memeorandum: Russian spokesman says there were contacts on Trump Tower, but they ‘disappeared’ (NBC News)

12:25 PM ET, December 2, 2018

Top Items:

Kris Schneider / ABC News:

Top House Intel committee Democrat says Trump and his business was ‘compromised’ — The leading Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said Sunday on “This Week” that there is now a witness in special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation, President Donald Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen …

Discussion: Political Wire and Breitbart

NBC News:

Russian spokesman says there were contacts on Trump Tower, but they ‘disappeared’ — The guilty plea by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen raised new questions about the pursuit of a Trump Tower in Moscow. — BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — A spokesman for Russia's government said Saturday …

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA, Raw Story, Reuters and Mediaite

Ben Kamisar / NBC News:

Cohen cooperation is proof of Russian ‘leverage’ over Trump, incoming House Judiciary chairman says — “The time that he can get away with lying to the American people all the time and evading accountability is coming to an end,” Rep. Nadler said. — WASHINGTON — New York Democrat Jerry Nadler …

Discussion: Contemptor

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:

Robert Mueller's Plan — Special Counsel Mueller is building a report, not a case. — Right after Special Counsel Robert Mueller racked up yet another guilty plea to a false-statements charge on Thursday, a friend asked me, “Doesn't this destroy Michael Cohen's credibility as a witness?”

Discussion: Crooked Timber

Chuck Ross / The Daily Caller:

Comey Strikes Deal Regarding Congressional Testimony — Former FBI Director James Comey ended a legal battle with House Republicans on Sunday, announcing that he will testify behind closed doors on Capitol Hill this week after receiving assurances that a transcript of his interview will be released to the public.

Discussion: ABC News, Axios and CNN

Kelsey Tamborrino / Politico:

Blunt: Lying to Senate panel ‘a big mistake’ — Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) called lying to the Senate Intelligence Committee “a big mistake” Sunday, following an admission by President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer that he made false statements to Congress.

Discussion: Breitbart

David R. Lurie / Slate:
How Devin Nunes Helped Robert Mueller

Discussion: Mediaite, Raw Story, CNN and Patterico's Pontifications

Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:

George H.W. Bush had a love of sports and an affinity for at least one sportswriter — One day nearly 30 years ago, I got a call at home from the sports department of The Washington Post. — “You said not to give your home phone number to anybody,” a young news aide said. “But can I give it to the president?”

Discussion: Politico, New York Times, The Atlantic, ABC News, The Guardian, Axios and Mediaite

Carlos Lozada / Washington Post:
The memoir I wish George H.W. Bush had written

Discussion: Advocate

Dana Perino / Fox News:
Knowing George Bush and his family has been one of the greatest honors of my life

Discussion: Mediaite

Roey Hadar / ABC News:
Friends, colleagues remember former President George H.W. Bush

Discussion: Politico, FiveThirtyEight and The Gateway Pundit

Rachel Siegel / Washington Post:
For George H.W. Bush, Pearl Harbor changed everything, and World War II made him a hero

Discussion: American Greatness, TIME, Breitbart, KRON, The Daily Caller, WGN-TV, Task & Purpose, IJR and CNN

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

Curtains for the Clintons — TORONTO — The snow is falling lightly. — My thoughts are racing darkly. — I'm feeling something foreign, something I've never felt before. It takes me a moment to identify it. — I'm feeling sorry for the Clintons.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

New York Times:

He's Built an Empire, With Detained Migrant Children as the Bricks — The founder of Southwest Key made millions off of housing migrant children. His nonprofit has stockpiled taxpayer dollars and possibly engaged in self-dealing with top executives. — Juan Sanchez grew up along …

Ruth Eglash / Washington Post:

Israeli police recommend charging Netanyahu in third corruption case — JERUSALEM — Israeli police on Sunday recommended indicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on charges of bribery and corruption in a third case — this time on suspicion that the leader eased business regulations …

Haaretz:
Police: Charge Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu With Bribery in Telecom Case

Discussion: Common Dreams

Politico:

Trump assents to shutdown delay — ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — President Donald Trump and congressional leaders are getting ready to punt on a major shutdown fight over Trump's border wall for at least a week. — The president said he would back a two-week delay of a government shutdown battle …

Benjamin Siegel / ABC News:
Congress, White House on the brink of another government shutdown

Discussion: Politico

Damian Paletta / Washington Post:
Congress considers measure to postpone shutdown deadline until after Bush services

Discussion: @thebudgetguy, CNN, The Week and Political Wire

ABC News:

Emails about WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange being ‘mischaracterized’: Roger Stone — President Donald Trump's longtime ally, veteran political operative Roger Stone, said his emails about WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange during the 2016 presidential election, which special counsel Robert Mueller …

Discussion: Washington Post and Breitbart

ABC News:
‘This Week’ Transcript 12-2-18: James Baker, Colin Powell, Rep. Adam Schiff and Roger Stone

Discussion: POLITICUSUSA

CBS News:

U.S. Navy admiral Scott Stearney found dead in apparent suicide — Vice Adm. Scott Stearney, who oversaw U.S. naval forces in the Middle East, was found dead Saturday in his residence in Bahrain, officials said. Defense officials told CBS News they are calling it an “apparent suicide.”

Discussion: AOL, Navy Times and Al Jazeera

Ryan Browne / CNN:
Top US naval commander in Middle East found dead

Discussion: Military.com, RT and Sputnik International

Natasha Korecki / Politico:

'He's going through a pretty rough time': Avenatti crashes and burns — Michael Avenatti's cable TV bookings have dwindled. He was uninvited from one prominent Democratic event and skipped out on another. Now his highest-profile client is bringing new allegations against him.

Osita Nwanevu / New Yorker:

With H.R. 1, Democrats Announce a New Program for Electoral Reform — When the new Congress convenes in January, the very first item on its to-do list will be H.R. 1, a package of good-government and election reforms unveiled Friday by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and a group of legislators led by John Sarbanes, of Maryland.

Paul Blumenthal / HuffPost:
Democrats Have Their Package Of Reform Bills In Hand. Here's How It All Came Together.

Discussion: Splinter

Washington Post:

Shooting reported inside Whole Foods Market in Northeast D.C. — D.C. police are investigating a shooting Sunday morning inside a Whole Foods Market in a busy commercial strip of H Street NE. — Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck said one person was shot during what appeared …

Associated Press:

The Latest: Trump considering 2-week US funding extension — BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump at the Group of 20 summit (all times local): — President Donald Trump says he'd be willing to sign a two-week government funding extension to allow …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Zhou Xin / South China Morning Post:
Xi Jinping and Donald Trump agree to trade truce, no additional tariffs, China state media says

Discussion: Breitbart

Salena Zito / Washington Examiner:

These swing elections may not really be wave elections — BEAVER FALLS, Pa. — Mike Mikus speculates there are a fairly decent number of voters around here who have voted over the past 20 years in turn for Ron Klink, Melissa Hart, Jason Altmire, Mark Critz, Keith Rothfus, and Conor Lamb.

Hot Air:

Temple University Chairman Rips Marc Lamont Hill Amid Calls To Fire Him: Hate Speech Isn't Free Speech — He's wrong, and as a “prominent lawyer” he surely knows it. What's his game here? — Whatever the answer, it makes me laugh to see a dopey left-wing canard like “hate speech” …

Discussion: Instapundit and Breitbart