Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Iran: “Gunmen dressed as women stormed Iran’s parliament building on Wednesday while a suicide bomber targeted a shrine to the Islamic republic’s founder in deadly twin attacks that were claimed by ISIS. At least 12 people were killed and 42 wounded, state media reported, citing the head of Iran’s emergency department as saying..”
* A White House statement on the attack suggested Iran bears part of the blame for the deadly violence: “We grieve and pray for the innocent victims of the terrorist attacks in Iran, and for the Iranian people, who are going through such challenging times. We underscore that states that sponsor terrorism risk falling victim to the evil they promote.”
* This was a frustrating hearing: “Two of the nation’s top intelligence officials refused to address questions Wednesday about allegations that they had been asked by President Donald Trump to interfere in the FBI’s Russia investigation, infuriating Senate Democrats who repeatedly pressed them for answers.”
* Comey had a good reason for this: “The day after President Trump asked James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director, to end an investigation into his former national security adviser, Mr. Comey confronted Attorney General Jeff Sessions and said he did not want to be left alone again with the president, according to current and former law enforcement officials.”
* An important quote from Mark Warner: “The top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee told USA TODAY on Tuesday that Russian attacks on election systems were broader and targeted more states than those detailed in an explosive intelligence report leaked to the website The Intercept.” * A sensible decision: “Francis Collins will stay on as director of the National Institutes of Health, the White House said Tuesday. Dr. Collins, a noted geneticist who once headed the government’s Human Genome project and served previously as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, is 67 years old.” * Trump word on the issue isn’t final: “Hawaii has become the first American state to pass environmental measures that adhere to the Paris climate agreement, just days after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the international pact.” Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past." Recommended
