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5:50 PM ET, February 12, 2025

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Lawrence Hurley / NBC News:
This obscure law is one reason Trump's agenda keeps losing in court  —  Lawsuits challenging Trump policies raise big constitutional questions, but they also rely on a law that requires the government to follow the correct procedures when changing course.  —  WASHINGTON — Lawyers challenging …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
White House says judges balking at Trump's actions are provoking a ‘constitutional crisis’  —  The White House said Wednesday that court rulings going against the Trump administration are coming from “judicial activists” on the bench whose decisions amount to a “constitutional crisis.”
Jaclyn Diaz / NPR:
What happens if Trump starts ignoring court rulings?  We break it down  —  In less than a month in office, President Trump has signed dozens of executive orders that are now facing pushback in the courts.  —  Many are wondering: What happens if he simply ignores them?
Bill Scher / Washington Monthly:
It's a Good Thing Democrats Didn't Pack the Courts  —  Without an independent judiciary, the Constitution would be no match for Donald Trump's authoritarian impulses.  —  As disturbing as the first three weeks of the second Donald Trump administration have been, we can take solace …
Discussion: The Gateway Pundit
Associated Press:
As Trump pushes whirlwind agenda, DOJ is challenged to defend his orders in court
Discussion: New Republic
New York Times:
Live Updates: Trump Holds Call With Putin to Start Talks on Ending Ukraine War  —  Where Things Stand  — Trump-Putin call: President Trump said that he had “a lengthy and highly productive” call with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Wednesday that he characterized as the start of the negotiation to end the war in Ukraine.
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NBC News:
Senate votes to confirm Tulsi Gabbard as top U.S. intelligence official  —  Gabbard overcame initial skepticism from some Republican senators about her nomination, underscoring Trump's grip on the party.  —  WASHINGTON — The GOP-controlled Senate early Wednesday morning voted …
Catie Edmondson / New York Times:
Defying Johnson, Graham and Senate G.O.P. Push Their Own Budget Plan  —  Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who relishes being in the middle of the action, is leapfrogging the House G.O.P., which is still tied in knots over how to pass its budget.
RELATED:
Lee Moran / HuffPost:
Donald Trump Taunted Over ‘Most Powerless Image Of A President’ Ever  —  It's “a picture of presidential subservience the likes of which we have never seen,” said MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell.  —  LOADING  —  MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell pointed out the power plays that Elon Musk appeared …
William Kristol / The Bulwark:
When President Musk Speaks, Donald Trump Listens
Discussion: NBC News
Jenna McLaughlin / NPR:
Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as director of national intelligence, overcoming skepticism  —  The U.S. Senate has confirmed former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard to lead the intelligence community as director of national intelligence, despite initial skepticism.  —  Gabbard was confirmed 52-48 …
RELATED:
New York Times:
Trump Softens Tone on Inflation After Pledging to Lower Prices  —  President Trump pledged to lower costs on “Day 1” as a candidate.  His administration now acknowledges it will take more time.  —  President Trump promised voters that, if elected, he would enact policies that would bring prices down on “Day 1” in office.
RELATED:
Colby Smith / New York Times:
CPI Report: Inflation Rose Unexpectedly in January
New York Times:
Family of Venezuelan Migrant Sent to Guantánamo: ‘My Brother Is Not a Criminal.’ … Luis Alberto Castillo, a father of one from Venezuela, entered the United States on Jan. 19, one day before Donald Trump became president for a second term — swept into office on a promise to treat undocumented migrants with a heavy hand.
RELATED:
New York Times:
Republicans Love Trump's Spending Cuts.  Just Not in Their States.  —  Even as they praise the president's unilateral actions to slash federal spending, G.O.P. lawmakers have quietly moved to seek carve outs or exemptions for their own constituents.  —  Republicans in Congress have responded …
Discussion: Raw Story
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Ryan Grim / Drop Site News:
“Armored Tesla” forecast to win $400 million State Department contract after Trump's election, government document shows  —  The State Department's procurement forecast, revised as of late December 2024, lists Tesla as the recipient of the largest expected contract, with Marco Rubio's department planning …
Judd Legum / Popular Information:
BREAKING: NIH admits funding freeze is illegal, will resume issuing grants  —  On Monday afternoon, Popular Information broke the news that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) had frozen virtually all grant funding in violation of two federal court orders.
Washington Post:
New Kennedy Center board elects Trump as chair.  Rutter departs as president.  —  President Trump's refashioned board of trustees voted him chairman in a meeting Wednesday afternoon.  President Deborah Rutter told staff she was leaving the institution.  —  The Kennedy Center board …
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Bobby Allyn / NPR:
Elon Musk's DOGE takes aim at agency that had plans of regulating X  —  Elon Musk made a big leap late last month toward his long-shot goal of turning X into an “everything app,” a service that could encompass a broad range of services, including the ability to transfer money, similar to Venmo or PayPal.
RELATED:
David Zipper / Slate:
Americans Are Actually in a Position to Make Elon Musk Feel Our Rage  —  The company is in a precarious position.  This is a case where buying choices can effectively communicate rage.  —  There are myriad reasons to loathe Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, who has become a top ally of Donald Trump.
Discussion: Raw Story and Forbes
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Associated Press:
Her parents were injured in a Tesla crash. She ended up having to pay Tesla damages
Discussion: Electrek and TechCrunch
RELATED:
Jennifer Bendery / HuffPost:
Dem Lawmaker Sounds Alarm On DOGE ‘Actively Dismantling’ Education Department
Discussion: Carolina Journal and Daily Mail
Leah Feiger / Wired:
The GSA Plans to Sell Hundreds of Its Federal Government Buildings  —  The General Services Administration, staffed at its upper levels by Elon Musk associates, plans to sell 500-plus buildings—some of which house government agencies and the offices of US senators.
emptywheel:
Trump Fired Inspectors General Who Identified $183.5 Billion in Waste, Fraud, and Abuse  —  There have and will be a slew of lawsuits in response to Trump's attack on government.  But this lawsuit, from eight of the Inspectors General that Trump fired on January 24, has been much anticipated.
RELATED:
CNN:
Government watchdogs fired by Trump sue to get their jobs back
Ashleigh Fields / The Hill:
House Republican circulates petition to deport Omar  —  Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) is circulating a petition for his supporters to sign to deport a fellow member of Congress, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).  —  Gil had previously called on Omar to be deported, arguing she is more loyal …
Discussion: Axios and New York Post
New York Daily News:
Trump revokes $80 million from NYC after threat to claw back FEMA cash used to care for migrants  —  The Trump administration has revoked more than $80 million in funds from New York City bank accounts after Elon Musk earlier this week threatened to claw back FEMA money used to house migrants in …
Wall Street Journal:
Musk's X Agrees to Pay About $10 Million to Settle Trump Lawsuit  —  Musk's platform becomes second social-media company to settle with Trump after Jan. 6, 2021 riot triggered bans  —  WASHINGTON—Elon Musk's X has agreed to pay about $10 million to settle a lawsuit that Donald Trump brought …
Discussion: The Borowitz Report
Greg Sargent / New Republic:
Pope Francis's Stunning Rebuke of JD Vance Exposes MAGA's Dark Soul  —  The other day, JD Vance sought to reconcile President Donald Trump's “America First” vision with the tenets of Christianity.  Vance argued for a “Christian concept” that orders our ethical obligations in a series of concentric circles …
Justine Calma / The Verge:
The Trump administration restores federal webpages after court order  —  A federal judge told the CDC and FDA to restore pages containing key health information.  —  A federal judge told the CDC and FDA to restore pages containing key health information.
David Frum / The Atlantic:
Why the COVID Deniers Won  —  Lessons from the pandemic and its aftermath  —  Five years ago, the coronavirus pandemic struck a bitterly divided society.  —  Americans first diverged over how dangerous the disease was: just a flu (as President Donald Trump repeatedly insisted) or something much deadlier.
Discussion: The Democracy Labs
Charles Franklin / Homepage:
New Marquette Law School Poll national survey finds public strongly favors some Trump policies, strongly opposes others  —  Recognizing only two sexes and immigrant orders are most popular, “Gulf of America” naming and Jan. 6 pardons least popular  —  Other highlights:  — Overall opinion is skeptical on tariffs
Adam Cancryn / Politico:
RFK Jr. taps former border patrol agent as senior adviser  —  Chris Clem could help Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who will have a role in immigration policy as health secretary, manage deportations.  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has tapped a retired border patrol chief to be one of his senior advisers …
Michela Moscufo / NBC News:
Reparations bill returns to Congress as Trump leads charge against racial equity in government  —  Rep. Ayanna Pressley will revive a federal reparations push at what she describes as an “inflection point” for the country.  —  Rep. Ayanna Pressley will reintroduce H.R. 40 …
Mitch McConnell / Courier-Journal:
Kentuckians can't afford the high cost of Trump's tariffs  —  In Kentucky, local storeowners are already hearing about their suppliers' prices going up.  One estimate suggests President Trump's tariffs could cost the average Kentuckian up to $1,200 each year.
Discussion: Axios, Detroit Free Press and CNBC
Daniel Payne / Politico:
Why the health care industry is letting RFK Jr. cruise to confirmation  —  From drugmakers to doctors, few health care groups are asking senators to block Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from becoming HHS secretary.  —  Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s expected Senate confirmation on Thursday to lead …
Discussion: New York Times
Joyce Vance / Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance:
Cutting Cancer Research  —  Sometimes, it gets personal.  —  My daughter is finishing up a master's degree.  Her work is completely over my head, but it involves the intersection of nutrition, agriculture, and climate change. … In other words, she's doing important work, real work that could help make many lives better.
 
