“I think if you compare the two that Watergate pales, really, in my view, compared to what we’re confronting now.”
— Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, quoted by Reuters.
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Trump Turns on Everyone
Mike Allen: “There was a familiar ring to this week’s revelation that Attorney General Jeff Sessions was in Trump’s doghouse (provoking a torrent of leaks that Sessions had threatened to resign).”
“Flip back through the clips, and you find: Reince in the doghouse … Sean in the doghouse … Bannon in the doghouse … National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster in the doghouse … White House Counsel Don McGahn in the doghouse.”
“Even son-in-law Jared Kushner, who’s pretty close to untouchable, got a little chin music yesterday as the press pool got a glimpse of Trump’s meeting with congressional leaders. Trump said, to laughter: ‘Jared has actually become much more famous than me — I’m a little upset at that.'”
Axios: The guide to Trump’s dog house.
Most Think Trump Fired Comey to Protect Himself
A new ABC News-Washington Post poll finds 61% of Americans think President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey in order to protect himself rather than for the good of the country, and 56% think Trump is trying to interfere with official investigations of possible Russian influence in the 2016 election.
“A broad seven in 10 also doubt Trump’s word on the Russia issue.”
Freedom Caucus Wants to Cancel August Recess
Politico: “The House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday night called on Republican leadership to cancel the August recess to continue work on tax reform and other GOP priorities. The group of several dozen conservative hardliners during their weekly meeting took the official position to work through the break, which is quickly drawing near as Republicans scramble to pass President Donald Trump’s agenda.”
Said Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC): “We need to work through August recess to get everything done. We believe that we need to stay through August to get through tax reform… and get our appropriations done.”
Democratic Lawmaker Pushes Impeachment
Rep. Al Green (D-TX) “is drafting articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, saying the president should be forced from office for firing FBI Director James Comey in the middle of the bureau’s ongoing Russia investigation,” Politico reports.
“The articles of impeachment, which Green will officially announce Wednesday, follow increasing calls from some rank-and-file Democrats for Trump to be booted from office.”
Mueller Has Been Briefed on Comey’s Testimony
“Former FBI Director Jim Comey’s testimony Thursday is one of the most highly anticipated hearings in recent memory — but his words are unlikely to surprise special counsel Robert Mueller, whose team has been in contact with Comey,” Politico reports.
“Friends of Comey say they expect the testimony to largely stick to his conversations with President Trump and is unlikely to break ground on the investigation into potential collusion with Russia and any of Trump’s associates. That is not surprising, legal experts say, because of the ongoing investigation that Mueller took over last month.”
Trump Asked Coats to Intervene In Flynn Investigation
Dan Coats, the nation’s top intelligence official, told associates in March that President Trump asked him if he could intervene with then-FBI Director James B. Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on former national security adviser Michael Flynn in its Russia probe, the Washington Post reports.
“Trump asked everyone to leave the room except for Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo… The president then started complaining about the FBI investigation and Comey’s handling of it… After the encounter, Coats discussed the conversation with other officials and decided that intervening with Comey as Trump had suggested would be inappropriate.”
The Fix: “But here’s why the latest news is particularly bad for Trump: It erases any idea that the Comey request was just a one-off. We have now learned that Comey isn’t the only top official whom Trump approached in an effort to free Flynn from his investigation.”
Gomez Wins House Seat In California
California assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D) defeated his challenger in the race to replace former Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA), the Los Angeles Times reports.
Sessions Suggested He Could Resign
As the White House braces for former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony Thursday, sources tell ABC News the relationship between President Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions has become so tense that Sessions at one point recently even suggested he could resign.
“Trump’s anger over the recusal has not diminished with time. Two sources close to the president say he lashed out repeatedly at the attorney general in private meetings, blaming the recusal for the expansion of the Russian investigation, now overseen by Special Counsel and former FBI Director Robert Mueller.”
