memeorandum: Least-Educated State: California No. 1 in Percentage of Residents 25 and Older Who Never Finished … (Terence P. Jeffrey/CNSNews)

7:45 PM ET, December 20, 2018

Top Items:

Ethics officials said Whitaker should recuse from the Mueller probe, but his advisers told him not to, officials say — A senior Justice Department ethics official concluded acting attorney general Matthew G. Whitaker should recuse from overseeing special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's probe …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Bloomberg, Hot Air, Hullabaloo, Raw Story, RedState, Political Wire and emptywheel

NBC News:

Mueller may submit report to attorney general as soon as mid-February, say sources — “They clearly are tying up loose ends,” said a lawyer who has been in contact with the Mueller team. — WASHINGTON — Special counsel Robert Mueller is nearing the end of his historic investigation …

Discussion: Law & Crime and Political Wire

Laura Jarrett / CNN:

Exclusive: Whitaker told he does not need to recuse himself from overseeing Mueller investigation — (CNN)Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has consulted with ethics officials at the Justice Department and they have advised him he does not need to recuse himself from overseeing special …

Discussion: Breitbart, Washington Post, ABC News, Law & Crime, Conservative News Today, Joe.My.God., The Week, The Root, Axios, Daily Kos, Shakesville and Talking Points Memo

Wall Street Journal:

Schumer Says Mueller Memo Disqualifies Barr From Attorney General Job — Graham, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, says written opinion shouldn't affect Barr's confirmation — WASHINGTON—A newly disclosed memo by William Barr criticizing special counsel Robert …

Discussion: Shareblue Media, New York Magazine and Politico

Charlie Savage / New York Times:
Trump's Attorney General Nominee Criticized Russia Investigation

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Wall Street Journal, Fox News, Law & Crime, Vox, Axios and New Republic

Marty Lederman / Just Security:
A First Take on Bill Barr's Memo on Presidential Authority and the Mueller Investigation

Discussion: Lawfare

Michael Balsamo / Associated Press: Whitaker doesn't need to recuse from Russia probe: Source

Andrew C. McCarthy / National Review:
The Barr Memo Is a Commendable Piece of Lawyering

Discussion: Washington Post, CNN, Townhall and Reuters

Helene Cooper / New York Times:

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Resigns, Rebuking Trump's Worldview — WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, whose experience and stability were widely seen as a balance to an unpredictable president, resigned on Thursday in protest of President Trump's decision to withdraw 2,000 American troops from Syria.

Discussion: CNN, Townhall, Task & Purpose, Washington Post, Talking Points Memo, Axios, The Guardian, Outside the Beltway, Defense One, twitchy.com, The Week and Althouse

James N. Mattis / Washington Post:

Read the Jim Mattis resignation letter — Dear Mr. President: — I have been privileged to serve as our country's 26th Secretary of Defense which has allowed me to serve alongside our men and women of the Department in defense of our citizens and our ideals.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Stephanie Ebbs / ABC News:
Trump announces Secretary of Defense James Mattis will retire at the end of February

Discussion: RedState, New Republic and The Atlantic

Scott Bixby / The Daily Beast:
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis Announces Resignation in Brutal Letter to Trump

Discussion: CNN, Task & Purpose and Washington Free Beacon

Vox:
James Mattis, the last “adult” in the Trump administration, resigns as defense secretary

Discussion: National Review, Mother Jones, Townhall, CNBC and POLITICUSUSA

Emily Cochrane / New York Times:

Conservative Revolt Endangers Deal to Avoid a Shutdown — WASHINGTON — A deal to avert a Christmastime government shutdown teetered on Thursday amid growing anger from President Trump and a conservative revolt in the House that could block a bill to keep funds flowing past midnight Friday.

Discussion: CNBC, Associated Press, Mediaite, CNN, Arkansas Blog, Arkansas Times, The New Civil Rights Movement, NY State of Politics, Mother Jones, Contemptor and Wonkette

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

Trump shutdown moves leave GOP senators in disbelief — GOP senators emerged from the closed-door meeting in visible disbelief that President Trump is refusing to sign a seven-week stopgap measure to fund the government that cleared the chamber by a voice vote less than 24 hours ago.

