memeorandum: John Eastman now rejects ‘coup memo’ he wrote for Trump: 'Anybody who thinks that that's a viable strategy is crazy' (Travis Gettys/Raw Story)

6:05 PM ET, October 22, 2021

Top Items:

Alec Baldwin ‘Rust’ camera crew walked off the set in protest before the fatal shooting — Hours before actor Alec Baldwin fatally shot a cinematographer on the New Mexico set of “Rust” with a prop gun, a half-dozen camera crew workers walked off the set to protest working conditions.

Variety:

Alec Baldwin Fired Prop Gun That Killed Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, Injured Director — Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on a set in New Mexico on Thursday, accidentally killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. — The incident occurred on the set of …

Chris Lindahl / IndieWire:

Prop Gun Fired by Alec Baldwin Contained a ‘Live Single Round,’ Says IATSE Local 44 — Update, 5:13 p.m. ET Friday: Following Local 44's Friday email, which described the gun fired by Alec Baldwin as being loaded with “a live single round,” there remains a lack of clarity around what kind of projectile was in the gun.

Discussion: Bounding Into Comics, New York Post, WAVY-TV, HotAir, Deadline, The Wrap, East Bay Times, KTLA, Daily Mail, Gawker, National Review, Breitbart, Daily Kos and UPI

Allahpundit / HotAir:
Camera crew walked off set of Baldwin movie due to working conditions hours before shooting

Discussion: The Atlantic, Daily Mail and Los Angeles Times

Victoria Traxler / Santa Fe New Mexican:
Sheriff's office: Alec Baldwin discharged prop gun that killed crew member, wounded director

John McCormack / National Review:

John Eastman vs. the Eastman Memo — In extensive conversations with NR, the Trump legal adviser behind a fiercely disputed memo advising Pence to reject Biden electors claims it doesn't reflect his own views. — n January 6, President Donald Trump took the stage at the “Save America Rally” …

Discussion: Slate, Talking Points Memo, Alternet.org, Above the Law, Election Law Blog, Washington Post, Joe.My.God., HotAir, Balloon Juice and Raw Story

Axios:

Trump, your 2024 GOP nominee — Former President Trump is telling most anyone who'll listen he will run again in 2024 — and poll after poll shows the vast majority of Republicans would gladly cheer him on and vote for him. — Why it matters: Trump is the heart, soul and undisputed leader …

Discussion: HotAir, New York Magazine, Raw Story and Breitbart

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

The architect of Trump's plot to steal the 2020 election explains himself — absurdly — The man who provided a road map for subverting democracy to a president intent upon doing just that, which the president then attempted to follow, would like to let you know that he is in fact the hero of this story.

Discussion: Raw Story

FiveThirtyEight:
A Majority Of Republican Voters Actively Want Trump To Run For President Again

Discussion: The Hill

Travis Gettys / Raw Story: John Eastman now rejects ‘coup memo’ he wrote for Trump: 'Anybody who thinks that that's a viable strategy is crazy'

Lauren del Valle / CNN:

Lev Parnas found guilty on campaign finance charges — New York (CNN)Rudy Giuliani's former associate Lev Parnas was convicted on six counts related to “influence buying” campaign finance schemes. — A jury of eight men and four women found Parnas guilty of scheming with co-conspirators …

Discussion: Insider, New York Times, East Bay Times, Joe.My.God., Mediaite, Law & Crime and Politico

Shayna Jacobs / Washington Post:

Giuliani associate Lev Parnas convicted in campaign finance fraud case — NEW YORK — Lev Parnas, a Florida businessman who is an associate of Rudolph W. Giuliani, was found guilty on Friday of using funds from a foreign investor to try to influence political candidates through campaign donations.

