Subject: Playbook Power Briefing: COMEY: ‘I was honestly concerned that [Trump] might lie,’ hopes that there are tapes -- RYAN defends POTUS: ‘The president’s new at this’ -- TRUMP silent on testimony -- HIS MOOD as he watched Comey: ‘light’
From: "Anna Palmer and Jake Sherman" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 08 Jun 2017 11:54:23 -0600
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http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af2163b96a0d516c5d264790368adc8ef4de4638901b4d478eeac1b689c4deeedaa20d863e247e0b3b085  |  Add [email-masked] to your address book. 

     

06/08/2017 01:51 PM EDT
 
By ANNA PALMER ([email-masked]; @apalmerdc), JAKE SHERMAN ([email-masked]; @JakeSherman), DANIEL LIPPMAN ([email-masked]; @dlippman), ZACH MONTELLARO ([email-masked]; @ZachMontellaro)
 
QUICK TAKEAWAYS -- No, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP is not under investigation. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP's May 12th tweet -- "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!" -- prompted him to leak information about an Oval Office conversation, which he hoped would cause the appointment of a special counsel. Comey said he thought it was a "significant fact" that the president kicked everyone out of the Oval Office to speak to him. AND he said there should be "no fuzz" -- Russians intervened in the election.

NO ONE really challenged Jim Comey's testimony or recollection of events.

WHY COMEY WROTE MEMOS -- "I WAS HONESTLY CONCERNED THAT [TRUMP] MIGHT LIE ..." 

-- ON THE RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE IN U.S. ELECTIONS -- "They'll be back ... They're going to come for whatever party they chose to work on behalf of ... They're about their own advantage."

Good Thursday afternoon. JAMES COMEY has finally spoken. 

THE BIG MOMENTS ... 

-- COMEY TO HIS FORMER FBI COLLEAGUES: "The administration then chose to defame me and more importantly the FBI by saying that the organization was in disarray, that it was poorly led, that the workforce had lost confidence in its leader. Those were lies, plain and simple. And I am so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them, and I'm so sorry that the American people were told them." 

-- ON WHY HE WAS FIRED: "I guess I don't know for sure. I believe -- I take the president at his word, that I was fired because of the Russia investigation. Something about the way I was conducting it, the president felt created pressure on him they wanted to relieve. Again, I didn't know that at the time. I watched his interview. I read the press accounts of his conversations. I take him at his word there. Now look, I could be wrong. Maybe he's saying something that's not true. But I take him at his word, at least based on what I know now."

-- ON TAPES: "Look, I've seen the tweet about tapes. Lordy, I hope there are tapes. I remember saying, 'I agree he is a good guy,' as a way of saying, I'm not agreeing with what you asked me to do." 

-- COMEY ON RUSSIAN INTERFERENCE: "There should be no fuzz on this whatsoever. The Russians interfered in our election during the 2016 cycle. They did it with purpose. They did it with sophistication. They did it with overwhelming technical efforts. It was an active measures campaign driven from the top of that government. There is no fuzz on that. ... That's about as unfake as you can possibly get."

-- ON THE FEB. 14 ONE-ON-ONE WITH TRUMP IN THE OVAL: "My impression was something big is about to happen. I need to remember every single word that is spoken. And again, I could be wrong, but I'm 56 years old, I've been, seen a few things, my sense was the attorney general knew he shouldn't be leaving which was why he was lingering and I don't know Mr. Kushner well but I think he picked up on the same thing, so I knew something was about to happen that I needed to pay very close attention to."

-- ON HOW CONTENTS OF A MEMO BECAME PUBLIC: "I asked -- the president tweeted on Friday after I got fired that I better hope there's not tapes. I woke up in the middle of the night on Monday night because it didn't dawn on me originally, that there might be corroboration for our conversation. There might be a tape. My judgement was, I need to get that out into the public square. I asked a friend of mine to share the content of the memo with a reporter. Didn't do it myself for a variety of reasons. I asked him to because I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel. I asked a close friend to do it." He said it was not Benjamin Wittes, the editor in chief of Lawfare, but
 it was a "close friend who is a professor at Columbia law school."

-- ON WHY HE DIDN'T GIVE THE MEMO TO THE MEDIA HIMSELF: "Because I was weary [of] the media [that] was camping at the end of my driveway at that point. I was actually going out of town with my wife to hide. I worried it would be feeding seagulls at the beach, if it was I who gave it to the media."

