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4:40 PM ET, May 20, 2026

memeorandum

 Top Items: 
Steve Benen / MS NOW:
2 Jan. 6 police officers sue to block Trump DOJ's ‘slush fund’  —  There's no shortage of questions surrounding the Trump administration's controversial new $1.776 billion fund.  White House friends and foes alike have wondered aloud about who'll receive taxpayer-financed checks …
RELATED:
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Democrats move to shut down Trump's $1.8B “weaponization” fund  —  The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee is introducing legislation that would block a $1.8 billion fund to pay people who say they were the targets of politically-motivated prosecutions.
Discussion: Raw Story, Mediaite, MS NOW and Newsweek
Ben Johansen / Politico:
Trump demands Senate Republicans fire parliamentarian … Obama did not have a say in MacDonough's appointment in 2012.  —  The broadside came just days after MacDonough ruled that a provision allowing roughly $1 billion in White House and Secret Service security funding tied …
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Jan. 6 police officers sue to block Trump's ‘anti-weaponization fund’ … The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Washington, argues that the fund violates the 14th Amendment's prohibition on use of federal money to “pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States.”
Jordain Carney / Politico:
Ballroom won't be funded after Senate GOP drops $1 billion Trump security request
Discussion: Forbes and New York Sun
Hailey Fuchs / Politico:
House Judiciary Republicans reject subpoenas for architects of new ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’
Discussion: Raw Story
Jordain Carney / Politico:
GOP preparing to strip out ballroom security funding
Discussion: MS NOW
Luke Broadwater / New York Times:
Jan. 6 Police Officers Sue to Block Trump's Payout Fund
Washington Post:
Trump demands Senate fire parliamentarian who ruled against ballroom funding plan
Russell Berman / The Atlantic:
Why Thomas Massie Thought He Was Different  —  For a long time, Representative Thomas Massie confidently defied an ironclad law of modern Republican politics—that to oppose President Trump was to start a ticking clock on your electoral career.  “I'm not worried about losing,” …
RELATED:
Calen Razor / Politico:
Capitol agenda: Trump may regret his revenge tour
Ed Morrissey / HotAir:
Better Late Than Never? Trump Endorses Paxton After Voting Starts
Layla A. Jones / Talking Points Memo:
Raffensperger, Who Wouldn't Steal Election For Trump, Loses Governor Race to Two Election Denialists
Katharine Q. Seelye / New York Times:
Barney Frank, Gay Pioneer and Liberal Stalwart in Congress, Dies at 86 … Barney Frank, the brassy, lightning-quick former Massachusetts representative who for decades was the most prominent gay politician in the country and who was an author of the most significant overhaul …
RELATED:
Steven Sloan / Associated Press:
Barney Frank, a liberal congressman and trailblazer for gay rights, dies. He was 86
Quinnipiac University Poll:
Trump's Handling Of Economy Hits All-Time Low, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Voters Prefer Dems To Win Control Of House But Give Them Poor Marks For Current Job  — mail_outline  —  More than two months after the U.S. launched an attack on Iran and with a jump in oil prices …
Discussion: AP-NORC, Bloomberg and Eschaton
Rick Rojas / New York Times:
He Was Jailed Over a Charlie Kirk Post.  The Sheriff Now Owes Him $835,000.  —  Larry Bushart sued a Tennessee sheriff who claimed he wanted to incite hysteria with a post after Mr. Kirk's killing and jailed him for 37 days.  —  A Tennessee man who was jailed for 37 days over a Facebook post …
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
White House must comply with Presidential Records Act, judge rules … Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, faulted the OLC opinion for relying on a “stark misreading” of Supreme Court precedent.  He also rejected the Justice Department's arguments that the law is unconstitutional …
Discussion: CBS News
Sarah N. Lynch / CBS News:
U.S. indicts Cuba's Raúl Castro on murder and conspiracy charges for downing of planes in 1996  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  Washington — Former Cuban leader Raúl Castro and five others have been indicted by a U.S. grand jury in Florida in connection with the Cuban military's fatal downing …
RELATED:
Reuters:
US expected to unveil criminal charges against Cuba's Raul Castro  —  See more of our coverage in your search results.  —  Add The New York Post on Google  —  The Trump administration is expected to announce criminal charges against former Cuban president Raul Castro on Wednesday …
New York Times:
James Murdoch, Intent on ‘Thoughtful Journalism,’ Buys Half of Vox Media … James Murdoch is acquiring roughly half of Vox Media, a dramatic expansion in American media for the younger son of the media mogul Rupert Murdoch.  —  The deal includes Vox Media's podcast network as well as New York magazine …
The Harvard Crimson:
70% of Faculty Vote to Overhaul Harvard Grading With A Cap  —  Faculty voted 458-201 to cap A grades beginning in fall 2027, while rejecting a companion measure that would have let courses opt out.  —  Harvard faculty voted to impose a roughly 20 percent cap on A grades beginning in fall 2027 …
Joe Concha / Washington Examiner:
Stephen Colbert's demise, by the numbers  —  “You're the ‘presi-dunce,’ but you're turning into a real ‘prick-tator.’ [Donald Trump], you attract more skinheads than free Rogaine.  You have more people marching against you than cancer.  You talk like a sign-language gorilla that got hit in the head.
Discussion: Newsbusters
RELATED:
Mark Kennedy / Associated Press:
Stephen Colbert's long goodbye is coming to an end, leaving a void
Discussion: The Guardian
Josh Gerstein / Politico:
Former federal prosecutor indicted for stealing copies of unreleased Jack Smith report … U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has barred public release of that volume of Smith's report, which discusses his investigation into the presence of classified documents at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.
Brian Beutler / Off Message:
They're Really Going For It  —  Trump's plan to overturn the midterm elections comes into focus.  —  ∙ Paid  —  There's no contradiction between Donald Trump's deepening unpopularity—and his evident commitment to further unpopular conduct—and his intensifying assault on democracy and the rule of law.
Carmen Paun / Politico:
RFK Jr. fires leaders of group that determines what insurers must cover … “If it had been doing its job, we would have early screening,” he told Ohio Republican Troy Balderson.  —  Some advocates for people with diseases are already lobbying to expand the range of services the task force …
RELATED:
Paige Winfield Cunningham / NOTUS:
RFK Jr. Dismisses Two Leaders of a Key Preventive Health Service Panel
Discussion: The Hill, Axios, KTVZ-TV and NewsMax.com
Anna Schecter / CBS News:
Teen attackers in San Diego Islamic Center shooting were wallowing in nihilistic hate, investigators say  —  Add CBS News on Google  —  The two teenagers who carried out a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday blamed Jews for the ills of the world and spewed …
RELATED:
Paul Krugman:
From Dropping Bombs to Dropping Bonds  —  The economic costs of the Iran debacle keep rising  —  Busy day, so just a note on the latest bad news.  —  This morning's economic headlines are largely about spiking interest rates.  “The global bound rout is accelerating,” says the Wall Street Journal.
Discussion: Axios, Forbes, Raw Story and NewsMax.com
RELATED:
Sherrilyn Ifill / Sherrilyn's Newsletter:
Trump's Insurrectionist Payout Scheme Violates the 14th Amendment  —  “But neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States....” … Over the past two years, we have been witnessing a wholesale effort to nullify the 14th Amendment.
Fox News:
WATCH: Omar silent when confronted on alleged ties to massive Minnesota fraud scandal  —  Omar has faced criticism in recent months for not complying with investigations into the fraud scandal  —  Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., refused to engage when asked by Fox News Digital if she would cooperate …
Discussion: Townhall, RedState and Sean Hannity
RELATED:
Fox News:
Omar breaks silence on alleged fraud connections in statement pointing to Trump admin: ‘Flat-out false’
Discussion: IJR, Newsweek and New York Post
Piper French / Bolts:
This DA Tried to Punish Stanford Protesters Again, Until Judge Pulled Him from Case  —  Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen has twice now brought felony conspiracy and vandalism charges against Stanford University students who occupied a campus building in 2024 in protest of Israel's genocide in Gaza.
 