Discussion: Politico, CNBC, Bloomberg, Al Jazeera, UPI, New York Post and Political Wire

Associated Press:
Giuliani associate convicted of campaign finance crimes

Discussion: The Daily Beast, Wall Street Journal and CBS New York

Chris Sommerfeldt / New York Daily News:
Ex-Giuliani pal Lev Parnas found guilty of orchestrating Russia-tied campaign finance scheme

Discussion: Shore News Network

Craig Timberg / Washington Post:

New whistleblower claims Facebook allowed hate, illegal activity to go unchecked — Latest complaint to the SEC blames top leadership for failing to warn investors about serious problems at the company — A new whistleblower affidavit submitted by a former Facebook employee Friday alleges …

Discussion: Insider, AppleInsider, New York Post, The Daily Caller, Joe.My.God. and Raw Story, more at Mediagazer »

Jordan Weissmann / Slate:

Democrats Are Turning Their Big Spending Bill Into Absolute Trash — It feels like Democrats are losing the plot. — As the party began trying to piece together its big social spending and climate package, a split emerged between lawmakers who wanted to pass fewer programs (but do them well) …

Discussion: Washington Post, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, Talking Points Memo and Inside Elections

Washington Post:

Democrats move to finalize new ‘billionaire’ tax plan, targeting 700 wealthiest Americans as key source of revenue for spending plan — Senior Democrats are preparing a sweeping new tax plan that would aim to raise hundreds of billions of dollars from the fortunes of America's roughly 700 billionaires …

Discussion: Bloomberg, Forbes and Talking Points Memo

Aaron Blake / Washington Post:

Biden sows confusion about defending Taiwan from China — Twenty years ago, a senator by the name of Joe Biden criticized an American president for offering conflicting signals about whether the United States would defend Taiwan from China militarily. — Twenty years later …

Adam Kredo / Washington Free Beacon:
The Biden Admin Said It Left 100 Americans in Afghanistan. They Now Admit It's Far More.

Discussion: TheBlaze, Townhall, The Daily Wire and The Right Scoop

Stephen Collinson / CNN:
Biden showed candor in town hall but also made some damaging remarks

Mike Lillis / The Hill:

Pelosi: Democrats within striking distance of deal — Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that Democrats are within striking distance of winning a long-sought agreement on President Biden's sweeping domestic agenda. — Returning to the Capitol from a White House breakfast with the president …

Discussion: Politico, NBC News and Associated Press

Hugo Gurdon / Washington Examiner: Measuring-up the Democrats for defeat

Michael Scherer / Washington Post:

Neera Tanden is named as the next White House staff secretary for President Biden — Neera Tanden was named the next White House staff secretary on Friday morning, putting her in the nerve center of the building charged with overseeing the paper flow for President Biden, according to a White House official briefed on the move.

Discussion: Politico, Washington Examiner, Fox News, The AP (Alex Pareene) …, The Daily Wire, UPI, The Daily Caller, Breitbart, NBC News, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Twitchy, CNN, Talking Points Memo and Forbes

CNN:

House investigators target the money trail behind January 6 rally — ‘Peril’ details Trump's plans before Jan. 6 — (CNN)The House select committee is setting its sights on the financing behind events and people associated with January 6, CNN has learned, including money that funded pro-Trump …

Discussion: Duluth News Tribune and Raw Story

Associated Press:

Where are the workers? Cutoff of jobless aid spurs no influx — INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Earlier this year, an insistent cry arose from business leaders and Republican governors: Cut off a $300-a-week federal supplement for unemployed Americans. Many people, they argued …

Discussion: Political Wire and POLITICUSUSA

John Stoehr / The Editorial Board:

Why does a democratic republic founded in opposition to monarchy tolerate billionaires? — They are never self-made. — In Thursday's post, I imagined a world in which conservatives placed equality at the center of their sensibilities. It was fun, though hardly realistic.

Robert Barnes / Washington Post:

Supreme Court won't block Texas abortion law but grants expedited review for Nov. 1 — The Supreme Court on Friday said it will consider legal arguments over the Texas abortion law that is the nation's most restrictive on Nov. 1, and that the law will remain in effect.

