memeorandum: Republicans confront Trump amid cascading controversies (Eliana Johnson/Politico)

7:55 PM ET, April 11, 2019

Top Items:

WikiLeaks Founder Charged in Computer Hacking Conspiracy — ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Julian P. Assange, 47, the founder of WikiLeaks, was arrested today in the United Kingdom pursuant to the U.S./UK Extradition Treaty, in connection with a federal charge of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion …

Kevin Poulsen / The Daily Beast:

Why Ecuador Finally Got Sick of Julian Assange and Ended His Refuge at the Embassy in London — The Justice Department is set to announce charges against the Wikileaks founder after he was dragged from Ecuador's embassy in London. — Six years, nine months and 24 days after walking …

Discussion: Fox News, Politico, Rolling Stone, Mother Jones, One America News Network, The Guardian, Breitbart, Contemptor, Vox, Axios, twitchy.com and Engadget

Washington Post:

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrested by British police after being evicted from Ecuador's embassy in London — PARIS — Ecuador handed Julian Assange over to British authorities Thursday, ending a standoff that left the controversial WikiLeaks founder holed up in the Ecuadoran Embassy in London for nearly seven years.

Discussion: CNN, Right Wing Watch, Associated Press, Raw Story, The Moderate Voice, Home Page Rotator, Politico, Daily Wire, Vanity Fair, National Review, IJR and POLITICUSUSA

Mynewsdesk:

Arrest of Julian Assange — UPDATE: Julian Assange arrest. — Julian Assange, 47, (03.07.71) has today, Thursday 11 April, been further arrested on behalf of the United States authorities, at 10:53hrs after his arrival at a central London police station. This is an extradition warrant under Section 73 of the Extradition Act.

Discussion: CNN, BuzzFeed, ACLU, The Federalist, National Review, Washington Post, Breitbart, Home Office in the media, Common Dreams, ABC News, Test Feed Using Fields, Daily Wire, KTLA, NPR, TechCrunch and WPIX 11 New York

The Guardian:

Assange arrest: Trump claims to ‘know nothing about WikiLeaks’ despite past praise - live — The US president says WikiLeaks is ‘not my thing’, despite frequently applauding the organization during 2016 campaign — Donald Trump, who frequently praised WikiLeaks during the 2016 presidential campaign …

Discussion: CNN, Rolling Stone, The American Conservative, The Local, 1A and WREG-TV, more at Mediagazer »

Timothy L. O'Brien / Bloomberg:
If Assange Burgled Some Computers, He Stopped Being a Journalist

Discussion: Mediaite, CNN, Salon and Washington Post, more at Mediagazer »

BBC:
Julian Assange: Wikileaks co-founder arrested in London

Discussion: ABC News, The Intercept, Shareblue Media, Outside the Beltway, Mynewsdesk, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, The Wrap, Law & Crime, Conservative News Today, UNILAD, Big League Politics and Patterico's Pontifications, more at Mediagazer »

New York Times:
Julian Assange Arrested in London as U.S. Unseals Hacking Conspiracy Indictment

Washington Post:
How Ecuador soured on Assange

Discussion: Axios, Raw Story, Bloomberg and Vanity Fair

Jordan Fabian / The Hill:
Trump on WikiLeaks after Assange arrest: 'It's not my thing'

Discussion: USA Today and The Week

Steve Benen / MSNBC:
Ignoring his record, Trump pretends to know ‘nothing’ about WikiLeaks

Discussion: National Review, NBC News and VICE News

Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:
Is Julian Assange's arrest a threat to press freedom or an appropriate response to hacking?

Discussion: New York Times, The Verge and Hit & Run

Sylvan Lane / The Hill:

Fourth GOP senator comes out against Trump Fed pick Cain — A fourth Republican senator announced Thursday that he would oppose Herman Cain if President Trump nominated him to the Federal Reserve Board, all but dooming his potential appointment. — Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a close Trump ally …

Discussion: Axios and Political Wire

Eliana Johnson / Politico:

Republicans confront Trump amid cascading controversies — As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell asked Republicans this week to head off problematic nominees before President Donald Trump officially picked them, the Kentucky Republican singled out Ken Cuccinelli.