Intelligence Chiefs Refuse to Discuss Trump Conversations
“Two of the nation’s top intelligence officials said in a hearing Wednesday they would not discuss specifics of private conversations with President Trump, declining to say whether they had been asked to push back against an FBI probe into possible coordination between his campaign and the Russian government,” the Washington Post reports.
“Testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats refused to say whether it was true… that Trump asked Coats if he could reach out to then-FBI Director James B. Comey and dissuade him from pursuing the Michael Flynn matter.”
Said Coats: “I don’t believe it’s appropriate for me to address that in a public session.”
British Election Is Now a Dead Heat
A new Survation poll in Britain has the Tories barely in the lead over Labour, 41.5% to 40.4%, which is 16 points lower than the party’s position four weeks ago.
Trump Dining with Two Intelligence Committee Members
Senate Intelligence Committee members Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) are scheduled to dine with the president Tuesday night — two days before their committee questions ousted FBI Director James Comey, the Washington Examiner reports.
White House Won’t Say If Trump Has Confidence In AG
White House press secretary Sean Spicer declined to say whether President Donald Trump has confidence in Attorney General Jeff Sessions, CNN reports.
Said Spicer: “I have not had a discussion with him about that.”
“The press secretary’s striking refusal to reaffirm the President’s confidence in his attorney general came as reports surfaced about the President’s lingering frustrations with his attorney general’s recusal and a day after Trump took to Twitter to critique his own Justice Department, which is led by Sessions.”
Pro-Trump Group Slams Comey In New Ad
A nonprofit issues group is labeling James Comey a political “showboat” in a television ad set to air Thursday, the day the former FBI director testifies on Capitol Hill, the AP reports.
Comey “put politics over protecting America,” a narrator says in the 30-second spot, titled “Showboat,” which was shared with The Associated Press. It accuses him of being “consumed with election meddling” even as “terror attacks were on the rise.”
How Trump Businesses Took Cancer Charity Money
Forbes: “In reviewing filings from the Eric Trump Foundation and other charities, it’s clear that the course wasn’t free–that the Trump Organization received payments for its use, part of more than $1.2 million that has no documented recipients past the Trump Organization. Golf charity experts say the listed expenses defy any reasonable cost justification for a one-day golf tournament.”
“Additionally, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which has come under previous scrutiny for self-dealing and advancing the interests of its namesake rather than those of charity, apparently used the Eric Trump Foundation to funnel $100,000 in donations into revenue for the Trump Organization.”
“And while donors to the Eric Trump Foundation were told their money was going to help sick kids, more than $500,000 was re-donated to other charities, many of which were connected to Trump family members or interests, including at least four groups that subsequently paid to hold golf tournaments at Trump courses.”
Comey Will Not Accuse Trump of Obstructing Justice
“There will be much in former FBI Director James Comey’s upcoming congressional testimony that will make the White House uncomfortable, but he will stop short of saying the president interfered with the agency’s probe into former national security adviser Michael Flynn,” a source familiar with Comey’s thinking told ABC News.
“Although Comey has told associates he will not accuse the President of obstructing justice, he will dispute the president’s contention that Comey told him three times he is not under investigation.”
Trump May Live Tweet Comey’s Testimony
Roberta Costa of the Washington Post told MSNBC that President Donald Trump might take to Twitter on Thursday in reaction to the planned congressional testimony of former FBI Director James Comey.
Said Costa: “The President is expected to be tweeting on Thursday in response to Comey — not to stay quiet during the testimony — because he himself wants to be the one driving the process.”
For members: Comey’s Testimony Will Be a National Event
Russian Attacks on Election Were Much Broader
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) told USA Today that Russian attacks on election systems were broader and targeted more states than those detailed in an explosive intelligence report leaked to the website The Intercept.
Said Warner: “I don’t believe they got into changing actual voting outcomes. But the extent of the attacks is much broader than has been reported so far.”
He added that he was pushing intelligence agencies to declassify the names of those states hit to help put electoral systems on notice before the midterm voting in 2018.
