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3:30 PM ET, December 19, 2018

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
New York Times:
Trump Considering Full Withdrawal of U.S. Troops From Syria  —  WASHINGTON — President Trump is considering pulling 2,000 United States ground troops out of Syria in a move that would seek to describe the four-year American-led war against the Islamic State as largely won, officials said Wednesday.
RELATED:
Dion Nissenbaum / Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Military Preparing for a Full Withdrawal of Its Forces From Northeastern Syria  —  Move throws campaign against Islamic State into question  —  WASHINGTON—In an abrupt reversal, the U.S. military is preparing to withdraw its forces from northeastern Syria, people familiar with the matter …
Josh Rogin / Washington Post:
Trump undermines his entire national security team on Syria  —  On Monday, the U.S. special representative for Syria engagement publicly pledged that the U.S. commitment to Syria would not waiver.  The very next day, Trump reportedly decided to rapidly withdraw all U.S. troops there.
CNN:
Trump orders rapid withdrawal from Syria in apparent reversal  —  Washington (CNN)Planning is underway for a “full” and “rapid” withdrawal of US troops from Syria, a US defense official told CNN Wednesday.  —  The decision, which would be a reversal from previously stated US policy …
Jessica Hopper / ABC News:
President Trump's troop withdrawal from Syria a ‘huge’ mistake: Senator Lindsey Graham
Discussion: Politico, CBS News and CNBC
Lawfare:
The Former National Security Advisor's Sentencing Hearing: Flynncompetent Judging  —  A number of years ago, a group of singing lawyers put together an excellent parody song about the egomania of federal district judges.  Set to the tune of the old Turtles song, “Happy Together,” it opens: “Imagine me as God—I do.
RELATED:
emptywheel:
In Defense of Emmet Sullivan: Van Grack Suggested Mueller Did Review Whether Flynn's Behavior Amounted to Treason  —  I'd like to defend Judge Emmet Sullivan's intemperate mentions of unregistered foreign agents and treason in the Mike Flynn sentencing hearing yesterday.
Chris Baynes / The Independent:   Trump critics celebrate as Flynn judge smashes right-wing conspiracy theory about Russia prosecution at hearing
Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Reality deals more blows to Trump's alternative narrative
Discussion: USA Today, Washington Post and CNBC
Kate Sullivan / CNN:
Trump signed letter of intent for Trump Tower Moscow project despite Giuliani insisting he didn't  —  (CNN)A newly obtained document shows President Donald Trump signed a letter of intent to move forward with negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Russia, despite his attorney Rudy Giuliani claiming …
RELATED:
New York Daily News:
Rudy Giuliani admits President Trump signed ‘bulls—t’ letter of intent for Moscow tower during 2016 campaign  —  President Trump signed a “bulls—t” letter of intent to build a Trump Tower in Moscow during the 2016 campaign, Rudy Giuliani conceded Tuesday - just two days after the former …
Nicole Lafond / Talking Points Memo:
Giuliani Walks It Back: Trump Signed ‘Bullsh*t’ Letter Of Intent For Moscow Tower
Discussion: Balloon Juice
Dan Mangan / CNBC:
New secret filing in case of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen placed in NY federal court vault  — A document that is sealed from public view was placed in a New York federal court vault in a criminal case against President Donald Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen.
Discussion: Raw Story
RELATED:
Dareh Gregorian / NBC News:
Federal judge strikes down Trump asylum rules for domestic and gang violence victims  —  In a ruling Wednesday, Judge Emmet Sullivan struck down large portions of Justice Department policies that made it harder for immigrants to claim asylum.  —  A federal judge on Wednesday dismissed Justice …
Griffin Connolly / Roll Call:
Rep. Adam Schiff: If Michael Cohen Goes to Jail, Why Wouldn't Trump?
Discussion: Washington Monthly
David M. Drucker / Washington Examiner:
South Carolina GOP could scrap 2020 primary to protect Trump  —  The South Carolina Republican Party could cancel its marquee presidential nominating contest in 2020 in a move to protect President Trump from any primary challengers.  —  Drew McKissick, chairman of the South Carolina GOP …
ClickHole:
Legal Bombshell: Mueller Flipped Trump's Confidant's Lawyer's Friend's Associate Gorpman (Who Could Testify Against Bleemer!)  And It's Not Even Lunchtime  —  The day's just getting started, and the Trump house of cards is already crumbling.  This morning, Special Counsel Robert Mueller dropped …
Discussion: The Week
Jeff Cox / CNBC:
Fed hikes rate, lowers 2019 projection to 2 increases  — Central bank officials now forecast two hikes next year, down from three rate raises previously projected.  — However, the Fed continued to include in its statement that further ‘gradual’ rate hikes would be appropriate.
Discussion: Washington Post and The Week
RELATED:
Victoria Guida / Politico:
Fed raises rates, defying Trump
Discussion: Axios
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System:
Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement
Discussion: The Guardian and Breitbart
New York Times:
As Facebook Raised a Privacy Wall, It Carved an Opening for Tech Giants  —  Internal documents show that the social network gave Microsoft, Amazon, Spotify and others far greater access to people's data than it has disclosed.  —  For years, Facebook gave some of the world's largest technology companies …
RELATED:
Washington Post:
D.C. attorney general sues Facebook over alleged privacy violations from Cambridge Analytica scandal  —  The attorney general for the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Facebook for allowing Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy, to gain access to the names …
Kate Riga / Talking Points Memo:
In Party Switch, 3 Kansas Lawmakers Will Start The New Session As Democrats  —  When the Kansas state government reconvenes in January, three of its formerly Republican members will report as freshly minted Democrats.  —  The two state senators and one state representative, all women …
