memeorandum: Russia's Wagner mercenaries calls the shots in fight for control of Libya (The Times)

2:15 PM ET, February 27, 2021

Top Items:

Tara Palmeri / Politico:

POLITICO Playbook: Trump stewing over McCarthy again ahead of big CPAC speech — DRIVING THE DAY — BREAKING OVERNIGHT — “House passes Biden's $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package,” by Caitlin Emma and Sarah Ferris — ORLANDO, Fla. — Friday was the warm-up act at TPAC (get it?) …

Discussion: Fox News, Raw Story, New York Post and No More Mister Nice Blog

The Guardian:

Golden Trump statue turning heads at CPAC was made in ... Mexico … A golden statue of Donald Trump that has caused a stir at the annual US gathering of conservatives was made in Mexico - a country the former president frequently demonized. — Mitch McConnell says he'd ‘absolutely’ support Trump as 2024 nominee

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Washington Post:

'It's Donald Trump's party': How the former president is building a political operation to cement his hold on the GOP — Any lingering doubts about Donald Trump's primacy in the Republican Party have been settled in recent weeks by the parade of petitioners he has welcomed to his Florida social club.

Discussion: Townhall, Raw Story and One America News Network

Peter Wehner / The Atlantic:

The Man Who Refused to Bow — adam Kinzinger is a liberated individual—liberated from his party leadership, liberated from the fear of being beaten in a primary, liberated to speak his mind. The 43-year-old representative was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump for inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Julie Pace / Associated Press:
Analysis: Biden ambitions run into reality of Senate's rules

Discussion: Washington Times, Bangor Daily News, The New Arab, IJR, USA Today, Michigan Advance, HotAir, Maryland Matters, KYMA-TV, The Hill, Washington Monthly, Florida Politics, Roll Call, The Guardian and FOX 46 Charlotte

Will Steakin / ABC News:

GOP congressman headlines conference where organizers push white nationalist rhetoric — The group's leader said of Jan. 6, “We need a little bit more of that.” — House GOP leaders clash over Trump at CPAC — Former President Donald Trump was the subject of an awkward clash Wednesday …

David Weigel / Washington Post:

Rep. Gosar criticizes ‘white racism’ after speaking at event whose organizer called for white supremacy — ORLANDO — Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.) said Saturday that he opposed “white racism,” hours after speaking at a far-right conference whose organizer spoke approvingly of the Capitol insurrection …

Discussion: Washington Examiner, Mother Jones and POLITICUSUSA

Will Sommer / The Daily Beast:

GOP Rep. Appears at White Nationalist Event Where Organizer Calls Capitol Riot ‘Awesome’ — BAD COMPANY — A sitting member of Congress appeared at a white nationalist convention Friday night, marking new GOP support for the racist movement. Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) spoke in Orlando …

Discussion: Crooks and Liars and Political Wire

Sarah Dadouch / Washington Post:

After dissident vanishes in Canada, Saudi exiles fear they are now in jeopardy — The mysterious disappearance last month of a Saudi dissident living in Montreal after visiting the kingdom's embassy in Ottawa has sent fear rippling across Canada's community of Saudi exiles.

Discussion: Kevin Drum

Nicholas Kristof / New York Times:
President Biden Lets a Saudi Murderer Walk

Discussion: Vox, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, HotAir, Mediaite, CNBC, The Daily Caller, Atlantic Council, Dispatches From A …, The Intercept, Washington Post, Washington Examiner, Common Dreams, Raw Story, rubber hose and Politico, more at Mediagazer »

Patrice Taddonio / FRONTLINE:
Saudi Crown Prince Approved Plan to “Capture or Kill” Columnist Jamal Khashoggi, According to Declassified U.S. Report

Discussion: Bloomberg, The Hill, Reuters, New York Times, IJR, The Moderate Voice, Al Jazeera, Mic, The New Arab, Vanity Fair, The Times of Israel, Insider, Axios, TheBlaze and The Atlantic

Osita Nwanevu / New Republic:

The Democrats Are Blocking a $15 Minimum Wage — According to the Center for Economic Policy and Research, the national minimum wage in this country rose in tandem with both inflation and productivity gains in the workforce until around 1968. If this had continued, the federal minimum today would be over $24.

Discussion: The Guardian, Jacobin and Digby's Hullabaloo

Washington Post:
Senior Democrats explore tax largely hitting Fortune 1000 companies not paying $15 an hour

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, The Texas Tribune and National Review

New York Times:
Democrats Move to Salvage Minimum Wage Hike

Discussion: Disrn, Slate, NBC New York, BizPac Review, Fox News, HotAir, Washington Post and Politico

Dom Calicchio / Fox News:
Kevin McCarthy blasts Pelosi ‘payoff’ bill, declares ‘The Swamp is back’; Pelosi counters

Discussion: Washington Examiner and CBS News

Alex Isenstadt / Politico:

Grenell to discuss potential California governor run with Trump Saturday — Former acting national intelligence director Ric Grenell is slated to have dinner with former President Donald Trump Saturday evening to discuss his potential run for California governor, among other issues, according to three people familiar with the plans.

