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WSJ town hall to address Trump coverage

Steve Rainwater/Fickr

Wall Street Journal editor in chief Gerry Baker will host a town hall with WSJ staff next week, Politico reports. He is expected to address the paper's reporting on the Trump Administration, among other topics.

Why it matters: While many other major national news brands have been openly critical of the Trump Administration's use of alternative facts, WSJ has remained relatively cautious about calling out the Trump Administration. In a "Meet the Press" interview in January, Baker said he wouldn't characterize Trump's often contradictory or questionable statements as "lies."

The Murdoch/Trump relationship: WSJ is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who blasted Trump during the primaries for "embarrassing his friends" and the whole country. It appears as though they have since made amends.

  • The Financial Times reported Wednesday that Ivanka Trump was on the board that oversaw Murdoch's daughters' $300 million trust up until December
  • The New Yorker reported last month that Murdoch's son 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch strategically hired Pro-Trump anchor Tucker Carlson to replace Megyn Kelly.
  • Trump told attendees during a holiday party in Mar-a-Lago "I really like Rupert Murdoch!"
  • He also tweeted in January, "Rupert Murdoch is a great guy who likes me much better as a very successful candidate than he ever did as a very successful developer!"
  • According to reports by The New Yorker, Murdoch has focused on rebuilding a close relationship with Trump since his victory.

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8 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Justice Department drops insider trading inquiry against Sen. Richard Burr

Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) walking through the Senate Subway in the U.S. Capitol in December 2020. Photo: Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images

The Department of Justice told Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) on Tuesday that it will not move forward with insider trading charges against him.

Why it matters: The decision, first reported by the New York Times, effectively ends the DOJ's investigation into the senator's stock sell-off that occurred after multiple lawmakers were briefed about the coronavirus' potential economic toll. Burr subsequently stepped down as chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

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Netflix tops 200 million global subscribers

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

Netflix said that it added another 8.5 million global subscribers last quarter, bringing its total number of paid subscribers globally to more than 200 million.

The big picture: Positive fourth-quarter results show Netflix's resiliency, despite increased competition and pandemic-related production headwinds.

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Janet Yellen plays down debt, tax hike concerns in confirmation hearing

Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen at an event in December. Photo: Alex Wong via Getty Images

Janet Yellen, Biden's pick to lead the Treasury Department, pushed back against two key concerns from Republican senators at her confirmation hearing on Tuesday: the country's debt and the incoming administration's plans to eventually raise taxes.

Driving the news: Yellen — who's expected to win confirmation — said spending big now will prevent the U.S. from having to dig out of a deeper hole later. She also said the Biden administration's priority right now is coronavirus relief, not raising taxes.

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