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

1:20 PM 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: New York Times, Breitbart, Vox, The Intercept, CNBC, Daily Kos, Gizmodo, The Week, Taylor Marsh, Lawfare, Daily Wire, The Federalist, Just Security, The Guardian, Townhall.com and Blazing Cat Fur

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: Washington Monthly, The Week, Business Insider, Daily Wire, The Federalist, The Atlantic, Mother Jones, Balloon Juice, The Guardian, New York Magazine and ThinkProgress

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, zerohedge.com/fullrss2 …, Daily Wire, Vox Popoli, TheBlaze, TVNewser, Washington Free Beacon, Mediaite, The Week and The Daily Caller

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

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 — 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 and The Week

German Lopez / Vox:

James Comey on Trump's excuse for firing him: “those were lies, plain and simple” — A fiery opening to Congress from the former FBI director. — Former FBI Director James Comey wasted no time in addressing President Donald Trump in his opening congressional testimony on Thursday …

Discussion: Politico and Talking Points Memo

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.] …

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.

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

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

Discussion: Politico, ABC News, Political Wire and RedState

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

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

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

Discussion: Mother Jones, KOIN-TV and New York Times

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

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

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

Discussion: Scared Monkeys, Business Insider and The Last Tradition

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

Discussion: CBS Boston and Talking Points Memo

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

Discussion: ABC News, Axios, The Hill and IJR

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

Discussion: Axios and ABC News

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

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

Nick Asbury / McSweeney's: Excerpts from James Comey's Opening Statement to the Senate Intelligence Committee or from Kazuo …

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

Discussion: Politico and Vox

Bloomberg:
Trump Will Be Watching Comey Just Like the Rest of Us

Discussion: CNN, New York Magazine and TheStreet

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

Discussion: New York Times, Washington Post and Lawfare

NPR:
Comey Opening Statement For Senate Intelligence Hearing, Annotated

Discussion: Washington Free Beacon, Mashable and The Gateway Pundit

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

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 …

Rachel Van Dongen / Washington Post:

Manchin questions Comey — Joe Manchin III (W.Va.) is the only committee member to have outsourced his question-writing — well, sort of. Manchin asked West Virginians last week to submit questions he could ask Comey during the hearing — a rare move for a senator, but perhaps understandable given …

Discussion: Political Wire

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

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: Washington Post, Shareblue, www.bozemandailychronicle.com, KTLA, Talking Points Memo, New York Magazine, NPR, Mediaite, Raw Story 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

Julia Manchester / The Hill:

Explosive device thrown into US embassy in Ukraine — DON'T MISS A BRIEF. SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY EMAIL.

Discussion: RedState

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