “We'll get an FBI report soon.

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, Axios, ABC News, The Intellectualist, Joe.My.God. and Breitbart

NBC News:
FBI has no current plans to interview Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, source says

Discussion: HuffPost, Splinter, Talking Points Memo, The Intellectualist, Mediaite, Refinery29, Washington Free Beacon and The Root

Michael Reynolds / Bangor Daily News:
Kavanaugh is unfit for Supreme Court

Discussion: USA Today, KRTV-TV, Mashable, Shareblue Media, Right Wing Watch, Daily Kos and HuffPost

Molly K. Hooper / The Hill: Corker predicts Kavanaugh will be confirmed, says Dems ‘overplayed their hand’

Cheyenne Haslett / ABC News:
Hillary Clinton says Kavanaugh's political ‘revenge’ claim ‘deserves a lot of laughter’

Discussion: Washington Post and Breitbart

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Trump defends Kavanaugh: ‘Very scary time for young men in America’

Discussion: Breitbart and Washington Post

NBC News:
Kavanaugh's testimony is starting to look more and more problematic

Discussion: Shareblue Media, Hot Air, Vox, Washington Free Beacon and New York Times

Matthew Yglesias / Vox:
Republicans don't care if Kavanaugh is guilty because they don't think what he did was wrong

Discussion: The Federalist, ThinkProgress, The Mahablog and Splinter

Bloomberg:
Broader FBI Probe Into Kavanaugh Still Faces Some Limits, Source Says

Discussion: Axios, Raw Story and Political Wire

Jason Kander:

I Suffer From Depression and Have PTSD Symptoms — After 11 years, I'm finally ready to do something about it — About four months ago, I contacted the VA to get help. It had been about 11 years since I left Afghanistan as an Army Intelligence Officer, and my tour over there still impacted me every day.

Discussion: Military Times, Politico, ThinkProgress, Associated Press, Washington Post, HuffPost, CNN, Daily Kos, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, IJR, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo and Axios

Kansas City Star:
Jason Kander ends campaign for Kansas City mayor to focus on depression, PTSD

Discussion: New York Times

Benjamin Wittes / The Atlantic:

I Know Brett Kavanaugh, but I Wouldn't Confirm Him — If I were a senator, I would not vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh. — These are words I write with no pleasure, but with deep sadness. Unlike many people who will read them with glee—as validating preexisting political, philosophical …

Discussion: Washington Post, Politico, Raw Story, Above the Law, Just Security and Instapundit

Associated Press:

Mueller shedding more attorneys in Russia investigation — WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Robert Mueller is shedding more attorneys, another sign that his team of prosecutors has begun winding down parts of their investigation. — Two prosecutors detailed to the Russia investigation …

Sara Murray / CNN:
Roger Stone built a ‘dirty trickster’ image. Now Robert Mueller might build a case on it.

Discussion: Raw Story

Kadhim Shubber / Financial Times: Money laundering expert to leave Robert Mueller team

Dan Alexander / Forbes:

How Trump Is Trying—And Failing—To Get Rich Off His Presidency — When Donald Trump opened Trump Tower in 1983, it marked a seminal moment in American retail, as six stories of glitzy shops like Harry Winston and Cartier beckoned luxury buyers who strode past a live pianist and a 60-foot indoor waterfall.

Discussion: Washington Post, The Daily Beast, CNBC, Joe.My.God. and Politico

Wall Street Journal:
Trump Directed Legal Action to Enforce Stormy Daniels's Hush Agreement

Discussion: Newsweek, The Atlantic, Raw Story, The Root, Shakesville, Washington Post, HuffPost, Vox, Washington Monthly, Talking Points Memo, Chicks On The Right, Joe.My.God., Spectator USA, Daily Kos, Splinter, NPR, KRTV-TV, The Week, CNBC, Political Wire, Washington Times and Mediaite

Josh Rogin / Washington Post:

Days before trade deal, Trump said Canada's foreign minister ‘hates America’ — President Trump publicly praised Canada's leaders this week after announcing a new trade deal, sending them his “highest regards.” But only three days before the deal was announced, Trump privately railed …

Jason Rezaian / Washington Post:
Post contributor and prominent Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi feared missing in Turkey

Discussion: New York Times and The New Arab, more at Mediagazer »

Kareem Fahim / Washington Post:
Friends fear for safety of prominent Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi

Discussion: Middle East Eye and The American Conservative

RealClearInvestigations:

Renovation Records Undercut Ford's Exit-Door Account — Real estate and other records undercut a key part of Christine Blasey Ford's account of why she finally came forward with charges of attempted rape against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh after some 30 years.

