memeorandum: Trump demanded ‘loyalty,’ asked for end to Flynn investigation, Comey to testify (Los Angeles Times)

5:40 PM ET, June 8, 2017

Top Items:

Chris Matthews: Trump-Russia collusion theory ‘came apart’ with Comey testimony — Liberal MSNBC host Chris Matthews said Thursday the accusation that President Trump directly colluded with Russia to interfere in the U.S. election “came apart” following former FBI Director James Comey's testimony in front of Congress.

Discussion: RedState, Washington Free Beacon and The Gateway Pundit

JONATHAN TURLEY:

Did Comey Violate Laws In Leaking The Trump Memo? — One of the most interesting new disclosures today in the Comey hearing was the admission by former FBI Director James Comey that he intentionally used a “friend” on the Columbia law faculty to leak his memos to the media.

Discussion: Newsweek, Daily Wire, Above the Law and Mediaite, more at Mediagazer »

Brian Beutler / New Republic:

Comey's Trump Testimony Will Haunt Republicans — The former FBI director's damning account before the Senate should be the final straw. Why can't Paul Ryan see that? — In the midst of the most devastating testimony delivered about a sitting president in the living memory …

Discussion: Washington Post, Vox, Just Security, Axios, Common Dreams, Mother Jones, Daily Wire, The Slot, New York Times and Eschaton

Fox News:

Dershowitz: Comey confirms that I'm right - and all the Democratic commentators are wrong — In his testimony former FBI director James Comey echoed a view that I alone have been expressing for several weeks, and that has been attacked by nearly every Democratic pundit.

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns & Money

Alex Ward / Vox:

This is the most important moment of the Comey hearing — And it undercuts many GOP arguments. — Former FBI Director James Comey stated that he took President Donald Trump's comments about letting the Michael Flynn investigation go as a direct request to do it.

Discussion: Axios, Washington Monthly, RedState, TheBlaze and The Verge

Brad Reed / Raw Story:

Fox News' Chris Wallace: Comey's testimony was ‘very damaging to the president’ — DON'T MISS STORIES. FOLLOW RAW STORY! — Fox News' Chris Wallace didn't mince any words for his audience on Thursday: Former FBI Director James Comey's testimony was very bad news for President Donald Trump.

Discussion: Mediaite, Politico, Breitbart and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Rick Klein / ABC News:

ANALYSIS: Comey goes nuclear in showdown with Trump — He accused the president and his top aides of lying. He suggested that the president wanted special treatment in exchange for loyalty. He said he thinks he lost his job because of how he handled the Russia investigation.

Discussion: Vox, Politico, Axios, Political Wire and The Hill

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

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

Politico:

Full text: James Comey testimony transcript on Trump and Russia — A transcript of former FBI Director James Comey's testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 8. — SEN. RICHARD BURR: I call this hearing to order. Director Comey, I appreciate your willingness to appear …

Discussion: Daily Kos, Power Line, Vox, New York Times, The Daily Caller, NPR, emptywheel, The Week and The Resurgent

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

David Jackson / USA Today:
Trump lawyer says James Comey made ‘unauthorized disclosures’ of privileged talks

Discussion: CNN and Raw Story

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

Discussion: Breitbart, RedState, National Review, Glenn Beck, Los Angeles Times, The Federalist, Betsy's Page, New York Times, New York Magazine and CNN

New York Times:
Comey Accuses White House of ‘Lies’ and Says Trump Tried to Derail Inquiry

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Breitbart, Sunlight Foundation, Outside the Beltway, Washington Post, The Guardian, CNN, Grabien News RSS, Axios, The Gateway Pundit, IJR, Daily Wire, Business Insider, Politico, Mashable and Deadline

Chris Cillizza / CNN:
James Comey has called Donald Trump a liar 5 times today. The White House says he isn't.