Discussion: ThinkProgress, Washington Monthly and Booman Tribune

Ted Barrett / CNN:

‘Are you ruining my life?’: Republican senators in disbelief over Trump shutdown threat — Ryan: Trump won't sign without border security — (CNN)Republican Sen. Susan Collins almost dropped her handbag Thursday as she gestured disbelief at word, delivered to her by reporters in the Capitol …

Discussion: The Mahablog, Hullabaloo, Lawyers, Guns & Money and KXLF-TV

Washington Post:

Trump ‘at this moment’ opposes deal to avert shutdown, wants more border funding — President Trump will not commit to signing legislation that would avoid a partial government shutdown on Saturday, his press secretary said, further roiling a chaotic debate that is splintering the Republican Party.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, NBC News, Politico, RedState, Media Matters for America, Roll Call, Breitbart, Joe.My.God., NPR, Dan Bongino, The Gateway Pundit, Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite, Daily Kos, Outside the Beltway and Balloon Juice

John Bresnahan / Politico:
Trump rushes into shutdown threat over wall

Discussion: Shareblue Media, Washington Post, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Breitbart, TalkLeft, ThinkProgress, Outside the Beltway, CNN, The Gateway Pundit, Reuters, IJR and Roll Call

Thomas Franck / CNBC:
Dow falls 400 points as stocks continue to get hit after Fed rate hike, Nasdaq enters bear market

Discussion: ABC News, The New Civil Rights Movement, The Daily Signal, Fox News Insider, Breitbart and Raw Story

Politico: Kansas Sen. Pat Roberts to consider retirement over holidays

Politico:
POLITICO Playbook PM: What you need to know about the funding drama

Discussion: Associated Press, Axios, Washington Post and New Republic

Nancy LeTourneau / Washington Monthly:
When Will Republicans Accept That Trump Is an Impossible Negotiating Partner?

Discussion: Washington Post and The Daily Beast

Andrew E. Kramer / New York Times:

Vladimir Putin Welcomes U.S. Withdrawal From Syria — MOSCOW — President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Thursday welcomed President Trump's announcement of a withdrawal of American troops from Syria, calling it “the right decision.” — Mr. Trump said on Wednesday that he was ordering …

BuzzFeed News:

Mattis Isn't The Only One Worried About Allies And Rivals In Syria — The US is set to shut a special forces base in Syria that has been the subject of repeated Russian complaints — and that some US officials have cast as a key part of US efforts not just to defeat ISIS but to counter Iranian influence in the country.

Discussion: Power Line, New York Times, Washington Post and Defense One

Victoria Nuland / Washington Post:
In a single tweet, Trump destroys U.S. policy in the Middle East

Discussion: The Hill, National Review, The Week and Mother Jones

Anton Troianovski / Washington Post:
Putin backs Trump's move to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria, says Islamic State dealt ‘serious blows’

Discussion: Breitbart, Fox News Insider, Defense One, Reuters, Business Insider, NBC News, Mediaite, Daily Wire, Conservative News Today, New York Times, IJR, POLITICUSUSA, CNBC, Washington Free Beacon and Wonkette

Kim Tong-Hyung / Associated Press:
N. Korea says it won't denuclearize unless US removes threat

Discussion: Hot Air, Breitbart, Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Resurgent, New Republic, Shakesville, Mediaite and The Week

Melissa Healy / Los Angeles Times:
More than 15% of childhood deaths in America are due to guns, study says

Discussion: Reuters

BuzzFeed News:

Russian Agents Sought Secret US Treasury Records On Clinton Backers During 2016 Campaign — US Treasury Department officials used a Gmail back channel with the Russian government as the Kremlin sought sensitive financial information on its enemies in America and across the globe, according to documents reviewed by BuzzFeed News.