 
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 More Items: 
U.S. Department of Defense:
Opening Remarks by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Ukraine Defense Contact Group (As Delivered)
CNN:
After Putin call, Trump says negotiations to end Ukraine war will start ‘immediately’
Sheryl Gay Stolberg / New York Times:
Top N.I.H. Official Abruptly Resigns as Trump Orders Deep Cuts
Emily Brooks / The Hill:
First DOGE committee hearing becomes referendum on Elon Musk
Discussion: New Republic
Alex Gangitano / The Hill:
Musk calls for ‘wave of judicial impeachments’
 Earlier Items: 
Jonathan V. Last / The Bulwark:
Wall Street Loves Trump Because LOL Nothing Matters
Max Read / Read Max:
Soy Right ascendant
New York Times:
New Hampshire High School Trans Athletes Take Their Fight to Trump
Vladimir Isachenkov / Associated Press:
Kremlin says unidentified Russian freed in US in exchange for Moscow's release of Marc Fogel
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Daniel Thomas / Financial Times:
Netflix agrees to acquire WBD's studios and streaming business in an $82.7B cash-and-stock deal, including debt, to close after WBD splits in two in Q3 2026

Oliver Darcy / Status:
Sources: David Ellison's interference in WBD's failed summer talks to extend HBO Max's South Park licensing deal left David Zaslav distrustful of Ellison

Alexandra Steigrad / New York Post:
Sources: Forbes has cut ties with dozens of contributing writers; one exec said Forbes needs to ensure the contributor model is “financially sound”

 
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