memeorandum: First on CNN: US led-coalition strikes pro-Syrian regime forces a third time (CNN)

2:35 PM ET, June 8, 2017

Top Items:

Tara Palmeri / Politico:

Aide: Trump's mood ‘light’ as Comey testimony unfolds — The president decided ahead of time that he wouldn't tweet during the Senate hearing, according to two White House officials. — President Donald Trump decided the night before former FBI director James Comey's Senate testimony …

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

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, New York Times, Washington Monthly, The Intercept, CNBC, Gizmodo, Daily Kos, The Week, Taylor Marsh, Vox, Lawfare, Daily Wire, The Federalist, Just Security, Townhall.com, The Guardian and Blazing Cat Fur

Joe Concha / The Hill:

CNN issues correction after Comey statement contradicts reporting — CNN has corrected a Tuesday report after the release of former FBI Director James Comey's opening statement for his Thursday testimony in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee contradicted the reports' sources.

Discussion: Power Line, Breitbart, Washington Post, zerohedge.com/fullrss2 …, Daily Wire, Vox Popoli, TheBlaze, TVNewser, Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite, The Week and The Daily Caller

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: National Review, NPR, The Week, Business Insider, Daily Wire, Mashable, The Atlantic, The Federalist, Hot Air, Balloon Juice, The Guardian, Mother Jones, ThinkProgress and New York Magazine

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: New York Times, Talking Points Memo, Washington Post, The Daily Caller, New York Magazine, TMZ.com, The Week and Politico

Jonathan Turley / USA Today:

James Comey's testimony doesn't make the case for impeachment or obstruction against Donald Trump — The president's actions may have been wildly inappropriate, but they are not enough to establish a strong criminal case. — The release of former FBI director James Comey's testimony …

Discussion: The Federalist, Los Angeles Times, Betsy's Page, New York Times, New York Magazine and CNN

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

Discussion: Althouse and The Week

Rick Klein / ABC News:
ANALYSIS: Comey goes nuclear in showdown with Trump

Discussion: Axios, Political Wire and The Hill

German Lopez / Vox:
James Comey on Trump's excuse for firing him: “those were lies, plain and simple”

Discussion: Politico

Matthew Boyle / Breitbart:
COVFEFE LIVEWIRE: Comey Crazy Sweeps Washington... Breitbart Live From Union Pub

Discussion: Politico, Mother Jones and KOIN-TV, more at Mediagazer »

Wall Street Journal: The ‘Independent’ Mr. Comey — His prepared testimony shows why he deserved to be fired.

Jordain Carney / The Hill: GOP senator threatens to subpoena Comey

Steve Benen / MSNBC:
Comey's statement points to alleged Trump lies about obstruction

Discussion: Mother Jones, Axios, Washington Monthly, New York Magazine and Hullabaloo

Alex Ward / Vox:
This is the most important moment of the Comey hearing

Discussion: RedState, The Verge, Mediaite and Talking Points Memo

CBS News:
James Comey testimony: “I take the president at his word that I was fired because of the Russia investigation”

Discussion: CBS Boston

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

Discussion: ABC News, Axios and New York Times

New York Post:
So far, Jim Comey is disappointing the witch-hunters

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Business Insider and The Last Tradition

Joshua Campbell / USA Today:
James Comey is no showboat

Discussion: The Atlantic

Jonathan S. Tobin / New York Post: In quest for a Trump crime, Dems refuse to take ‘no’ for an answer

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

Discussion: ABC News, Vox, Axios, The Hill and IJR

Veronica Stracqualursi / ABC News:
The Note: Comey goes under the microscope

Discussion: Politico, Daily Kos, The Week and New York Magazine

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

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

Discussion: Politico, ABC News, Political Wire and RedState

Rebecca Savransky / The Hill:
Counsel to Watergate prosecutors sees ‘sufficient evidence’ for obstruction of justice case against Trump

Discussion: Washington Post, ABC News, RedState and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Hannah Moore / Daily Mail:

Saudi soccer team refuse to stand for London victims — By , HANNAH MOORE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA — The Saudi Arabian soccer team failed to line up for a minute's silence for the London terror victims on Thursday night. — Fans were left outraged at the display ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Australia in Adelaide.

Discussion: Blazing Cat Fur and Young Conservatives

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

CNN:

Gianforte apologizes to reporter and pledges contribution to press group — (CNN)Greg Gianforte, the Montana congressman-elect who is accused of “body slamming” a Guardian reporter, sent a letter of apology and will plead no contest to the misdemeanor assault charge, according to documents.

Discussion: The Root, Boing Boing and The Week

Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:
Gianforte pays $50,000 to press group to settle assault of Guardian reporter

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

Joseph Wulfsohn / Mediaite:

Twitter Explodes After Kurt Eichenwald Allegedly Tweets Photo That Shows His Interest in Anime Porn — Back in December, Tucker Carlson and Newsweek's Kurt Eichenwald had one of the most epic on-air battles in recent memory. And apparently Eichenwald is still bitter about it.

Discussion: The Daily Caller and twitchy.com

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 …

Bob Fredericks / New York Post:

Does John McCain even know what's going on? — Sen. John McCain startled onlookers on Thursday as he appeared to conflate the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling in the campaign with the closed probe into Hillary Clinton's private email server. — McCain said he was troubled …

Discussion: Blazing Cat Fur

abc7chicago.com:

Man charged after altercation outside Starbucks in Chicago's Loop … <iframe width="476" height="267" src="http://abc7chicago.com/video/ embed/?pid=2069999" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> — A 23-year-old Chicago man was charged after an altercation in Chicago's Loop that spilled …

Discussion: Raw Story, The Root and Hullabaloo

CNN:

First on CNN: US led-coalition strikes pro-Syrian regime forces a third time — US-led coalition strike pro-Syrian forces — This is the third coalition airstrike against pro-regime forces in the de-confliction zone near At Tanf — The strike took place after three technical vehicles …

Discussion: Business Insider and The Daily Caller

Evelyn N. Farkas / New York Times:

Jared Kushner's Not-So-Secret Channel to Putin — In developed capitalist democracies, financial, media and energy companies are private enterprises that don't report to presidents. In Russia, things are different. Most of those businesses are majority-state-owned corporations, virtual branches of the government.

Discussion: Axios and AOL

Bryan Lowry / Kansas City Star:

Kris Kobach launches campaign for Kansas governor — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has championed some of the strictest voting laws in the nation, announced a campaign for governor Thursday in Lenexa. — Kobach, the architect of controversial election and immigration laws …

Discussion: Political Wire