Discussion: Raw Story and The Daily Caller

Noah Smith / Bloomberg:

Republicans Turn Away From Experts and Economics — Conservatives ignore findings that government intervention can help the economy. — In 2010, President Barack Obama nominated economist Peter Diamond to the Federal Reserve Board. A short time later, Diamond — a professor …

Mike DeBonis / Washington Post:
Four Senate Republicans signal opposition to Trump's plan to put Herman Cain on Federal Reserve Board …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo and National Review

Bloomberg:
Herman Cain Lacks GOP Support for Fed Seat If Democratic Foes Unite

Discussion: Politico, CNBC, The Week and Splinter

Kansas City Star:
Herman Cain, Trump's prospective Fed nominee, calls Senate critics ‘a bunch of yahoos’

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Bloomberg, New York Times and Daily Kos

Sadie Gurman / Wall Street Journal:

Rod Rosenstein Defends Justice Department Handling of Mueller Report — Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein defended the Justice Department's handling of the special counsel's still-secret report, saying Attorney General William Barr is “being as forthcoming as he can” about redacting and releasing the document.

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Axios, Political Wire, The Daily Caller and Law & Crime

Isaac Chotiner / New Yorker:

Bret Easton Ellis Thinks You're Overreacting to Donald Trump — “When did people start identifying so relentlessly with victims, and when did the victim's world view become the lens through which we began to look at everything?” So begins Bret Easton Ellis's take on, of all things …

Discussion: New York Times and Lawyers, Guns & Money

CNN:

Letters from Joe Biden reveal how he sought support of segregationists in fight against busing — (CNN)Joe Biden's road to a third presidential bid has been lined with a series of explanations and apologies, illustrating the challenges of preparing a long record of public service …

Michael Finnegan / Los Angeles Times:

Avenatti indicted on 36 charges of tax dodging, perjury, theft from clients — In a sweeping expansion of the criminal charges against Michael Avenatti, a federal grand jury has indicted the Los Angeles lawyer on 36 counts of fraud, perjury, failure to pay taxes, embezzlement and other financial crimes.

Polls:

Health Care, Environment Top Dem Issues — West Long Branch, NJ - Democratic voters in the Hawkeye State like Joe Biden - a lot. The former vice president leads the pack and holds the best favorability rating in a field of two dozen presidential contenders, according to the first Monmouth University Poll …

Discussion: Saint Anselm College, Fox News, Axios and The Guardian

Steven Shepard / Politico:
Poll: Buttigieg busts out in Iowa

Discussion: Washington Post, Bloomberg, CNN, New York Times and Splinter

Katie Galioto / Politico:
Pence knocks Buttigieg for criticizing him: ‘He knows better’

Discussion: Slate, Washington Post and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Kelly Weill / The Daily Beast:

Instagram Stands By Laura Loomer Calling Ilhan Omar's Islamic Faith ‘Cancer’ — Muslim congresswoman was accused of denying hijackers were terrorists. Critics' followers call for her imprisonment, deportation, and worse. — Death threats against Rep. Ilhan Omar are surging online …

Brandon Morse / RedState:
NY Post Was Not Playing Around With Its Take Down Of Ilhan Omar's 9/11 Comments

Discussion: New York Post and Hot Air

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
‘Some people did something’: Rep. Omar's remarks in context

Discussion: Splinter, Vox, American Greatness, Mediaite, New York Post, Washington Press, twitchy.com, Contemptor, Washington Free Beacon and The Week

Hamed Aleaziz / BuzzFeed News:

An ICE Official Who Said Detention Was “More Like Summer Camp” Will Now Lead The Agency — The Trump administration has tapped Matthew Albence to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the wake of the sudden resignation of its former leader, sources close to the administration said Thursday.