Discussion: LifeNews.com, RedState and twitchy.com

Thomas Lipscomb / Real Clear Politics:
Records Raise Questions About Ford's Double-Door Story

Discussion: Daily Wire

The Harvard Crimson:

Students Filed Title IX Complaints Against Kavanaugh to Prevent Him From Teaching at Harvard Law — In the days before Harvard Law School announced embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh will not teach in Cambridge this January, undergraduates eager to block his return to campus struck …

Discussion: BostonGlobe.com, Chicks On The Right, twitchy.com, Daily Wire and The College Fix

Robby Soave / Hit & Run:
Harvard Students Filed Multiple Title IX Complaints Against Brett Kavanaugh To Get Him Fired

Discussion: ABC News, New York Post, ThinkProgress and Instapundit

Robert Costa / Washington Post:

Michael Bloomberg jolts Senate battle with $20 million for Democrats — Michael R. Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City who is considering a 2020 presidential campaign, will give $20 million to the main Democratic Senate super PAC this week — jolting the national battle …

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, Political Wire and Joe.My.God.

Ellen Knickmeyer / Associated Press:

APNewsBreak: Trump's EPA moving to loosen radiation limits — WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is quietly moving to weaken U.S. radiation regulations, turning to scientific outliers who argue that a bit of radiation damage is actually good for you — like a little bit of sunlight.

Discussion: The Intellectualist

Scott Snowden / NBC News:

A colossal elevator to space could be going up sooner than you ever imagined — Researchers are racing to make this science-fiction idea a reality. — For more than half a century, rockets have been the only way to go to space. But in the not-too-distant future, we may have another option …

Rich Lowry / National Review:

Atticus Finch Was on the Wrong Side — In today's #BelieveAllWomen environment, due process isn't what it used to be. — It's time for To Kill a Mockingbird to give up its treasured place in American culture. — The 1960 novel by Harper Lee was published to instant acclaim …

Discussion: Mother Jones and Instapundit

CNN:

Ricin detected in mail sent to Pentagon — (CNN)Two pieces of mail delivered to the Pentagon mail facility on Monday have initially tested positive for ricin, according to a US defense official. — The mail facility is in a separate building on the grounds of the Pentagon and the piece …

Discussion: The Right Scoop, New York Post, Splinter, twitchy.com, Task & Purpose, The Gateway Pundit, Joe.My.God., The Daily Caller, Politico, Mediaite, TheBlaze, Axios, Townhall, IJR, The Root, Breaking911 and KRTV-TV

caps.gov.harvard.edu:

CAPS - Harris Poll on Kavanaugh Nomination and Economic Attitudes — The September 2018 CAPS - Harris Poll study features pre- and post- Kavanaugh hearings research, as well as polling on the Russia investigation and economic attitudes. The poll was conducted September 26-27 …

Discussion: The Federalist, National Review, LifeNews.com and twitchy.com

Dwight Garner / New York Times:

What a Book Critic Finds in Mark Judge's ‘Wasted’ 21 Years Later — Alcohol warms some people up and gives them a little glow; for others, it offers almost instant access to their inner troglodyte. Life is unfair this way. — Mark Judge started out as the first kind of drinker and quickly became the second.

Haley Byrd / Weekly Standard:

Hazmat Team Sent to Cruz Campaign Office in Houston — Staffers opened an envelope containing a white powdery substance. — A hazardous materials response team was dispatched to Texas Senator Ted Cruz's campaign office in Houston on Tuesday morning to investigate a mailed envelope …