| | | | Comey: Trump administration told 'lies, plain and simple' | | Former FBI Director James Comey was blunt in his assessment of President Donald Trump -- repeatedly calling him a liar -- at today's blockbuster Senate Intelligence Committee meeting.
First, in his opening statement, Comey showed his anger, saying Trump's administration had defamed him by casting the FBI as chaotic and unorganized under his leadership. "Those were lies, plain and simple," Comey said.
Then, when asked why he felt the need to document his meetings with Trump when he didn't do the same with past presidents, Comey responded: "I was honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting." He went on to accuse Trump of lying three more times.
It prompted this extraordinary response from the White House, from deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "I can definitely say the President is not a liar and frankly I'm insulted by that question."
Don't miss CNN's Tom LoBianco's roundup of everything else we learned today. Some other hearing highlights:
Comey leaked because he wanted a special prosecutor: That is, he asked a friend -- a Columbia law professor -- to share the details of a memo he'd written about a meeting with Trump with The New York Times. Why? "I thought that might prompt the appointment of a special counsel, so I asked a close friend of mine to do it," he said.
Going Medieval: Comey invoked Henry II and Thomas Becket to explain why he took Trump saying "I hope" the FBI would drop its Mike Flynn probe as a presidential directive. "It kind of rings in my ears as, 'Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?'" Comey said -- citing the king of England's line that led his men to murder Becket in 1170. Here's the history lesson.
Winners and losers: Comey and the Senate intelligence panel's Republican and Democratic leaders, Richard Burr and Mark Warner, were among those who had good days. Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Sen. John McCain had bad days. CNN's Chris Cillizza has more.
Later, behind closed doors ... in a classified hearing this afternoon, Comey told senators that Sessions may have had a third interaction with Russia's ambassador to the United States, according to people familiar with the briefing. CNN's Manu Raju, Evan Perez and Jim Sciutto have more.
See this shrug? It was Comey's impression of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' reaction when the FBI director asked him not to leave him alone in a room with Trump again. Hat tip to CNN's Eli Watkins for the GIF. | | "Lordy, I hope there are tapes." -- Former FBI Director James Comey on President Donald Trump's tweeted implication -- still not confirmed or denied by the White House -- that their conversations might have been secretly recorded. | | | UK's Theresa May could lose her parliamentary majority | | From CNN's Angela Dewan and James Masters: British Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative Party appears on course to lose her parliamentary majority in the UK general election, according to a shock exit poll compiled for the UK's main television broadcasters.
If the results are confirmed, it will be a huge embarrassment for May, who called a snap election in April in the hope of gaining an even greater majority of seats to give her a stronger mandate for upcoming Brexit negotiations.
The poll suggests the Conservatives will be the largest party but will secure only 314 of the 650 seats in Parliament's House of Commons -- a loss of 17 seats. The main opposition Labour Party is tipped to win 266 seats, a gain of 34.
If no party has 326 seats and an overall majority, it's called a hung Parliament; that result could plunge the country into political uncertainty amid talks of forming a coalition. | | Sen. Ted Cruz was trying to end his speech today at the Faith and Freedom Coalition on a high note, but he accidentally got the wrap-up music.
At about nine minutes in, Cruz began thanking the coalition, but then the announcer came on the speakers to introduce the next person slated to speak. In response to the awkward moment, Cruz threw up his hands and walked off the stage, saying thank you and waving as he exited to upbeat music and applause. | | 3 things you might have missed today | | Gowdy tapped to lead House oversight committee: South Carolina Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy has been selected to be the next chairman of the House oversight committee, the powerful entity charged with providing oversight over the White House and administration. More from CNN's Lauren Fox and Deirdre Walsh.
On Trump's meetings with Comey, Ryan says "He's just new to this": House Speaker Paul Ryan sought to explain President Donald Trump's asking then-FBI Director James Comey to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying he was new at the job and did not understand protocols. More from CNN's Lauren Fox.
Comey draws big crowds to D.C. bars for politics and pints: A handful of bars inside the Beltway -- ranging from Union Pub on Capitol Hill to the Partisan in Penn Quarter -- hosted special viewing parties, which they promoted on social media throughout the week. More from CNN's Saba Hamedy. | | | After a hearing in which former FBI Director James Comey accused the Trump administration of lying and defaming him, and said he'd orchestrated a leak in a bid to get a special counsel appointed, most of President Donald Trump's biggest boosters in the media still found plenty of reasons to gloat. ... Trump wants to gut a key division of the Department of Energy designed to accelerate the development of clean energy like solar and wind power. ... Here's a look back at some blockbuster Capitol Hill hearings of the past. | | | Get the Nightcap, a comprehensive summary of the most important political news, delivered to your inbox daily. | | | | | |
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