MSDNC overhyped Maddow’s scoop on Trump tax returns, trying too hard to connect them to her serial Russian spy drama….--Slate TV critic Willa Paskin has a good take here
--David Cay Johnston, the highly credible reporter who was mailed the tax documents, leads speculation that Trump engineered the leak
--while the summary sheets do show that Trump paid taxes in 2005, they raise many important questions that demand full disclosure
--US military plans to double ground troops in Syria, as suicide bomber kills 31 in Damascus
--Afghan officials confirm death toll over 50 in last week’s attack on Kabul hospital, as generals push for another surge in Graveyard of Empires
--Justice Dept. unseals indictment naming 4 Russians, including 2 intelligence agents, in hacking of 500 million Yahoo accounts
--Buzzfeed reports that ex-advisor Mike Flynn was investigated by FBI
--GOP chaos on the Hill, as House Intel chair Nunes disputes Trump tweet about Obama hacking Trump Tower, and Sen. Graham demands answers about FBI investigations and FISA warrants
--more chaos on the Hill, as GOP health bill is slammed from the right, far right, and furthest right; Ryan hopes tax cuts for rich will unify his party
--at my deadline, none of 3 federal courts has put hold on Trump travel ban 2.0 which is set to go into effect at midnight
--in Motown photo op, Trump vows to dismantle auto mileage standards, but can’t actually change the rules till 2021
--Fed raises interest rates, signaling a stable economy
--based on French proposals and comments from Bill Gates, San Francisco considers taxing robots and automation
--after 80 years, my alma mater, Northwestern, finally makes NCAA playoffs
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