-- ON CLINTON'S EMAILS: The former FBI director said he did not regret his handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email server: "It caused a whole lot of personal pain for me but as I look back, given what I knew at the time and even what I've learned since, I think it was the best way to try to protect the justice institution, including the FBI." He also said that the meeting between Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former President Bill Clinton on an airport tarmac was the "conclusive" reason he went public with the investigation. He also said that Lynch at one point "directed me not to call it an investigation, but instead to call it a matter, which confused me
 and concerned me."

-- ON IF HE'D BE FIRED IF CLINTON WAS PRESIDENT: "That's a great question. I don't know. I don't know. ... I might have been. I don't know. Look, I've said before, that was an extraordinarily difficult and painful time. I think I did what I had to do. I knew it was going to be very bad for me personally. And the consequence of that might have been if Hillary Clinton was elected I might have been terminated. I don't know. I really don't."

ASKED IF DONALD TRUMP COLLUDED WITH RUSSIA, Comey said he should not answer that in an open setting.

DON JR. WEIGHS IN -- President Trump's son Donald Trump Jr. was active on Twitter (@DonaldJTrumpJr) during the hearing, rebutting the negative parts of Comey's testimony. One sampling on Trump's conversations with Comey over Flynn: "Flynn stuff is BS in context 2 guys talking about a guy they both know well. I hear 'I hope nothing happens but you have to do your job' ... very far from any kind of coercion or influence and certainly not obstruction! ... Knowing my father for 39 years when he 'orders or tells' you to do something there is no ambiguity, you will know exactly what he means ... Hoping and telling are two very different things, you would think that a guy like Comey would know
 that. #givemeabreak"

BAD DAY for former Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who, according to Comey, requested that he not call the Clinton investigation, well, an investigation.

THE LOYAL OPPOSITION -- The DNC emailed Democratic operatives Thursday morning who may be going on TV or doing press about Comey to invite them to a "post-hearing top talkers" call at 1:30 p.m. 

BACKING POTUS -- "Ryan defends Trump on Comey: 'The president's new at this,'" by Rachael Bade: "Speaker Paul Ryan on Thursday defended President Donald Trump's communications with ex-FBI director James Comey, saying Trump wasn't "steeped in the long-running protocols" of how to interact with law enforcement. 'The president's new at this,' Ryan said at a news conference. 'He's new at government.'

"The Wisconsin Republican also expressed sympathy for Trump's frustration with the Russia investigation, noting that Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that Trump was not the subject of the probe. 'I think the American people now know why he was frustrated.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af21610a1f6b3714f5c8b47e57c3a705806cbf9a647fe0360b92e19fb3cc4a4c2132235286040f5ce3728 

HOW TRUMP REACTED -- "Aide: Trump's mood 'light' as Comey testimony unfolds," y Tara Palmeri: "President Donald Trump decided the night before former FBI director James Comey's Senate testimony that he would not live-tweet his rebuttal, according to two White House officials. 'Why would I?' Trump told aides on Wednesday night, according to a senior White House official.

"Trump watched the hearings from the White House dining room surrounded by aides and lawyers who went in and out of the room as the hearing went on. A senior aide described Trump's mood during the hearing as 'light.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216b6a6b48be78bc869d4f0b7538c9837f0300a0897c41b99ae103bb35eeb3c713315a5b77e1f7a04fe 

ALL QUIET FROM THE PRESIDENT -- Trump did not address the testimony during his speech at the Faith and Freedom Coalition conference. From our colleague Eliana Johnson (@elianayjohnson), who was on the scene: "Trump's speech here at Faith and Freedom Coalition conference feels a world removed from Capitol Hill. Not a single mention of Comey." He also did not tweet.

-- @costareports: "WH sources add that Trump was kept busy this morning w/ Mattis, Tillerson, McMaster convos + prep for Faith & Freedom lunchtime speech."

-- THE VICE PRESIDENT also did not address Comey's testimony during remarks in the Indian Treaty Room.