Discussion: Wall Street Journal, CBS News, HotAir, New Republic, Politico, Daily Kos, ABC News, UPI, National Review and CNBC

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:

Biden said he's been to the southern border before. It was a drive-by. — CNN's Anderson Cooper: “Do you have plans to visit the southern border?” … — exchange during CNN town hall, Oct. 21 — For weeks, Republicans — and Fox News — have demanded to know why the president …

Discussion: Politico, The Hill, CNN, Washington Examiner, Fox News, TheBlaze, New York Post and IJR

CNN:
Fact-checking Biden's CNN town hall in Baltimore

Discussion: Fox News, Boston Herald, delawareonline, RedState, Townhall, The Gateway Pundit, The Right Scoop, Newsbusters and IJR

Chris English / LevittownNow.com:

School Board President Says Threats Unjustified, FBI Will Be Alerted — Mask mandates and other divisive issues created by the coronavirus pandemic and other societal realities have made it a very stressful time to be a school board member, Pennsbury School Board President Christine Toy-Dragoni …

Discussion: Raw Story

Amy Cheng / Washington Post:

Putin slams ‘cancel culture’ and trans rights, calling teaching gender fluidity ‘crime against humanity’ — Russian President Vladimir Putin again attacked Western liberalism in a fiery address on Thursday, blasting so-called cancel culture and advances in gay and transgender rights.

Discussion: Insider and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Blake Apgar / Las Vegas Review-Journal:

Las Vegas executive faces voter fraud charges in 2020 election — A Las Vegas business executive is facing two voter fraud charges related to the 2020 election, the attorney general's office announced Thursday. — Donald Kirk Hartle, 55, faces felony counts of voting more than once …

Discussion: Washington Post, Daily Kos and KLAS

Washington Post:

Youngkin accused of antisemitism after claiming allies of Jewish donor George Soros ‘inserted’ operatives into Virginia school boards — GOP gubernatorial nominee Glenn Youngkin is facing allegations of antisemitism after accusing allies of Jewish philanthropist George Soros of a shadowy campaign …

Discussion: The Hill, Daily Kos, The Daily Beast, Politico and Fox News

Callie Patteson / New York Post:

DHS pays over $455K to build ‘security fencing’ around Biden's beach home — Build that wall! — The southern border with Mexico is seeing the highest levels of illegal border crossings in 35 years, but the Department of Homeland Security has found one access point it can shore up …

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, The Gateway Pundit and The Right Scoop

Charlie Cook / The Cook Political Report:

Can Democrats Make the Midterms About Republicans? — Everyone knows the saying, which has been attributed to Otto von Bismarck: “Laws are like sausages; it is better not to see them being made.” This year, President Biden and Democrats in Congress have led a grisly, excruciatingly long tour …

Discussion: New Republic and Defense One

Jose Pagliery / The Daily Beast:

‘Delinquent’ Matt Gaetz Blocked from Practicing Law — Matt Gaetz is facing an investigation for underage sex trafficking and has had fundraising slow down to a drip. Now he's been deemed ineligible to practice law in Florida. — This is one bar tab Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) may regret not paying.

Discussion: Daily Kos, The Root, The Daily Beast, The Week, Insider, Joe.My.God., Bipartisan Report, Alternet.org, Law & Crime, Raw Story, HotAir, Washington Examiner, Zandar Versus The Stupid, Florida Politics and New York Times

Madeleine May / VICE:

Death Threats Are Creating a Mass Exodus of Election Officials — “Hey, Rick,” the voicemail said. “Two hundred and thirty four years ago, the founding caucasian fathers of America gave us the Second Amendment. Time's running out, Richard. We're coming after you and every motherfucker …

Discussion: Alternet.org, Joe.My.God. and YouTube

Zach Everson / Forbes:

House Ethics Office: ‘Substantial Reason To Believe’ Four Congressmen Violated Laws — The House Office of Congressional Ethics found “substantial reason to believe” four congressmen—Jim Hagedorn (R-Minn.), Mike Kelly (R-Penn.), Tom Malinowski (D-N.J.) and Alex Mooney (R-W.V.) …