Discussion: Washington Post, Hill Reporter, Talking Points Memo, Daily Kos, Law & Crime, Raw Story, Shakesville and Wonkette

Wall Street Journal:

Trump Administration Is Considering Substantial Afghan Troop Drawdown — The administration is considering a substantial reduction of troops in Afghanistan and could begin a drawdown in several weeks, officials said.

Discussion: BuzzFeed News, Task & Purpose, Hit & Run, USNI News, CNN and Mediaite

NBC News:
Trump administration is weighing Afghan troop withdrawal

Discussion: Breitbart

New York Times:

Planned Parenthood Is Accused of Mistreating Pregnant Employees — Employers that champion women face accusations of discriminating against their pregnant workers, showing how widespread the problem is in American workplaces. — As a medical assistant at Planned Parenthood …

Discussion: Daily Wire, Axios, Townhall, The Daily Caller, LifeNews.com, Louder With Crowder, Washington Free Beacon and twitchy.com

Ben Schreckinger / Politico:

‘Oh, no’: The day Trump learned to tweet — The content of the tweet @RealDonaldTrump posted on the night of Feb. 5, 2013, was bland: a simple thank you to the actress Sherri Shepherd for flattering comments she'd made about Trump on television. — But its implications were historic.

Discussion: Splinter, Joe.My.God., Raw Story and Instapundit

Joe Concha / The Hill:
Trump stops following Ann Coulter on Twitter after ‘joke presidency’ comments

Discussion: Politico, The Root, Chicks On The Right, Daily Wire and Townhall

Charles J. Sykes / Washington Post:

Remember when Paul Ryan was the future of the Republican Party? — Charles J. Sykes, a former longtime radio host in Wisconsin, is the author of “How the Right Lost Its Mind.” — Paul D. Ryan's farewell speech on Wednesday was painful to watch. I'm old enough to remember …

Jamelle Bouie / Slate:
Republican Leadership Is Slowly Backing Away From Trump

Discussion: Washington Press, Shareblue Media, Mediaite, Raw Story, HuffPost and Washington Post

Aram Roston / BuzzFeed News:

Jerry Falwell: I Lent $1.8 Million To A Venture Involving A Pool Attendant — The prominent evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. has for the first time acknowledged putting up $1.8 million for a business venture managed by a young pool attendant whom he and his wife befriended during a stay at a luxury hotel in 2012.

Katherine Rosman / New York Times:

The Itsy-Bitsy, Teenie-Weenie, Very Litigious Bikini — On a sunny summer day in Montauk, Ipek Irgit was in the familiar situation of not knowing what she was doing with her life. It was 2012, and she was 34 years old. Earlier in the year, after having her heart broken …

Ken Dilanian / NBC News:

Democrats want to use obscure law to grab Donald Trump's tax returns — A 1924 law says the Treasury secretary “shall furnish” tax returns of any person for private review by the chairs of the House and Senate tax committees. — WASHINGTON — Soon after the Democrats take control of the House next year …

New York Times:

A Top Aide's Exit Plan Raises Eyebrows in the White House — WASHINGTON — After weeks of discussions about his future, Zachary D. Fuentes, the 36-year-old deputy White House chief of staff, had a plan. — Mr. Fuentes told colleagues that after his mentor, John F. Kelly …

Zoe Tillman / BuzzFeed News:

Former Senate Intelligence Committee Staffer James Wolfe Will Serve Two Months In Prison For Lying To The FBI — WASHINGTON — James Wolfe, the former head of security for the Senate Intelligence Committee, was sentenced on Thursday to spend two months in prison for lying to the FBI about his communications with reporters.

Discussion: Politico, CNN, Axios and The Gateway Pundit

Oliver Darcy / CNN:

Tucker Carlson's show has been hit by an advertiser boycott, and it's having an effect — Cuomo, Lemon slam Fox News' hateful speech — New York (CNN Business)The advertiser boycott spearheaded by liberal organizations of Fox News host Tucker Carlson is starting to have a visible effect.

Discussion: Conservative News Today, NewsBusters, Townhall and TVNewser, more at Mediagazer »