[UPDATE]: A partial transcript and video of the former FBI Director James Comey testifying in front of a Senate Committee is available, and a full transcript will be available soon.
Former FBI Director James Comey’s testimony is being treated as must-see tv, much like that of Anita Hill in the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings in the 90s or the Oliver North testimony in the 80s. There are workplaces that are scrubbing the day of appointments or clearing the lesson plans from school classrooms. However, while people are eager to watch James Comey answer the questions that the Senate Intelligence Committee, even more people are waiting to see if President Trump live tweets the event. Many in the Republican party have asked Trump to tweet less, as have many members of the Trump administration, but Trump says he will continue to tweet as he sees it to be necessary.
Comey LiveStream testimony is available here
Moreover, President Trump went about his business yesterday as if nothing was strange at all, and certainly not like it was the day before a former employee was going to be testifying about your behavior in front of a Senate committee, says the Inquisitr. Yesterday, Trump took to Twitter to announce his nominee for Comey’s replacement for the position of FBI Director, Christopher Wray . This announcement may or may not have been Trump’s attempt at deflection, or perhaps he simply wanted the world to believe that the fact that Comey was testifying against him did not bother him in the least. But considering that Trump allegedly asked Comey several times for his loyalty and assurances that he was not being investigated for any sort of collusion, it would seem that Trump would prefer that Comey explains to the committee that there was no undue pressure.
Particularly around Washington D.C., it is clear that today is a special day with drinks and snacks being offered at work and at bars and restaurants which are opening early. What is being called #ComeyDay on Twitter means different things including food and drink specials and offers at different restaurants. But even outside on D.C., some places of business are indicating that it’s a special day. At a communications firm in New Jersey, Karen Kessler has made the rule that there will be no client talk while James Comey is on.
“We canceled meetings when we saw what time it was on,” says Kessler who is serving cheese and crackers by the 60-inch monitor in her office. “It’s must-see TV.”
At Union Pub, a sports bar in Washington D.C., free rounds are going to be an option this morning with “a free round of Budweisers or bourbon shots” every time Mr. Trump blasts out a tweet according to bar manager Ashley Saunders.
“We’ll give out 20 rounds” if the president tweets 20 times. I wouldn’t be surprised if people took half-days or take the day off. If I had a normal job, I don’t know what I’d be doing.”
But it’s currently just after 9 a.m. EST, and so far, President Trump has not yet tweeted this morning, and special coverage has started on CNN and many other networks. Though it is still unclear if Trump will tweet during the testimony of Jim Comey, what is clear according to CNN is that nobody will be able to drag the president away from the television, as his first commitment this morning is not until noon and the president has a 60-inch screen just outside his office. Donald Trump has not tweeted since approximately 6 p.m. last night, and it was not about the Comey testimony.
“Getting ready to leave for Cincinnati, in the GREAT STATE of OHIO, to meet with ObamaCare victims and talk Healthcare & also Infrastructure!”
Anderson Cooper of CNN confirmed that Trump lawyer Marc Kasowitz of Kasowitz, Benson & Torres will be sitting with Trump during the televised three hours of Jim Comey’s testimony, and at least has plans for controlling the use of Twitter.
“He will likely have to monitor the president’s phone usage and say ‘Mr. President put the phone down.’”
Bars across the country are opening early for James Comey’s testimony: https://t.co/AB7VlFxF3o pic.twitter.com/hEZcCsYTKr
— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 7, 2017
But while former FBI Director James Comey has a calm demeanor, the Washington Post shared that Trump has been “spoiling for a fight” according to confidants and associates. NYU law professor Ryan Goodman said that attempting to control Trump under such volatile conditions won’t be much fun.
“A defense attorney’s nightmare. If I was his defense attorney, I would do everything I could do to ask him not to live-tweet during Comey’s testimony.”
Federal prosecutor Jennifer Rodgers explains that presidential tweets have no special protection and privileges under the law, and they are the same as spoken words.
“He’s got to be careful. Any statement that he makes assuming they’re authentically his statements could be used against him in a criminal proceeding. I’m sure that to the extent that his lawyers can get him to avoid Twitter, they’re very strongly telling him not to say anything at all.”
Even the Republican party faithful have addressed President Trump this week, including Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who pleaded with Trump to “heed his advisers.”
“You need to listen to your lawyers, Mr. President. I am trying to help you, but every time you tweet it makes it harder on all of us who are trying to help you.”
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Most of those speaking to and for Trump have explained that for any legal counsel “a bad client is a client you can’t control.”
Are you watching the testimony of former FBI Director James Comey? Do you think President Trump will tweet during Comey’s testimony about Russia?
[Featured Image by Eric Thayer/Getty Images]