1. FBI is investigating
Director James Comey told Congress that the FBI was investigating possible coordination between Donald Trump’s campaign and Russia in advance of the 2016 presidential election. The inquiry began in late July.
2. What comes next
The FBI inquiry could result in criminal charges against Trump associates. Comey would not say whether Trump personally was being investigated. Republicans urged the FBI to hasten the inquiry, which the GOP said would tickle Russia.
NSA director denies GCHQ claim
3. Trump spits fire on Twitter
President Trump sought all day to undermine the hearing on Twitter, at one point inaccurately tweeting that Comey and NSA director Michael Rogers testified that “Russia did not influence electoral process”. But then that tweet was quoted at the hearing ...
Updated
'Not something we've looked at'
We’ve offered no opinion, have no view, have no information on potential impact, because it’s not something we’ve looked at. It certainly wasn’t our intention to say that today.
– FBI director James Comey, on the president’s tweet
#protip
Good lesson for the president: wait until your top intelligence officials are finished testifying before mischaracterizing their testimony.
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) March 20, 2017
4. Spicer downplays aides’ roles
Press secretary Sean Spicer downplayed the campaign roles of multiple people mentioned at the hearing, calling Carter Page a “hanger-on”, distancing Trump from Roger Stone and saying Paul Manafort had a “very limited role” for a “very limited” time. But ...
... back in July it was different
.@realDonaldTrump chair @PaulManafort rallied the @GOP response team in philly @DemConvention #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/mOnKUsiaaC
— Sean Spicer (@seanspicer) July 25, 2016
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6. Gorsuch hearings open
The Senate judiciary committee held a first day of hearings on the nomination to the supreme court of Judge Neil Gorsuch, but it was mostly filled by senators talking. Gorsuch did read an opening statement. Check back tomorrow!
7. Senator’s corruption case advances
On more normal day, this'd be biggest Hill story: #SCOTUS won't head off Menendez corruption trial https://t.co/hHIh75pCTa via @BresPolitico
— Josh Gerstein (@joshgerstein) March 20, 2017
... and another thing:
Pregaming the Trump rally pic.twitter.com/vOpd4J3tde
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 20, 2017
... and another thing:
South Park comes to the Trump rally pic.twitter.com/DG0uFz0hbl
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 20, 2017
... and another thing:
Trump/Cooper 2020 pic.twitter.com/ZSZc7YyvBj
— Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 20, 2017
... and another thing:
.@LaraLeaTrump & I are excited to announce that we are adding a boy to #TeamTrump in September. It's been an amazing year. We are blessed! pic.twitter.com/ENrhdxdziA
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) March 20, 2017