 
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 More Items: 
Jason Koebler / 404 Media:
After Town Bans Flock, Councilmember Crashes Out, Proposes Internet and Phone Ban
Andrew Solender / Axios:
Democrats scramble to contain their Maureen Galindo problem
The Downballot:
How Democrats can fight new GOP gerrymanders—while still respecting the VRA
Talking Points Memo:
Election Denialists Claim They Are Laying the Groundwork for a DOJ Probe of Michigan
Discussion: Raw Story and WisPolitics
 Earlier Items: 
Fox News:
Platner's deleted Reddit sparks outrage again as he appears to mock wounded soldier: 'Didn't deserve to live'
Russ Buettner / New York Times:
With Trump's Deal, a Possible $100 Million I.R.S. Penalty Melts Away
David Gilbert / Wired:
Election Officials Are Getting Ready for ICE to Show Up at the Polls
The Colorado Sun:
Jared Polis says his Tina Peters decision “will be remembered fondly,” despite growing outrage
Discussion: LGBTQ Nation and Wonkette
 

 
From Mediagazer:

Alex Weprin / The Hollywood Reporter:
A look at ABC News' 24-hour Fourth of July programming marathon for the US' 250th anniversary, which it calls “the longest commercial broadcast in history”

Peter Walker / The Guardian:
UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says she and her department will stop using X because the site favors “abuse and misinformation over meaningful debate”

Matthew Weaver / The Guardian:
Three men have been found not guilty of murdering the journalist Lyra McKee in 2019; the New IRA claimed responsibility for the killing

 
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