memeorandum: ‘Must-See TV’: Free Drinks and Canceled Meetings for Comey's Testimony (New York Times)

9:30 AM ET, June 8, 2017

Top Items:

Philip Allen Lacovara / Washington Post:

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: Breitbart, Vox, The Intercept, Hullabaloo, The Week, The Guardian, Lawfare, The Federalist, Daily Wire, Just Security, Townhall.com, Blazing Cat Fur, ACS Blog, Political Wire and CNBC

Jordain Carney / The Hill:

GOP senator threatens to subpoena Comey — (R-Iowa) is opening the door to summoning James Comey to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee after the former FBI director declined an invitation. — “Under our rules on our committee, if Sen. [Dianne] Feinstein [D-Calif.] …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit

Wall Street Journal:

RNC to Lead Trump's Offensive Against Comey — President Donald Trump is outsourcing much of the response to ex-FBI Director James Comey's testimony on Thursday to the Republican National Committee.

Discussion: The Week and TMZ.com

Wall Street Journal:

The ‘Independent’ Mr. Comey — His prepared testimony shows why he deserved to be fired. — The Senate Intelligence Committee released James Comey's prepared testimony a day early on Wednesday, and it looks like a test of whether Washington can apprehend reality except as another Watergate.

New York Times:

‘Must-See TV’: Free Drinks and Canceled Meetings for Comey's Testimony — The schedule has been cleared and the popcorn readied at Evergreen Partners, a strategic communications firm in central New Jersey, where the rule for employees on Thursday morning is simple: No client talk while James B. Comey is speaking.

Discussion: Althouse

Jonathan S. Tobin / New York Post:

In quest for a Trump crime, Dems refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer — Is President Trump guilty of obstruction of justice? Not if you take the nation's three top security officials and former FBI Director James Comey at their word — something Senate Democrats refuse to do. — SEE ALSO

Discussion: The Last Tradition

Joshua Campbell / USA Today:

James Comey is no showboat — The former FBI director is a giant of a man with an even bigger heart. — “I wonder what her story is,” FBI Director James Comey said to no one in particular as our motorcade rolled through Lower Manhattan, past an elderly woman on a bench embracing a swaddled child.

Discussion: The Atlantic

New York Times:
Comey's Political Shrewdness Is on Display in Tussle With Trump

Discussion: Politico

Alayna Treene / Axios:
Mark Warner: “This is not how a President behaves”

Discussion: Political Wire

Jonathan Turley / USA Today:
James Comey's testimony doesn't make the case for impeachment or obstruction against Donald Trump

Discussion: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, CNN and Washington Post

Kyle Cheney / Politico:
5 things to watch in Comey's testimony on Trump and Russia

Discussion: The Hill

David Ferguson / Raw Story:
CNN legal analyst on Comey testimony: 'If that's not obstruction of justice, I don't know what is'

Discussion: Mediaite, CBS News, Media Matters for America, ThinkProgress, Talking Points Memo and AOL

Mike Lillis / The Hill:
Top Dems reject impeachment push

Discussion: ABC News, IJR and Politicus USA

Tara Palmeri / Politico:
West Wing aides fearful of directly attacking Comey

Discussion: Vox, New York Magazine, The Week, ABC News, Political Wire and Axios

New York Times:
Comey Says Trump Pressured Him to ‘Lift the Cloud’ of Inquiry

Discussion: The Hill, Politico, Fox News, Just Security, FiveThirtyEight, Washington Post, The Stranger … and Outside the Beltway

Jasmine Lee / CNN:
How to watch the James Comey testimony

Discussion: NPR, Common Dreams and Reuters

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
Christie: Trump's exchanges with Comey and other officials ‘normal New York City conversation’

Discussion: Politico, ABC News and RedState

Ed O'Keefe / Washington Post:
Comey's testimony could turn congressional probes toward question of obstruction

Discussion: Vox, The Atlantic, The Week, ThinkProgress, CNBC, Just Security, Gizmodo, Washington Free Beacon and Hit & Run

Jake Gibson / Fox News:
Comey testimony ‘closely coordinated’ with special counsel, source says

Discussion: IJR

JGoldsmith / Lawfare:

Two Reflections on the Comey Statement — Though I agree with much of what Ben says about James Comey's statement, I find myself in greater agreement with David French's account. As French concludes, “there are some elements that are good for President Trump, but overall it shows …

Discussion: Daily Wire, NPR, Business Insider, The Guardian, The Atlantic, The Federalist, New York Magazine and The Week

Bwittes / Lawfare:

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: Axios, New York Magazine, Business Insider, Daily Wire, NPR, The Federalist, Mashable, Vox, The Week, Mother Jones, Balloon Juice and ThinkProgress

Dan McLaughlin / National Review:
Jim Comey Backs Up Trump's Story, But It's Not All Good News for Trump

Discussion: The Federalist, Hot Air, Power Line and Instapundit

David French / National Review:
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: James Comey's Prepared Testimony, Explained

Discussion: Washington Post

Rich Lowry / Politico:
Comey's fizzle — James Comey has an expectations problem.

Discussion: ABC News, Axios, Vox and Political Wire

John Hinderaker / Power Line:
James Comey, Novelist

Discussion: IJR, AMERICAblog NewsAMERICAblog … and Washington Post

James B. Comey / CNN:
READ: James Comey's prepared testimony

Discussion: Decider, Mother Jones, No More Mister Nice Blog, MichelleMalkin.com, Shareblue, The Gateway Pundit, ThinkProgress, The Daily Caller, TheBlaze, Vox, Talking Points Memo, CBS Philly, Boing Boing and Lawyers, Guns & Money

The Daily Beast:

Are the Feds Treating the White House Like a Mob House? … It's no accident your phone lights up nearly every night with new revelations about Team Trump's connections to Russia. So many different investigators with so many different agendas are looking into so many different parts of that nexus …

Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:

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: Talking Points Memo, www.bozemandailychronicle.com, Mediaite, NPR, KTLA, Raw Story, New York Magazine, Washington Post and Washington Times, more at Mediagazer »

Hadas Gold / Politico:
Gianforte to give $50,000 to press freedom group after assaulting reporter

Discussion: ABC News, The Daily Caller, Washington Free Beacon and Axios

Michael Grunwald / Politico:

The Scandal Hiding In Plain Sight — “Perhaps the mystery is a little too plain,” said Dupin. — “Oh, good heavens! Who ever heard of such an idea?” — “A little too self-evident.” — “Ha! ha! ha!—ha! ha! ha!—ho! ho! ho!” —Edgar Allan Poe, The Purloined Letter

Bloomberg:

Trump Has No Plan to Fire Attorney General Sessions, Officials Say — President's aides have encouraged him to let Sessions stay — Sessions had earlier suggested he might resign amid discord — President Donald Trump has no intention to fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions despite …

Discussion: RedState

Jonathan Swan / Axios:
For second straight day, no vote of confidence for Sessions

Discussion: Political Wire

Donna Borak / CNNMoney:

House to vote on killing Dodd-Frank today — Robert Rubin: Much of Dodd-Frank was ‘necessary’ — House lawmakers are poised to pass the “crown jewel” of the GOP-led regulatory reform effort on Thursday, effectively gutting the Dodd-Frank financial regulations that were put in place during the Obama administration.

Discussion: New York Times, The Week and Mother Jones

Charlie Nash / Breitbart:

Courtney Love Rips Linda Sarsour: ‘Vile Disgrace to Women and All Mankind’ — Musician and alternative icon Courtney Love has blasted anti-Donald Trump Women's March leader and Muslim activist Linda Sarsour, calling her a “vile disgrace to women and all mankind” in a message on social media Wednesday.

Discussion: Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, John Hawkins' Right Wing News, Daily Wire and The Gateway Pundit

Sarah D. / twitchy.com:
‘I know a rat when I see one’: Rocker Courtney Love Cobain TORCHES ‘fraud’ Linda Sarsour; Updated

Discussion: The Daily Caller

Tresa Baldas / Detroit Free Press:

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

Caroline Fountain / WNYW-TV:

Group left out of Charlotte's Pride Parade because they support President Trump — CHARLOTTE, NC (FOX 46) - A group says ‘Charlotte Pride’ is pushing them out of the Gay Pride Parade because they support President Trump. — “I'm very proud of my country, proud of my president …

Discussion: The Gateway Pundit