memeorandum: How Families Separated at the Border Could Make the Government Pay (Sarah Stillman/New Yorker)

4:15 AM ET, June 16, 2019

Top Items:

U.S. Escalates Online Attacks on Russia's Power Grid — WASHINGTON — The United States is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's electric power grid in a warning to President Vladimir V. Putin and a demonstration of how the Trump administration is using new authorities to deploy cybertools …

Discussion: Politico, Talking Points Memo, RAPPLER, The Verge, Sputnik International, Slate, KTLA, CNN, Rolling Stone, Newser, Task & Purpose, Bloomberg, TASS and Mother Jones, more at Techmeme »

Washington Post:

GOP in disarray as budget impasse threatens shutdown, deep cuts — and default — Senate Republicans and the Trump administration are struggling to reach an agreement on a path forward on critical budget and spending issues, threatening not only another government shutdown and deep spending cuts …

Katy Tur / MSNBC:

Why is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocking election security bills? — Multiple election security bills are in limbo because Senator McConnell hasn't allowed them to pass through the Senate. Morgan Radford discusses McConnell's stance with Politico National Security Correspondent …

Hannah Bleau / Breitbart:

‘Completely Erroneous’: New York Times Busted for Fake News Story on Harriet Tubman $20 Bill — The U.S. Treasury is denying a piece from the New York Times which accused the Trump administration of delaying the release of the $20 Harriet Tubman bill and doing so for political reasons.

Discussion: RedState

Michael Balsamo / Associated Press:
Justice backs Mnuchin's refusal to turn over Trump's taxes

Discussion: Press Herald

The Hill:

Trump directs agencies to cut advisory boards by ‘at least’ one-third — President Trump is directing all agencies to cut their advisory boards by “at least” one third. — The executive order issued Friday evening directs all federal agencies to “evaluate the need” for each of their current advisory committees.

Discussion: Daily Kos

Siobhán O'Grady / Washington Post:

The Taliban claimed an attack on U.S. forces. Pompeo blamed Iran. — On May 31, a suicide bomber targeted a U.S. convoy in eastern Kabul, killing four Afghan passersby and slightly wounding four U.S. servicemen and at least three civilians. — At the time, the Taliban claimed responsibility …

Discussion: Informed Comment and The American Conservative

Fox News:

Judith Miller and William Tobey: To protect against Iranian attacks, US should be ready to escort oil tankers — In light of the most recent attacks on civilian oil tankers in international waters in the Gulf of Oman, the Trump administration must now be prepared to escort tankers transiting …

Bloomberg:
Europe Should Join the U.S. in Confronting Iran

Discussion: The American Conservative

Cristina Maza / Newsweek:
Germany joins chorus casting doubt on Trump administration claim that Iran was behind attack on oil tankers

Discussion: PJ Media Home, CNBC, Reuters, ThinkProgress and New York Times

Matthew Choi / Politico:

‘Enjoy the show!’: Trump hypes controversial Stephanopoulos interview — President Donald Trump on Saturday hyped his forthcoming full interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, excerpts of which shook allies and opponents alike this week when the president revealed he would take foreign help …

Discussion: Breitbart

Sarah Stillman / New Yorker:

How Families Separated at the Border Could Make the Government Pay — Suny Rodríguez, an asylum seeker from Honduras, sued the government over abuses suffered in family detention, launching a new legal movement. — If you've ever borrowed a ruffled cocktail dress or a sequinned jumpsuit …

Anemona Hartocollis / New York Times:

Oberlin Helped Students Defame a Bakery, a Jury Says. The Punishment: $33 Million. — Protests over cultural sensitivity have long been a staple at Oberlin College, a liberal arts school tucked into the cornfields of Ohio, where students have spoken out about everything from microaggressions to the cultural appropriation of sushi.

Discussion: Daily Wire, RedState, Power Line and Mediaite

Morgan Gstalter / The Hill:

Franklin Graham: ‘I think God was behind the last election’ — Evangelist Franklin Graham said in an interview that divine intervention might be the reason President Trump won in 2016. — “I think God was behind the last election,” Graham told conservative news site The Western Journal,

Fox News:

Beto O'Rourke says white Americans don't know the full story of slavery, continues to support reparations — Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke took an unconventional approach to reaching out to African-American voters Friday, meeting with a small group representing a community …

Discussion: Washington Post

Declan Walsh / New York Times:

Sudan Ousted a Brutal Dictator. His Successor Was His Enforcer. — KHARTOUM, Sudan — Once a camel trader who led a militia accused of genocidal violence in Darfur, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan now sits at the pinnacle of power in Sudan, overlooking the scorched streets from his wood-paneled office high …

Jessica Kwong / Newsweek:

ImpeachTrump Day of Action Events Happening to ‘Finally Open an Impeachment Inquiry’ on Trump, Rashida Tlaib Says — More than 100 cities across the United States will hold #ImpeachTrump Day of Action events on Saturday and it is a call to millions of Americans to “finally open an impeachment inquiry” …

Discussion: Breitbart