| | | | Comey confirms the FBI's Russia-Trump inquiry | | FBI Director James Comey and National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers appeared before the House Intelligence Committee today for a hearing on Russia's meddling in the US election, and during the nearly seven hours of testimony that followed, Comey confirmed an ongoing investigation into possible ties between President Donald Trump's campaign and Russia.
The FBI director also knocked down a series of the President's tweets promoting the unsubstantiated allegation that President Barack Obama wiretapped him. The White House has decided so far to stand by the claim, again without evidence.
Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, however, told attendees to wait and see if there's at least some truth to the claim that Trump or his team were under surveillance.
Throughout the hearing, Republicans and Democrats on the committee focused on entirely different issues. Democrats zeroed in on Trump's unsubstantiated wiretapping allegation and his aides' alleged collusion with Russian operatives. Republicans parried by focusing their ire largely on how the leaks that brought these matters to the public eye happened in the first place.
After Comey's latest bombshell, there are still a lot of unanswered questions and no definite time frame for a resolution going forward, except to say: This thing is far from over. | | "There's a big, great cloud you've now put over people who have very important work to do to lead this country." -- House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes after FBI Director James Comey confirmed the Trump-Russia inquiry. | | | | White House adviser's 2016 tweet resurfaces: Kellyanne Conway, who at the time was working as President Donald Trump's campaign manager, slammed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton over the FBI investigation into her emails, implying that it reflected on Clinton's level of honesty. The tweet resurfaced today after FBI Director James Comey confirmed the FBI is investigating allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and the Russian government during the 2016 election. | | Gorsuch faces the test to sit on the SCOTUS bench | | Meanwhile, on the other side of the Capitol: Today was the first day of four confirmation hearings for Judge Neil Gorsuch, a federal appeals court judge from Colorado whom Trump has nominated to fill the seat of late Justice Antonin Scalia; if confirmed, Gorsuch would carry Scalia's conservative legacy and represent an early legacy-establishing win for President Donald Trump.
It was also a setting for Democrats to revisit their feelings about the snub last year of President Barack Obama's nominee, Judge Merrick Garland. After more than three hours of listening to senators' statements, Gorsuch finally was able to speak at his own confirmation hearing, sending a message of unity despite the fraught atmosphere surrounding his nomination.
"Long before we are Republicans or Democrats, we are Americans," the 49-year-old federal judge said. The hearing is set to resume tomorrow. More from CNN's Ariane de Vogue and Ashley Killough. | | | GOP Rep. Justin Amash doesn't look like he's gotten to "yes" on the GOP health care bill. There's a bit of that going around. | | 6 things you might have missed | | Conservative senators leave White House disappointed: Sen. Mike Lee described a White House meeting over health care as "terribly frustrating." A Lee aide said the White House made it clear the bill is closed to revisions. Read more from CNN's MJ Lee and Lauren Fox.
Sanctuary cities come under fire: The Department of Homeland Security names jurisdictions that don't detain immigrants who could be deported, following an order from President Donald Trump. CNN's Tal Kopan has the full story.
US sizes up North Korean rocket engine: Two defense officials told CNN the rocket engine North Korea tested over the weekend could, possibly, be used in an ICBM. The engine test came just after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson articulated an aggressive posture in Asia against the rogue nation. CNN's Barbara Starr and Ryan Browne have more.
White House misleads on Manafort: White House press secretary Sean Spicer said former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort played a "limited role" in the campaign, which isn't true. CNN's Dan Merica explains why.
How the US pays Afghan victims: $1,000, $10,000, nothing at all? The United States has "no standardized process" for compensating people it has injured or whose families it has killed in its longest-running war, Reuters' Idrees Ali reports.
Senator inches closer to corruption trial: The Supreme Court declined to toss out corruption and bribery charges facing Sen. Bob Menendez. With the top court's decision, the sitting senator could head to trial this year. Politico's John Bresnahan reports. | | | President Donald Trump is heading to the Hill tomorrow to talk about health care, and so is former Vice President Joe Biden. ... Trump confidant Roger Stone is mentioned repeatedly at the House Intelligence hearing. ... Eric and Lara Trump announce they're expecting their first child. ... Electronics are banned from cabins on some Middle Eastern and African flights to the United States. | | | We'd love to share our other newsletters with you. Check out Five Things for Your New Day, CNN's morning newsletter. Give us five minutes, and we'll brief you on all the news and buzz people will be talking about. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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