Discussion: Political Wire and Splinter

New York Times:

Ron Burkle, Billionaire Investor, Is Said to Be in Talks to Buy National Enquirer — The owners of The National Enquirer are in talks to sell the tabloid to the California billionaire Ronald W. Burkle, according to two people with direct knowledge of the negotiations.

Discussion: Associated Press, The Wrap, New York Post, The Daily Beast, Politico and Gizmodo, more at Mediagazer »

Fox News:

Nunes sends criminal-referral notification to Barr, alleges several ‘potential violations’ in Russia probe — EXCLUSIVE: Republican Rep. Devin Nunes sent a criminal-referral notification to Attorney General William Barr on Thursday alleging several “potential violations” of the law.

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit and The Daily Caller

Tal Axelrod / The Hill:
Gaetz introduces ‘PENCIL’ resolution to oust Schiff from House Intel

Discussion: Roll Call, Breitbart, Talking Points Memo, Shareblue Media and IJR

Burgess Everett / Politico:

Joe Manchin endorses Susan Collins for reelection — Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin endorsed GOP Sen. Susan Collins for reelection on Thursday, in a rare rebuff of partisan politics in an increasingly polarized Senate. — The moderate West Virginia senator also offered to campaign for the vulnerable Maine incumbent.

Discussion: Washington Post, Axios, The Hill and IJR

Elizabeth Warren / Team Warren:

I'm proposing a big new idea: the Real Corporate Profits Tax — It's almost Tax Day, and chances are you'll be paying federal taxes this year. Maybe it's a lot, maybe it's a little. But you'll be kicking in something for our military, for medical research, for highways and bridges …

Discussion: NBC News, Vanity Fair, ThinkProgress, Vox, Townhall, Daily Kos, Associated Press, Common Dreams, American Prospect, ITEP, Talking Points Memo, Shakesville and Observer

Center for Public Integrity:
You paid taxes. These corporations didn't.

Discussion: ITEP, Shareblue Media, NBC News and Common Dreams

Washington Post:

Gregory Craig, former Obama White House counsel, charged with making false statements related to Ukraine work in latest Mueller fallout — Washington attorney Gregory B. Craig, who served as White House counsel for President Barack Obama, was charged Thursday with lying to federal officials …

Discussion: CNBC, Politico, Associated Press, The Daily Beast, The Week and RedState

Andrew Prokop / Vox:
Former Obama White House counsel indicted in charges stemming from Mueller probe

Discussion: Raw Story

Jennifer Rubin / Washington Post:

Mnuchin's act of abject lawlessness — The announcement that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would not provide six years of President Trump's tax returns by the deadline given by the House Ways and Means Committee chairman was just the latest in a long series of egregious attacks on the rule of law.

Discussion: Raw Story

Aaron Lorenzo / Politico:
Pascrell suggests contempt of Congress for Mnuchin over Trump's tax returns

Discussion: Raw Story

Brian Beutler / Crooked Media:

Donald Trump Finds His Roy Cohn — By all outward appearances, the White House believed that President Trump would benefit politically from the end of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. — After the investigation came to a close without a big conspiracy indictment charging Trump's associates …

Sarah Kolinovsky / ABC News:
AG Barr statement that spying occurred ‘very accurate’: Trump

Discussion: IJR

Dave McKinney / WBEZ:

Illinois Senate Tells Trump, Show Your Tax Returns Or Be Barred From The 2020 Ballot — The Democratic-led Illinois Senate voted Thursday to compel President Trump to release five years' worth of his personal income tax returns or be barred from appearing on the state's presidential ballot next year.

Discussion: Political Wire

YouTube:

Bernie's millionaire problem … Throughout his long political career, Sen. Bernie Sanders has condemned the vast influence that the richest Americans have in the U.S. political system. Now, after reaping in royalties from book sales, Sanders has become a millionaire.