Updating . .   

Comey says he shared notes in hopes of a special counsel -- Former FBI director James B. Comey said Thursday he helped reveal details of his private conversations with President Trump because he thought doing so would spur the appointment of a special counsel to investigate the administration — a remarkable admission showing the degree of concern he had about both Russian interference with U.S. politics and his doubts about the Justice Department’s ability to probe such activity. Devlin Barrett and Ellen Nakashima in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/17

Feinstein asks Comey: Why didn't you stop and say, 'Mr. President, this is wrong'? -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California sparked one of the most memorable exchanges of the James Comey hearing Thursday by asking the former FBI director about President Trump’s request to drop the criminal investigation of former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Michael Finnegan in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Six key things we learned from the Comey hearing -- Former FBI Director James Comey did not hold back at the Senate hearing on Thursday. Here are some key things he revealed: Evan Halper in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Feinstein and Harris in the spotlight as Comey testifies before Senate -- As America tuned in to former FBI Director James Comey’s blockbuster testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee this morning, California’s two senators got a turn in the spotlight. Casey Tolan in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/8/17

Chinese climate officials let loose on President Trump as Jerry Brown concludes visit -- Chinese officials had been avoiding attacks on President Trump for pulling the U.S. from the Paris climate accord, opting instead for oblique references to “global cooperation.” Not anymore. Jessica Meyers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

What price are Californians paying to fight climate change? -- Californians pay about 15 cents a gallon extra at the pump to fight climate change. Here’s what they’re getting for their money: continued progress in the effort to curb carbon. Dale Kasler in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/8/17

Former L.A. sheriff's official says he was forced out. His lawsuit accuses Sheriff McDonnell of a bribe attempt -- A former high-ranking Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department official alleges he was pressured to take early retirement after he reported illegal conduct by various department officials, including Sheriff Jim McDonnell, according to a lawsuit filed this week. Maya Lau in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

State analyst recommends lawmakers create accountability measures for spending billions from higher gas tax -- The California Legislature should develop methods for holding the administration accountable for effectively spending $5.2 billion annually from recently approved increases to the gas tax and vehicle fees, the Legislative Analyst’s Office said Thursday. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Fox: L.A. Hotbed for Governor’s Race -- If you want to see a candidate for California governor go to Los Angeles. The leading Democrat in the governor’s race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, will be in Los Angeles much of the summer, piling up speaking engagements. The only announced Republican in the race, John Cox, has dozens of speaking engagements on his calendar in the near term in Los Angeles and Southern California. Joel Fox Fox & Hounds -- 6/8/17

Six California metro areas make the top 10 for highest rates of car theft, report says -- With more than 7,000 car thefts in 2016, the metropolitan area had the highest rate of vehicle thefts in California, according to a National Insurance Crime Bureau report released Thursday. Bakersfield ranked third in the nation after Albuquerque, which took the No. 1 spot, and Pueblo, Colo. Makeda Easter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

 

California Policy & Politics This Morning  

Jerry Brown in China with a climate message to the world: Don't follow America's lead -- When Gov. Jerry Brown stepped to the stage in Beijing on Wednesday, he still was recovering from a 15-hour time difference, a cavalcade of business meetings and ceremonial events, a flight and a train ride to three Chinese cities and a last-minute meeting with President Xi Jinping. Jessica Meyers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

California businesses join, pay for Gov. Brown’s China trip -- Gov. Jerry Brown has company on his trip to China to further his climate change agenda: About 30 California business leaders are along for the ride to support Brown’s policies and build their own business deals. Kathleen Ronayne Associated Press -- 6/8/17

Greenhouse emissions fall for another year in California -- California has continued to chip away at its greenhouse gas emissions even as its economy grows, according to new data released by state regulators on Wednesday. Emissions fell by a third of a percent in 2015, which regulators said was equivalent to removing 300,000 vehicles from state roads for a year. Chris Megerian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

In health care debate, nurses union boss doesn’t play nice—and that’s the way she likes it -- The day after Democrats in the California Senate passed a proposal for a universal health care system, RoseAnn DeMoro took to Twitter to call out those who voted against it. Laurel Rosenhall Calmatters.org -- 6/8/17