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE -- "Sarah Sanders: 'The president is not a liar,'" by Tara Palmeri: "White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said 'the president is not a liar' after former FBI director James Comey blasted the White House for telling 'lies, plain and simple' about the circumstances surrounding his firing last month. 'No, I can definitively say the president is not a liar,' Sanders told reporters at the White House during an off-camera briefing Thursday. 'It's frankly insulting that that question would be asked.'" ... At the White House, Sanders also said the president still has confidence in his Cabinet members." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216938ee050a8f5c0438f5ed33762f61d727ee5ec25a344d53b04f817d9bfbe8b33192b2d10b8efb9ee 

FOR YOUR RADAR -- @kylegriffin1: "Brian Williams on @MSNBC says a source tells him and @NicolleDWallace they're not sure Trump knew there were Americans stationed in Qatar."

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: THE OTHER THING HAPPENING TODAY -- THE PRESIDENT and VICE PRESIDENT are hosting eight governors and roughly 30 government and private-sector leaders to discuss infrastructure. WHO IS ATTENDING: GOVS.: Kay Ivey of Alabama, Doug Ducey of Arizona, Rick Scott of Florida, Eric Holcomb of Indiana, Sam Brownback of Kansas, Phil Bryant of Mississippi, Doug Burgum of North Dakota and Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. MAYORS: Lenny Curry (Jacksonville, Florida), Steve Hogan (Aurora, Colorado), Mick Cornett (Oklahoma City), Nate Robinson (Fayetteville, North Carolina), Sheldon Day (Thomasville, Alabama), Acquanetta Warren (Fontana, California), Richard Berry (Albuquerque), Lydia
 Mihalik (Findlay, Ohio) and Andrew Ginther (Columbus, Ohio).

OTHER LEADERS: Bucks County, Pennsylvania Commissioner Rob Loughery; Leon County, Florida Commissioner Bryan Desloge; Waukesha County, Wisconsin Executive Paul Farrow; Macomb County, Michigan Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller; DeKalb County, Georgia Vice Chairman Nancy Jester; Jefferson County, Colorado Commissioner Libby Szabo; Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation Tribe Vice Chairman Randy Phelan; Southern Ute Tribe, Colorado Councilman Kevin Frost; Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain; South Carolina Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, Springfield, Massachusetts Public Works Director Christopher Cignoli. 

-- THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS' executive committee is in town this week and meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to talk about the chamber's legislative agenda. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will discuss tax reform with the group. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross joined a reception Wednesday night, where he talked about the future of trade deals, trade enforcement and the upcoming report on regulations impacting the manufacturing sector.

ROCK AND A HARD PLACE -- "Paul Ryan's debt ceiling conundrum," by Rachael Bade: "The House GOP conference -- from Freedom Caucus hardliners to mainstream Republicans allied with leadership -- are balking at the Trump administration's request for a 'clean' debt ceiling hike without spending cuts. The disagreement puts Ryan in an awkward situation of having to choose between his conference's desires and those of the White House. GOP insiders concede it could even force the Wisconsin Republican to, for the first time, violate the so-called Hastert rule, an unofficial GOP understanding that bills should be supported by a 'majority of the majority.' ...

"Relying on Democrats to carry major fiscal legislation has been common in recent years. But it ultimately helped drive out ex-Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and would be problematic for Ryan in the eyes of the conference. One Republican close with leadership told POLITICO 'Ryan is going to be in trouble if the White House makes him do this.' A senior House Republican staffer likewise said leaders - and the White House - will 'get completely crushed by not just angry members but the outside groups will go crazy.'" http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216aa0f19a392a094bbb04bf4713dfb0101e78eb4d83ea7a0e652e18fe2027163a38248dc9ddffd10cf 

AL GORE ON CLIMATE CHANGE -- The former Veep sat for interview with Nick Haramis for Interview Magazine: "There are people who say, 'God is in complete control of everything that happens, and if the earth is getting warmer, then maybe god intends that.' well, no. God intends for us to take responsibility for how we treat God's creation."  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216511df83874279960fbdea20fa476016b0e28f555ce3bf23e87d2f351cb5a7024aacc6a98eb2d35d4

CONGRESSMAN PENCE, PART II? -- "Is Vice President Mike Pence's brother considering a run for Congress?," by the Indianapolis Star's Tony Cook and Kaitlin Lange: "Greg Pence, the vice president's older sibling, isn't ruling it out and a source close to the Pence family said this week that a group of Republican donors is encouraging him to run for the seat once held by his brother.