Discussion: The Washington Journal

Becket Adams / Washington Examiner:
‘Not true’: James Comey denounces NYT report on Trump campaign collusion with Russia during testimony

Discussion: Power Line, RedState, Hit & Run, Washington Post, Fox News Insider, Washington Free Beacon and IJR

Susan Jones / CNSNews:
Comey Debunks NYT Report About Trump Campaign Having Repeated Contacts With Russians

Discussion: New York Times, zerohedge.com/fullrss2 …, Townhall.com, New York Magazine, National Review, Washington Post, Daily Wire, Talking Points Memo, The Daily Caller and NBC News, more at Mediagazer »

Amber Phillips / Washington Post:
7 takeaways from Comey's extraordinary testimony about what Trump told him to do

Discussion: ABC News, ThinkProgress, Vox and FiveThirtyEight

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

Discussion: ABC News, Politico and Talking Points Memo

Philip Allen Lacovara / Washington Post:
I helped prosecute Watergate. Comey's statement is sufficient evidence for an obstruction of justice case.

Discussion: MSNBC, New York Times, The Hill, The Intercept, Washington Monthly, Gizmodo, Hullabaloo, CNBC, Taylor Marsh, RedState, Mother Jones, Daily Kos, The Week, Vox, Lawfare, Just Security, The Federalist and Blazing Cat Fur

JGoldsmith / Lawfare:
Two Reflections on the Comey Statement

Discussion: Vox, Washington Post, Booman Tribune, The Week, New York Magazine, NPR, The Atlantic, National Review, Mashable, Hot Air, Daily Wire, Balloon Juice, Business Insider, The Federalist, The Guardian and ThinkProgress

Rachael Bade / Politico:
Ryan defends Trump on Comey: 'The president's new at this'

Discussion: Vox, ABC News, Axios, The National Interest, CNN and Daily Kos

Matt Zapotosky / Washington Post:
James Comey lays out the case that President Trump obstructed justice

Discussion: New Yorker, The Daily Caller and Questions and Observations

Los Angeles Times:
Trump demanded ‘loyalty,’ asked for end to Flynn investigation, Comey to testify

Discussion: Vox, Common Dreams, The Guardian and Washington Free Beacon

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: Boston Globe, Townhall.com, Mother Jones and Blazing Cat Fur

Peter W. Stevenson / Washington Post:
Sen. John McCain's bizarre questioning of Comey

Discussion: The Daily Caller, Bearing Drift and Lawyers, Guns & Money

Tal Kopan / CNN:
Comey: Lynch asked for Clinton investigation to be called a ‘matter’

Discussion: CNNMoney and The Week

Rachael Bade / Politico:

Gowdy picked by GOP steering committee to chair House Oversight panel — The Republican Steering Committee on Thursday backed Rep. Trey Gowdy to become the next chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. — The move — if confirmed by the full GOP Conference …

Discussion: Talking Points Memo, Mediaite, Washington Free Beacon, IJR and The Week

Cristina Marcos / The Hill:
Rep. Trey Gowdy wins Oversight gavel

Discussion: RedState and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Thomas B. Edsall / New York Times:

The Democratic Party Is in Worse Shape Than You Thought — Sifting through the wreckage of the 2016 election, Democratic pollsters, strategists and sympathetic academics have reached some unnerving conclusions. — What the autopsy reveals is that Democratic losses among working class voters …

Discussion: The Daily Caller

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: Young Conservatives, Blazing Cat Fur and The Daily Caller

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 and Hullabaloo

Breanna Edwards / The Root: ‘Shut Up, Slave!’: White Man Hurls Insults, Compares Black Man to Livestock During Altercation at Chicago Starbucks

Jim Nintzel / News & Opinion, Tucson Weekly:

The Skinny — Behind Closed Doors — A secret recording shows U.S. Rep. McSally has some concerns about reelection — Congresswoman Martha McSally may be in more political trouble than she's been letting on. — Team McSally has been poo-pooing recent polls showing that more than half …

Discussion: Political Wire

Alan Rappeport / New York Times:
House Poised to Pass Bill Taking Aim at Dodd-Frank Regulations

Discussion: CNNMoney, Daily Kos and The Week

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 …