Democrats eye more health care for California’s undocumented -- California’s Democratic legislators want to extend health benefits to undocumented young adults, the continuation of an effort that ushered children without legal status into the state’s publicly funded health care system last year. Elizabeth Aguilera Calmatters.org -- 6/8/17

California lawmakers consider making positions on troubled state tax board appointed rather than elected -- California’s scandal-plagued tax agency might benefit from making its board appointed rather than elected, according to legislators who held a hearing Wednesday on how to address deep-seated problems. Patrick McGreevy in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Newsom still leads California governor’s race, but Villaraigosa is hot on his heels -- In the crowded and ever-expanding race to become California’s next governor, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s early lead in the polls is narrowing as former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa gains ground, according to a new survey released Wednesday. Katy Murphy in the San Jose Mercury$ Christopher Cadelago in the Sacramento Bee$ Guy Marzorati KQED -- 6/8/17

More than 4,000 ‘incidents’ marred California’s November election, according to a watchdog group -- Failure to ask for voters’ names at check-in, failure to ensure voter privacy and a lack of supplies are among the problems identified by an elections watchdog group that sent observers to the polls in November. Jeff Horseman in Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/8/17

With Jimmy Gomez headed to Congress, another special election is on the way to fill his Assembly seat in Sacramento -- Voters in a handful of Los Angeles communities will face as many as two more elections before the end of the year, after choosing a sitting member of the state Assembly on Tuesday to fill a vacant seat in Congress. John Myers in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Immigrant advocates say LA taking ‘sweet time’ on legal fund, sanctuary city measures -- Immigrant advocates urged Los Angeles city leaders Wednesday to step up the pace on providing legal aid to Angelenos facing deportation and taking other steps promised about six months ago to help protect undocumented immigrants under the Trump Administration. Elizabeth Chou in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/8/17

Bridging the foster care gap: Lawmakers weigh more funding to help families take in children -- Amy Woods got a call last year from the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, informing her that the mother of her 2-and-a-half-year-old foster son had just given birth to another boy. The newborn needed a home: Would she take him in? Ben Christopher Calmatters.org -- 6/8/17

US joins lawsuit against LA over disabled accessibility -- The federal government is taking over a lawsuit that alleges Los Angeles received hundreds of millions of dollars to develop housing accessible to the disabled, failed to do so and lied about it to keep the money rolling in, it was announced Wednesday. The suit alleges that the city and its redevelopment agency violated the Fair Housing Act and other federal laws. Associated Press -- 6/8/17

For figure in fire, LA home looked much like Oakland warehouse -- Shortly after 36 people died in the Ghost Ship fire, Max Harris — the tattoo artist, creative director, rent collector and resident of the illegal art collective — moved south to Los Angeles, away from the tragedy and media storm. Matthias Gafni and David DeBolt in the Long Beach Press Telegram$ -- 6/8/17

Ghost Ship convictions might be a tall order -- Few noticed the first sign of fire amid the hubbub of cocktail shakers, live music and conversation in the packed Cocoanut Grove club in Boston on Nov. 28, 1942. But the swinging night for nearly 1,000 people was about to come to a shocking end. Evan Sernoffsky in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/17

Sheriff’s Commander Says Lack of Supervision Left Deputies Running Jailhouse Informants -- Orange County Sheriff’s jail operations Commander John Briggs testified Tuesday the jail house informant scandal developed in part because high management turnover left junior deputies with too much control, meaning “inmates were running the asylum on occasion.” And the situation continued for years, Briggs said in response to a question from Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals. Thy Vo Voice ofOC.org -- 6/8/17

Retired Admiral Sees Leaving Climate Accord As Setback For Military -- Retired Navy Rear Adm. Len Hering is the executive director of the California Center for Sustainable Energy. Hering retired from the Navy in 2009 after, among other things, he helped lead the Navy’s effort to become more sustainable. Steve Walsh KPBS -- 6/8/17

Rep. Schiff: Trump Might Go Down As ‘Worst President in Modern History’ -- Former FBI Director James Comey’s written testimony ahead of his hearing on Thursday corroborates suspicions of “very incriminating” allegations against President Trump and Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election, said Rep. Adam Schiff, a ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee. Steven Cuevas KQED -- 6/8/17

‘No One Is Above the Law’: California Lawmakers on Comey Testimony -- President Trump’s alleged request for “loyalty” from former FBI Director James Comey was met with criticism and questions from California’s lawmakers on Wednesday, with one saying, “no one is above the law.” Ericka Cruz Guevarra and Miranda Leitsinger KQED -- 6/8/17

GOP senators admonish Kamala Harris over persistent questioning -- The Republican chairman of the Senate intelligence committee admonished California Sen. Kamala Harris, along with other Democrats, and asked her to be more respectful Wednesday as she pressed top intelligence chiefs testifying before the panel. Mary Clare Jalonick Associated Press -- 6/8/17

Abcarian: Any working woman could have told James Comey what would happen when he spurned President Trump -- Is there a working woman alive who cannot identify with poor James Comey right now? The former FBI director’s boss tried to seduce him. When the seduction failed, his boss fired him. And then called him “crazy, a real nut job.” Hell hath no fury like a scorned President Trump. Robin Abcarian in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Lopez: After 40 years in L.A. schools, this outspoken teacher gives the LAUSD his final grade -- At 10:30 a.m., when all his 10th-grade AP history students had taken their seats, Jeff Horton took care of one last detail before stepping to the front of the class. He pulled on his blue blazer and cinched up his necktie. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Homeless  

Advocates denounce VA delays in developing housing for homeless veterans at West L.A. site -- A week after officials disclosed a 57% rise in Los Angeles’ veteran homelessness, advocates say the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is delaying housing development on its West Los Angeles campus. Gale Holland in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Housing  

10,000 new homes are coming to ‘desirable’ part of the Sacramento region -- The city of Folsom has spent years laying the groundwork for a major city expansion on the rolling hills south of Highway 50. That leapfrog moment has arrived. Tony Bizjak in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/8/17

Economy, Employers, Jobs, Unions, Pensions

The new Fortune 500 list is out. These California companies made the cut -- The list, which ranks U.S. companies by total yearly revenue, includes 53 firms whose headquarters are in the Golden State — a total that’s second only to New York’s 54. Makeda Easter in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Despite Silicon Beach, Los Angeles is merely America's 18th top tech city, report finds -- Los Angeles is home to hot tech firms such as Snap Inc. and Tinder, but Silicon Beach still has a long way to go to rival the tech industries of Silicon Valley or San Francisco. That’s according to a new study by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield that ranks Los Angeles 18th among the nation’s top 25 tech cities. Alexa D'Angelo in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

SFO says it’s investigating claims airport workers were underpaid -- San Francisco International Airport said it was investigating airline food contractor LSG Sky Chefs, after a labor union submitted claims that 136 employees in airport kitchens have been victims of wage theft. Nicholas Cheng in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/8/17

Google parent Alphabet gender-pay proposal dead on arrival -- A proposal from two investment firms to order Google’s parent firm Alphabet to issue a report on an alleged “gender pay gap” was dead even before it was read out at Wednesday’s annual stockholders meeting. Ethan Baron in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 6/8/17

Education 

UC to pay $595 an hour for audit investigation -- The University of California will pay up to $210,000 for an independent investigation into a recent state audit that accused the system of failing to disclose hundreds of millions of dollars and tampering with a survey sent to campuses that was supposed to remain confidential. Emily DuRuy in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/8/17

1 in 5 CSU students graduate in four years -- Even though the number is low, it’s still up from 19 percent the previous year and higher than the 13 percent graduation rate in 2000. Yet it remains significantly shy of the 40 percent four-year graduation rate the university has set as a target for 2025. Emily DeRuy in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/8/17

From farmworker fields to MIT: Gilroy family shares success story -- When Alejandro Diaz arrives at the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, the Gilroy teen will mark an odds-defying achievement for a family of recent immigrants who embody the promises of the American dream. Tatiana Sanchez in the San Jose Mercury$ -- 6/8/17

Could an efficient community college food vendor system squeeze out local businesses? -- On Wednesday night the Los Angeles Community College District board of trustees is expected to approve a single food vendor for its nine campuses, replacing an ad hoc food vendor system that allows campuses to hire different companies to run cafeterias, cafes, food trucks and vending machines. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez KPCC -- 6/8/17

Through observation and play, toddlers take on science -- Science specialists at UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science are​ ​bringing​ free, play-based science lessons to children from low-income families across the San Francisco Bay Area. Ashley Hopkinson EdSource -- 6/8/17

Students perform better at schools offering extra services on campus, study finds – Schools that offer dental care, mental health counseling, food assistance and other services have a significant and measurable positive impact on student achievement, according to research released this week by the Learning Policy Institute and the National Education Policy Center. Carolyn Jones EdSource -- 6/8/17

Cannabis 

Yolo’s first cannabis job fair offers employment in a growing industry -- As Yolo County tries to become a hub of the legal marijuana industry in California, employers and pot advocates held the county’s first cannabis job fair in Davis on Wednesday. Molly Sullivan in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/8/17

Immigration / Border 

Why immigration debate focuses on border crossers while visa overstayers largely overlooked -- Visa overstayers receive relatively scant mention in the national debate over illegal immigration, although federal statistics suggest more people have overstayed on expired visas last year than have been arrested crossing the southern border in the same period. Leslie Berestein Rojas KPCC -- 6/8/17

‘Blue card’ bill could legalize ag workforce in Santa Cruz County -- Agricultural workers and their families could become eligible to apply for a “blue card” that would give them a one-time opportunity to acquire legal citizenship status and work authorization if they show consistent employment in U.S. agriculture over the past two years, pay a fine and pass a thorough background check. Ryan Masters in the Santa Cruz Sentinel -- 6/8/17

House passes bill to allow some border and customs job applicants to skip polygraph test -- The House voted 282 to 137 Wednesday in favor of a bill that would allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to waive a mandatory lie-detector test for applicants from law enforcement or the military, raising alarms that the move will weaken standards at the agency. Maria Sacchetti in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/17

Under Trump, old deportation orders get new life -- For years, immigrants facing deportation have been allowed to stay in the U.S. provided they show up for regular check-ins with federal deportation agents and stay out of trouble. After a brief meeting, they're usually told to return months later to check in again. Now, in cases spanning from Michigan to California, some of these immigrants are being told their time here is up. Amy Taxin Associated Press -- 6/8/17

Environment 

Deportation fears among LA residents near shuttered Exide plant could impact health study -- Nearly 20,000 residents near the shuttered Exide Technologies battery recycling plant could be visited Saturday as part of what Los Angeles County officials called a massive, unprecedented effort to gather health information from those who have lived for years near the chemical-spewing facility. Susan Abram in the Los Angeles Daily News$ Rebecca Plevin KPCC -- 6/8/17

Health 

A year after it passed, California’s right-to-die law still faces challenges -- For Betsy Davis, California’s End of Life Option Act worked exactly as intended. “It was like a weight was lifted off her shoulders,” said Davis’ sister, Kelly Davis. “She got her sense of control back because she knew she had the option.” The option, of course, was death. Deepa Bharath in the Orange County Register -- 6/8/17

Wildfire   

End of drought could mean the beginning of a busy wildfire season in Southern California -- While the plentiful rains of this past winter have colored the mountains and foothills a verdant green, left standing are those red alerts predicting high fire danger this summer and fall, according to local fire departments. Steve Scauzillo in the Los Angeles Daily News$ -- 6/8/17

Also . . . 

CHP guidelines on lane-spitting may not end controversy -- Considered acceptable by law enforcement in California, lane-splitting is all the more contentious when it leads to a crash that kills a motorcyclist. That was the case when a 24-year-old rider collided with a mid-size SUV that was changing lanes on southbound Interstate 5 in Encinitas the evening of April 7. David Hernandez in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/8/17

SpaceX employee, Caltech fellow among 12 NASA astronaut candidates -- A geologist studying Mars at Caltech and a launch engineer from SpaceX in Hawthorne beat out 18,000 other applicants to become two of NASA’s 12 newest astronauts. Jason Henry in the San Bernardino Sun$ Gary Robbins in the San Diego Union-Tribune$ -- 6/8/17

POTUS 45  

Trump demanded 'loyalty' and asked for an end to the Flynn investigation, Comey will testify -- Former FBI Director James B. Comey feared from their first meeting that President Trump was trying to forge a “patronage relationship” between the two of them and was intruding on the “FBI’s role as an independent investigative agency,” he plans to tell Congress. David S. Cloud and Joseph Tanfani in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/8/17

Strong approval of Trump is fading across a number of demographics -- While support for Trump has remained consistently high among Republicans and Trump’s base of non-college-educated white voters, the percentage of those who support Trump strongly has faded. In other words, while Trump voters still like him, fewer of them love him, which could indicate political storm clouds on the horizon. Philip Bump in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/17

Comey’s Political Shrewdness Is on Display in Tussle With Trump -- Mr. Trump may be relatively new to Washington, but Mr. Comey is not. Peter Baker and Glenn Thrush in the New York Times$ -- 6/8/17

Three Pinocchios: The Trump administration’s tally of $350 billion-plus in deals with Saudi Arabia -- The Fact Checker often is wary when an administration touts the potential benefits from an overseas deal, as there is a natural instinct to count chickens before they hatch. Given the Trump administration’s proclivity for exaggeration, we were especially skeptical of the numbers tossed around after the president’s trip to Saudi Arabia. Glenn Kessler in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/17

Trump ‘all in’ on Senate Obamacare repeal -- The president is taking a soft touch but is increasingly engaged as Senate Republicans try to gut the health law. Burgess Everett and Josh Dawsey Politico -- 6/8/17

Beltway 

West Wing aides fearful of directly attacking Comey -- The White House has outsourced its counter-messaging effort during Comey’s testimony, as aides try to avoid more personal legal risk. Matthew Nussbaum, Josh Dawsey, Darren Samuelsohn and Tara Palmeri Politico -- 6/8/17

Democrats Once Had Only Contempt for James Comey. But That Was Then. -- Appalling. Disturbing. Partisan. Completely puzzling. Those were among the harsh words top Democrats used to toss around about the actions of James B. Comey during his tenure as director of the F.B.I. Carl Hulse in the New York Times$ -- 6/8/17

Christopher Wray’s FBI nomination rollout was poorly timed and highly disorganized -- News of Christopher Wray's nomination to be the next FBI director seemed destined to be buried. And it was. Callum Borchers in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/17

Pence cancels interview with PBS -- Pence’s cancellation came shortly after former FBI Director James Comey released his opening statement one day before his highly anticipated testimony to Congress on Thursday. Joe Concha The Hill -- 6/8/17

Democrats to sue Trump over conflicts of interest -- Dozens of House and Senate Democrats plan to sue President Donald Trump in the coming weeks, claiming he is breaking the law by refusing to relinquish ownership of his sprawling real-estate empire while it continues to profit from business with foreign governments. Heather Caygle Politico -- 6/8/17

‘We are one tripped senator’ away from disaster: Inside the surging Capitol media mob -- Amid a deluge of Trump-related drama and sensational hearings, reporters on Capitol Hill have gone from an endangered species to something more like an invasive one, covering the halls of power in greater numbers than seen in decades. Elise Viebeck and Ben Terris in the Washington Post$ -- 6/8/17

 

-- Wednesday Updates 

Federal government joins whistleblower suit against L.A. over housing for the disabled -- The Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the federal government was joining a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that the city of Los Angeles had falsely claimed it was making homes accessible to people with disabilities as it received federal funds to build that housing. Emily Alpert Reyes and David Zahniser in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/7/17

State worker bonuses were ‘effective’ bait in fake phishing scam -- Teasing state workers with long-promised contract bonuses is a good way to get them to click on a bogus email. Adam Ashton in the Sacramento Bee$ -- 6/7/17

SpaceX will launch secretive Air Force X-37B spaceplane this year -- SpaceX will launch the Air Force’s X-37B experimental spaceplane later this year, in the military’s latest vote of confidence in the Elon Musk-led space company. Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/7/17

Warehouses Promise Jobs, But What Happens When the Robots Come? -- The city of Tracy sits on the edge of the Central Valley, where Interstate 580 meets I-5. And like a lot of towns in this region, it’s been welcoming the warehousing industry and the jobs that have come with it. Queena Sook Kim KQED -- 6/7/17

San Francisco supervisor looking to hit Uber and Lyft with per-ride fee -- City Attorney Dennis Herrera isn’t the only one taking a close look at the effects that riding-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft are having on San Francisco — Supervisor Jane Kim wants to charge them a fee every time they pick up a passenger. Matier & Ross in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/7/17

Serious toxic mushroom poisonings hitting Bay Area hard -- Fourteen people in and near the Bay Area were poisoned and three needed liver transplants after eating poisonous wild mushrooms that popped up in big numbers during winter’s drought-busting rains. Denis Cuff in the East Bay Times -- 6/7/17

Driving Stoned: San Diego Scientists Try To Find DUI Limit For Marijuana -- On Friday and Saturday nights, according to roadside surveys conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one out of five drivers has a drug other than alcohol in their system. The agency says the drug that showed the greatest increase between 2007 and 2014 was marijuana. Kenny Goldberg KPBS -- 6/7/17

Internet for all San Franciscans? Here’s how it could happen -- In a city where so much information is tweeted, emailed, Skyped or texted, thousands of people are getting left behind. Rachel Swan in the San Francisco Chronicle$ -- 6/7/17

Coalition Of States, Regions Fighting Climate Change Meet In China -- California has several new agreements with China and regions within the country. Gov. Jerry Brown has signed “memorandums of understanding” about developing new, clean technology. The agreements are non-binding, but they describe a pathway for the two countries to raise new clean technology businesses. Ben Bradford Capital Public Radio -- 6/7/17

Lopez: After 40 years in L.A. schools, this outspoken teacher gives the LAUSD his final grade -- At 10:30 a.m., when all his 10th-grade AP history students had taken their seats, Jeff Horton took care of one last detail before stepping to the front of the class. Steve Lopez in the Los Angeles Times$ -- 6/7/17

Capitol Weekly Podcast: Polling with Paul Mitchell -- California political data guru Paul Mitchell sits down with Capitol Weekly's John Howard and Tim Foster to talk about his latest CA120 column, which looks at changes in political polling. What does the decline of land lines, surge of cell phones and increased reliance on email mean for the future of California political polling? Link here -- 6/7/17

Rep. Sherman joins Green in push to impeach Trump -- Another Democratic lawmaker has joined an effort to draft articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif) joined Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) at a press conference on Capitol Hill Wednesday, where they announced they were drafting documents to push the president's ouster. Jake Lahut Politico -- 6/7/17

Trump demanded 'loyalty,' asked for end to Flynn investigation, Comey to testify -- President Trump demanded "loyalty" from former FBI Director James B. Comey and asked him to drop at least part of the bureau's investigation of former National Security Adviser Mike Flynn, Comey plans to testify to Congress Thursday. David S. Cloud, Joseph Tanfani and David Lauter in the Los Angeles Times$ Josh Gerstein Politico Devlin Barrett in the Washington Post$ -- 6/7/17

Intelligence officials won't answer if Trump asked them to influence Russia probe -- but say they did not feel pressured -- Two senior U.S. intelligence officials repeatedly refused to say Wednesday whether President Trump had asked them to intervene or to publicly downplay the FBI investigation into supposed ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. David S. Cloud in the Los Angeles Times$ Ellen Nakashima and Karoun Demirjian in the Washington Post$ -- 6/7/17