"Greg Pence, who once ran the family's Kiel Bros. Oil Co. gas station and convenience store business, has been a close confidant to the vice president, frequently traveling with him during last year's presidential campaign. And Greg Pence recently took his first formal step into the political arena earlier this year when he became statewide finance chairman for U.S. Rep. Luke Messer, who is expected to run for Indiana's U.S. Senate seat in 2018. That would leave Indiana's predominately Republican 6th District House seat vacant. Stretching from Muncie to Madison, it's the same district Mike Pence represented for 12 years and one where he continues to enjoy wide support." 
http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af2164be829f4ac49c3889969131898214d52e9f18f9c0e044f0d14a9024cbb23b3a573c21dbdef83a830 

MEDIAWATCH -- ASHLEY PARKER has been named a contributing editor at Glamour, covering Washington, D.C. and politics. Ashley, who has contributed to Glamour since 2015, is currently a White House reporter at WaPo (where she will remain) and was at NYT before that. http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af2160c12d962200db41983da5e0a3ebd23ba0c67c017552f6019ffeb373c84bdeb82d75caaee1afd3564 

DOWN IN GEORGIA -- "Georgia House candidates debate in Comey's shadow," by Elena Schneider: "President Donald Trump and former FBI Director James Comey loomed large over the second debate here between Republican Karen Handel and Democrat Jon Ossoff in their closely watched race for a Georgia congressional seat.

"Ossoff and Handel debated Thursday morning for the second time in three days - this time in a meeting sponsored by an Atlanta public radio station that was also streamed online - mostly sparring over health care, taxes and foreign policy. But with the debate beginning just an hour before Comey appeared on Capitol Hill, both candidates were pressed on Comey's advance testimony, which was released on Wednesday. Both candidates deflected and said the investigations should continue." http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216c3500f42f0fc1d219b578e4f42649124aa703ed581d391b1fca5199097267eafcd9ba6d7871a4686 

-- "Ossoff raised $15M in last two months," by Elena http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216ec8b84f72c1971f7a32094a515c43a7125408cf8861f25b6e35926c2da5bdbbfae44308628fba2a4 

COMING ATTRACTIONS -- WATERGATE REUNION -- The remaining staff of the Senate Watergate "Select Committee" are reconvening in Washington on June 17 for panel discussions at the Watergate hotel moderated by journalist Lesley Stahl. They will be joined by former Sen. Lowell Weicker (R-Conn.). The event has been organized by former Committee staffers Gordon Freedman and Elisabeth DeMarse. Alex Slater and Clyde Group are promoting.

THE AMERICAN FUTURE FUND is today announcing a letter with 10 other conservative groups to Speaker Ryan to oppose legislation now before the House which would impose caps on medical malpractice awards. The vote is expected next week. They say in the letter that the bill "advances the disturbing trend toward the 'federalization' of state tort law that is contrary to constitutional principles and represents an undue restriction on freedom." The letter http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216de5399443db2beffdaba8a2de2645510dca327bcee86c1f31394f25af8d3b6813ee43b414aaf7974

WELCOME TO THE WORLD - WSJ management reporter Rachel Feintzeig and Dr. David Bennett, a nephrologist in Bridgeport, Connecticut, post on Instagram: "Welcome to the world, Tuck. We are so happy you're here. //Theodore (Tuck) Feintzeig Bennett - June 7, 2017 - 2:46 a.m. - 7 lbs, 5 oz//". Instapic  http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=055d4897303af216bb5e2ef07ee7df7ccde6d84881e3f88bb01103e2b3393588f7cf1c799817f85626fc5ac9284e6e01

OUT AND ABOUT -- Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) was the special guest at a reception last night at the American Beverage Association in honor of Paul Mango, a Republican candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania. SPOTTED: Susan Neely, Jim Nicholson, David Urban, Lisa Gable, Steve Hart, Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.), Susan Nelson, Larry Rouvelas.

HIGH TIMES -- Fenton CEO Michael Huttner is launching Powerplant Strategies, a Denver-based PR and public affairs firm focused on the marijuana industry. Others joining the firm include: Alex Howe in Los Angeles, Ellen Mellody, in Philadelphia and New York and Leland Radovanovic in New York.

SPOTTED: Ernest Moniz on the 7:30 a.m. shuttle from DCA-BOS in first class ... At the Four Seasons this morning, at separate tables: Linda Douglass and Melissa Moss, Heather Podesta, Alan Fleischmann and TJ Ducklo, Evan Ryan, Jonathan Swan.

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