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Initial Comments on James Comey's Written Testimony — James Comey's seven-page written statement, released by the Senate Intelligence Committee this afternoon in connection with Comey's impending testimony tomorrow, draws no conclusions, makes no allegations, and indeed, expresses no opinions.
Discussion:
New York Magazine, Daily Wire, NPR, Vox, Axios, Business Insider, Mother Jones, The Federalist, The Week, ThinkProgress, Mashable and Balloon Juice
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I helped prosecute Watergate. Comey's statement is sufficient evidence for an obstruction of justice case. — Philip Allen Lacovara, a former U.S. deputy solicitor general in the Justice Department, served as counsel to Watergate special prosecutors Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski.
Discussion:
The Intercept, The Guardian, Lawfare, Vox, The Federalist, Just Security, CNBC, Townhall.com, ACS Blog, Blazing Cat Fur and Political Wire


The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: James Comey's Prepared Testimony, Explained — There's evidence Donald Trump abused his power, but it's not yet clear that he obstructed justice. — Earlier this afternoon the Senate Intelligence Committee released the text of former FBI director James …
Discussion:
Lawfare


Jim Comey Backs Up Trump's Story, But It's Not All Good News for Trump — You don't have to wait for tomorrow's blockbuster hearing: the Senate Intelligence Committee has posted on its website the opening statement by fired FBI Director Jim Comey, detailing five meetings and conversations …
Discussion:
The Federalist, Hot Air and Instapundit


Comey's fizzle — James Comey has an expectations problem. — By any reasonable standard, his testimony about his service under President Donald Trump and his cashiering would be damaging perhaps to the point of debilitating. But his account has been billed as Watergate …
Discussion:
ABC News, Axios, New York Magazine, Political Wire and Vox


James Comey, Novelist — James Comey has a story to tell, and in his account, there is no doubt about who is the hero. Comey, by reputation, has a monumental ego. His prepared testimony for the Senate Intelligence Committee, which you can read here, is consistent with that image.


READ: James Comey's prepared testimony — Senate Select Committee on Intelligence — Chairman Burr, Ranking Member Warner, Members of the Committee. — Thank you for inviting me to appear before you today. I was asked to testify today to describe for you my interactions with President-Elect …


CNN legal analyst on Comey testimony: 'If that's not obstruction of justice, I don't know what is' — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin reacted on Wednesday to ousted FBI Director James Comey's pre-filed testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee …
Discussion:
Mediaite, Media Matters for America, CBS News, ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo and AOL


Comey testimony ‘closely coordinated’ with special counsel, source says
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IJR

West Wing aides fearful of directly attacking Comey
Discussion:
The Week, Political Wire, ABC News and Axios

Comey told Trump 3 times that he wasn't under investigation, but his refusal to publicly say so infuriated Trump
Discussion:
Fox News, The Gateway Pundit, AOL and NPR

Comey's testimony could turn congressional probes toward question of obstruction
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CNBC, ThinkProgress, Just Security, Gizmodo, Hit & Run, Washington Free Beacon, The Atlantic and ABC News

Christie: Trump's exchanges with Comey and other officials ‘normal New York City conversation’
Discussion:
RedState

Comey Confirms He Thrice Told President Trump He Was Not Being Investigated
Discussion:
Washington Free Beacon, Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Guardian, New York Magazine and The Daily Caller

DC bars to open early for Comey hearing watch parties
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ThinkProgress, Daily Wire, Gizmodo, Breitbart, Washingtonian, Talking Points Memo and Washington Times


Gianforte pays $50,000 to press group to settle assault of Guardian reporter — Congressman-elect issues lengthy apology to Ben Jacobs over ‘unprofessional, unacceptable, and unlawful’ actions … Greg Gianforte, the Montana Republican who assaulted a Guardian journalist on the eve …
Discussion:
KTLA, New York Magazine, Washington Post, Raw Story, Mediaite, NPR and Washington Times, more at Mediagazer »
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Gianforte to give $50,000 to press freedom group after assaulting reporter — Greg Gianforte, who was recently elected to fill a vacant Montana congressional seat, has agreed to donate $50,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists as and issued a formal apology as part of a civil settlement with Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon and Axios


Feds drop bombshell: Up to 100 girls may have had their genitals cut in Michigan — A federal prosecutor dropped a bombshell in court Wednesday, telling a federal judge that the government estimates that as many as 100 girls may have had their genitals cut at the hands of a local doctor and her cohorts.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller and The Gateway Pundit


Jury awards $6.7M to inmate raped by guard in Milwaukee County Jail, shackled during childbirth — A federal jury Wednesday awarded $6.7 million to a woman who was raped repeatedly by a guard when she was being held in the Milwaukee County Jail four years ago.

Strong approval of Trump is fading across a number of demographics — FiveThirtyEight's Nate Silver noticed something interesting in approval-rating polling for President Trump. While support for Trump has remained consistently high among Republicans and Trump's base of non-college-educated white voters …
Discussion:
Shareblue, Informed Comment, AOL, Hullabaloo, Business Insider, The Week, Politicus USA and Political Wire


Melania Trump set to make her D.C. move next week — President Donald Trump's White House residence — where an increasingly isolated figure under siege conducts his late-night phone klatches and early morning tweetstorms — is about to get a little less lonely.
Discussion:
Business Insider and Political Wire


Trump's pick for FBI director was alerted early to detainee abuse — President Donald Trump's choice for FBI director was notified months before the public knew about the death of a detainee at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq in 2004, and was at the very least on the fringes of discussions …
Discussion:
Raw Story, The Daily Caller, Daily Wire and Business Insider


Trump nominates new slate of federal judges — President Trump announced a new round of 11 judicial nominations Wednesday, including three nominees for high-profile federal appeals courts. — One of the nominees, Colorado Supreme Court Justice Allison H. Eid, is being tapped by the president …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Hot Air, New York Times, The Daily Caller, Above the Law, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and RedState


For second straight day, no vote of confidence for Sessions — Like Sean Spicer on Tuesday, Sarah Sanders declined Wednesday to say President Trump has confidence in Jeff Sessions. It's stunning that for two consecutive days, the top White House press people can't say whether the President has confidence in his Attorney General.
Discussion:
Political Wire
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Trump is making America more hostile and mentally ill: New England Journal of Medicine study — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — A new review paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine reports that a growing body of empirical evidence shows how presidential elections …
Discussion:
New England Journal … and Vox


A fan of former Breitbart senior editor Milo Yiannopoulos is suing UC Berkeley for $23 million, claiming routine abuse against conservative students on campus. — The fan of Milo, whose book Dangerous reached #1 on Amazon's best sellers list within a day of being made available to pre-order this week …
Discussion:
John Hawkins' Right Wing News


A top Uber executive, who obtained the medical records of a customer who was a rape victim, is fired — Sources say Eric Alexander carried around for a year confidential information about a woman who was assaulted during a ride in India in 2014. — A top Uber executive obtained medical records …
Discussion:
New York Times, Engadget, New York Magazine, Mashable, Gizmodo and The Week, more at Techmeme »


Mozambique police warn bald men after ritual attack — Bald men in Mozambique could be targets of ritual attacks, police have warned, after the recent killing of five men for their body parts. — Two suspects have been arrested in the central district of Milange, where the killings occurred.
Discussion:
Daily Wire and Washington Post


Trump ‘all in’ on Senate Obamacare repeal — President Donald Trump is increasingly invested in Senate passage of a bill to repeal Obamacare, realizing that a successful vote in the upper chamber will provide a major boost to his domestic agenda, say Republicans who have spent time with him recently.