Discussion: Shawnee Mission Post
RELATED:
Tim Carpenter / Topeka Capital-Journal:
Kansas Sen. Dinah Sykes, Rep. Stephanie Clayton flip from Republican to Democrat
Discussion: Splinter, Raw Story and Political Wire
Washington Post:
Senate to pass bill that would keep government open, deny Trump wall funding  —  The Senate prepared Wednesday to pass a short-term spending bill that would keep the government open through the New Year but deny President Trump the money he wanted for his border wall — a stark retreat …
RELATED:
NBC News:
United States added to list of most dangerous countries for journalists for first time  —  At least 63 professional journalists were killed doing their jobs in 2018, a 15 percent increase over last year, Reporters Without Borders said.  —  PARIS — The murder of the Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi …
Discussion: The Daily Caller
Bloomberg:
Trump Ready to Remove Sanctions on Deripaska's Rusal in 30 Days  —  The Trump administration is ready to remove sanctions on Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska's aluminum company, United Co. Rusal, after he agreed to significantly reduce his ownership stake.
Discussion: Raw Story
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:   U.S. Treasury Levies Fresh Sanctions Against Russian Agents for 2016 U.S. Election Interference And Nerve-Agent Attack
Rebecca Traister / The Cut:
The Imagined Threat of a Woman Who Governs Like a Man  —  On Tuesday, Politico posted a provocative, anonymously sourced piece claiming that New York congresswoman elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez might be planning, in concert with Justice Democrats, to recruit a Democratic primary challenger …
Discussion: The Wrap, IJR and Observer
Andrew Kerr / The Daily Caller:
Revealed: Antifa Leader Relied On Anonymity To Push Radical, Violent Communist Agenda  —  Editor's note: The subject of this story is being identified because he's pushed radical rhetoric and has advocated for politically-motivated violence from behind a mask.
Discussion: Instapundit
Domenico Montanaro / NPR:
Warning To Democrats: Most Americans Against U.S. Getting More Politically Correct  —  Heading into the 2020 Democratic primaries, a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll has a warning for Democrats: Americans are largely against the country becoming more politically correct.
Jeremy Pelzer / Plain Dealer:
John Kasich says he couldn't beat President Donald Trump in a GOP primary  —  COLUMBUS, Ohio—Gov. John Kasich on Wednesday voiced doubts about challenging President Donald Trump in 2020, saying right now he couldn't beat the president in a Republican primary.
Discussion: Political Wire
Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:
Why not indict the Trump Organization?  —  Legal scholars debate whether a sitting president can be indicted or only impeached.  If the latter, it's not clear given the statutes of limitation on most crimes whether he could ever be prosecuted for certain crimes.
Ilan Berman:
A Year Into Iran's Quiet Counterrevolution  —  Last December, grassroots protests erupted throughout Iran.  Ordinary Iranians, discontented with worsening domestic conditions and their government's misplaced political priorities, held rallies and demonstrations that transformed …
Cato Institute:
Bump Stock Rule Bumps Up Against the Constitution  —  This morning, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker signed the Trump Administration's new regulation banning bump stocks.  The final rule is largely unchanged from the one put up for notice and comment several months ago …
Susan Page / USA Today:
Impeach Trump?  Lessons learned from Clinton's impeachment, 20 years later  —  WASHINGTON - Democrats who are contemplating impeaching President Donald Trump after they take control of the House of Representatives next month are considering a cautionary tale: what happened the last time a president was impeached.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Eliza Dushku / BostonGlobe.com:
I worked at CBS. I didn't want to be sexually harassed. I was fired
Seth Freed Wessler / New York Times:
Is Denaturalization the Next Front in the Trump Administration's War on Immigration?
Kriston Capps / CityLab:
Why Not Try a Cap-and-Trade System for Low-Income Housing?
WNYC News:
Longtime New York Public Radio President Laura Walker Will Step Down Next Year
Ryan C. Brooks / BuzzFeed News:
There Are Now Two Groups Trying To Draft Beto O'Rourke To Run For President
Associated Press:
AP Investigation: Migrant kids held in mass shelters
Discussion: The Week
Speaker.gov:
Full Text: Speaker Ryan's Farewell Address
Senator Bernie Sanders / Senator Sanders's Feed:
Sanders, Feinstein Oppose Inclusion of Israel Anti-Boycott Act in Appropriations Bill
 Earlier Items: 
Nick Corasaniti / New York Times:
N.J. Governor's Inner Circle Knew of Sexual Assault Complaint Against Aide
Discussion: Political Wire
Michael W. Chapman / CNSNews:
Gallup: Americans Say No. 1 Problem is ‘Government,’ No. 2 is ‘Immigration’
careers.ap.org:
Temporary Newsperson, Politics
John Bresnahan / Politico:
Cummings puts Trump on notice for wave of investigations
Center for Public Integrity:
Why did Donald Trump's national security adviser want to meet with a Ukrainian billionaire?
Discussion: Bloomberg
Jason Schwartz / Politico:
Ousted NPR news chief, ex-Fox News execs team up on new site
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Ruth La Ferla / New York Times:
Graydon Carter opens a physical store called Air Mail Newsstand in NYC, as an extension of his digital newsletter Air Mail, selling books, magazines, and more

Emma Roth / The Verge:
Post.News, the news-focused social platform launched in 2022 that offered micropayments to publishers, is shutting down after failing to grow “fast enough”

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Netflix plans to stop reporting subscriber numbers and Average Revenue per Membership from Q1 2025, as time spent is its “best proxy for customer satisfaction”
 
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