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Happening Today: Comey, Trump, Gorsuch, Dementia, Colin Farrell

What to Know

  • FBI Director James Comey said there was no evidence to support President Trump's claims that President Obama wiretapped him and Trump Tower
  • Judge Neil Gorsuch emphasized "the importance of an independent judiciary" in opening remarks to a Senate Judiciary Committee
  • Eric Trump and his wife, Lara, are expecting their first child in September

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FBI Director Delivers Political Gut Punch to Trump

FBI Director James Comey said there was no evidence to support President Trump's claims that Barack Obama wiretapped him and Trump Tower, as the current president alleged in a series of tweets. His confirmation of that investigation was "historic," as NBC's Ari Melber declared on MSNBC, even as the director declined to discuss details. NBC News called the testimony a "political gut-punch" that threatened to overshadow what could have been a political win for Trump.

Trump Going Outside D.C. for Support on Health Bill

President Trump is deploying an outside and inside strategy to fulfill his campaign promise to repeal and replace "Obamacare," seeking support beyond Washington before making an in-person pitch on Capitol Hill. Trump rallied supporters in Louisville, Kentucky, alongside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell after meetings and phone calls in Washington aimed at steadying the troubled legislation designed to erase Obama's signature health care law. With their showpiece bill revamping the 2010 health care law at stake, House GOP leaders released 43 pages of revisions to the legislation in hopes of rounding up votes.

Gorsuch Stresses 'Independent Judiciary' During Hearing

Judge Neil Gorsuch emphasized "the importance of an independent judiciary" in opening remarks to a Senate Judiciary Committee bitterly divided over his nomination to the Supreme Court. Gorsuch, who serves on the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, is a respected, highly credentialed and conservative judge with a legal philosophy akin to Justice Antonin Scalia's. Democrats claimed that he has found in favor of corporations over "the little guy" during that time, while Republicans credit him with an intelligent and straightforward approach of interpreting the law as it is, not as anyone would wish it to be. Since Scalia's death, the court has split 4 to 4 on a handful of cases. Gorsuch's confirmation would generally restore the court's 5-4 conservative tilt, although Justice Anthony Kennedy, for whom Gorsuch clerked, has joined the liberals on cases involving gay rights, abortion rights and race.

TSA, DHS to Bar Devices on Some Overseas Flights

The Transportation Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security is getting ready to announce temporary restrictions on the type of electronic devices that can be carried on-board certain flights from some overseas airports to the U.S. The restrictions, a federal official said, are an adjustment based on threat intelligence. The restrictions will not apply to U.S.-based airlines but only to foreign carriers that operate flights from certain countries directly to U.S. airports, according to officials, and will not apply on purely domestic flights. The new temporary rules will restrict some devices to checked bags only.

This Is What Dementia Feels Like, Docs Say

One in ten people over the age of 65 suffers from Alzheimer's, and doctors seeking better care and treatment now have an innovative idea that helps the rest of us understand what dementia feels like. Items such as shoes inserts to make walking uncomfortable, gloves to reduce dexterity and glasses and earphones to disorientate the individual were used. One healthcare worker said walking in the shoes of those suffering from dementia, it helps people better understand how to deal with it.

Colin Farrell Tapped to Play Oliver North for Amazon

Colin Farrell is slated to star as Oliver North in a limited series from Amazon. Yorgos Lanthimos, who directed Farrell in the film "Lobster," will direct the untitled, one-hour series that will cover the Iran-Contra scandal. Ben Stiller is among the executive producers. North, a decorated U.S. marine and a Fox News commentator, was at the center of the scandal over the sale of weapons to Iran and the channeling of proceeds to the Contras in Nicaragua in the 1980s during Republican President Ronald Reagan's second term.  

Eric Trump, Wife Expecting First Child

Eric Trump and his wife, Lara, are expecting their first child in September, and it’s a boy, People Magazine reported. The child will be the ninth grandchild of President Trump’s. The couple said they’ve gotten a lot of babysitting experience taking care of their many nieces and nephews. And now, their challenge is to come up with a name. Lara is in her second trimester now, and said that she’s feeling great after being exhausted in the beginning.

'Modern Family' Child Star Mourns Father in Instagram Post

The actor who plays Manny on the popular sitcom "Modern Family" is mourning his father in real life. In a post on his Instagram account, Rico Rodriguez says the week since Roy Rodriguez died at age 52 "has been the toughest week of my life." The actor's Instagram post included a picture of father and son drinking milkshakes together and said the father "was the most kind hearted, loving, hard working, determined, and funny man I have ever known."

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