Discussion: Fox News and Bloomberg

Lee Moran / HuffPost:
Former CPAC Chair Minces No Words Slamming What The Event, GOP Have Now Become

Discussion: The Guardian and Raw Story

Ben Leonard / Politico:
Grenell strongly hints at run for California governor at CPAC

Discussion: The Hill and Washington Times

BuzzFeed News:

“Danger Warning”: Women Say Madison Cawthorn Harassed Them In College — Madison Cawthorn arrived at Patrick Henry College's small Christian campus in northern Virginia in fall 2016 blazing with charm, bravado, and a flashing white smile. His former classmates said the future member …

Discussion: Insider, The Daily Caller, Political Wire and Raw Story

New York Times:

F.B.I. Said to Have Singled Out Potential Assailant in Capitol Officer's Death — The death of the officer, Brian Sicknick, after the Capitol riot has been a major focus for investigators scrutinizing the attack by a pro-Trump mob. — WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. has pinpointed an assailant …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Politico, United States Capitol Police, TheBlaze, NPR, IJR, New York Post, Washington Post, The Daily Boulder, HotAir, CBS News, The Intellectualist and Raw Story

Associated Press:
‘Blame Trump’ defense in Capitol riot looks like a long shot

Discussion: Raw Story

Evan Perez / CNN:
FBI identifies suspect in death of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, sources say

Discussion: Slate, Insider and Washington Examiner

Maureen Dowd / New York Times:

High on Their Own Supply — Democrats work the refs. — WASHINGTON — I've been waiting for this moment. The moment when some on the left would react indignantly to journalists doing their job. — It was so enthralling and gratifying to assail Donald Trump as a liar and misogynist …

Discussion: RedState, more at Mediagazer »

New York Times:

Why Opening Windows Is a Key to Reopening Schools — The C.D.C. is urging communities to reopen schools as quickly as possible, but parents and teachers have raised questions about the quality of ventilation available in public school classrooms to protect against the coronavirus.

Discussion: HotAir

Stefanie Dazio / Associated Press:

Lady Gaga's dogs recovered safely — LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lady Gaga's two French bulldogs, which were stolen by thieves who shot and wounded the dogwalker, were recovered unharmed Friday, Los Angeles police said. — A woman brought the dogs to the LAPD's Olympic Community Police Station …

Discussion: NBC Los Angeles, PinkNews, Mediaite, Vanity Fair, Associated Press, Insider, The Wrap, CONAN Daily, Rolling Stone, Las Vegas Review-Journal and TMZ.com

Maggie Haberman / New York Times:

Trump Will Return to Spotlight With Appearance at CPAC — Most presidents leave the White House and adopt low profiles. Donald Trump is returning to the national stage with a prominent appearance at a conservative conference on Sunday. — For decades, the normal course of action …

Discussion: Political Wire

David Gilbert / VICE:
A Japanese Cult That Believes Its Leader Is an Alien From Venus Is Speaking at CPAC

Discussion: The Intellectualist, Bulwark+, Boing Boing, The Daily Beast, Gizmodo and Raw Story

Marc Tracy / New York Times:

How Marty Baron and Jeff Bezos Remade The Washington Post — The celebrated editor is ending his tenure at the helm of a very different newspaper than the one he originally signed on to run. — On July 30, 2013, Martin Baron left The Washington Post building and crossed 15th Street for an extremely rare happy hour drink.

Keith Coffman / Reuters:

White supremacist sentenced to nearly 20 years in plot to bomb Colorado synagogue — DENVER (Reuters) - An avowed white supremacist was sentenced on Friday to 19-1/2 years in prison after pleading guilty months ago to a federal hate-crimes case stemming from a botched plot to bomb a historic Colorado synagogue in 2019.

U.S. Department of Justice:
Southern Colorado Man Sentenced to More Than 19 Years for Plotting to Blow Up Synagogue

Discussion: The Hill, KYMA-TV and The Daily Caller

Paul Liotta / Staten Island Advance:

Andrew Yang comes to aid of photographer attacked on Staten Island Ferry — STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Andrew Yang, a former Democratic presidential candidate and current frontrunner in the race for NYC mayor, came to the rescue of a photojournalist who was attacked Friday on the Staten Island Ferry.

Discussion: Insider, THE CITY, NBC New York and New York Post

Jonathan Swan / Axios:

Scoop: Biden admin call on Putin pipeline provokes GOP anger — A briefing between the State Department and congressional staff over Vladimir Putin's Russia-Germany gas pipeline got tense this week, with Biden officials deflecting questions about why they hadn't moved faster and more aggressively with sanctions to stop its completion.

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Examiner, Bloomberg, Politico, NBC News and POLITICUSUSA

Umair Haque / Eudaimonia and Co:

The Dems are Blowing It — What Grade Would You Give the Democrats For Their First Month in Power? Here's Mine — I'm sorry. Accept my apology in advance. I'm going to say something ugly, and many of you aren't going to like it. But it needs to be said. — The Democrats are blowing it.

The Times:

Russia's Wagner mercenaries calls the shots in fight for control of Libya … Soon after the Russian Wagner mercenaries appeared on the front lines near Tripoli, United States officials warned Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the man who recruited them, that he was making a Faustian bargain.

Politico:

How Trump upended the race to control the House through 2030 — Days after the 2020 election, House Democrats convened to address some of the party's most surprising losses, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Cheri Bustos name-checked one in particular: Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, a freshman from South Florida.

Discussion: Raw Story

Campus Reform the #1 Source for College News:

Harvard Business School Club of NY cancels speaker from...cancel culture talk: report — The book discusses how “anti-Enlightenment beliefs” such as cancel culture, subjective truth and language as violence pose an imminent threat “not only to liberal democracy but also to modernity itself.”

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion