The Note: The Comey chaos

— -- NOTABLES

--ANALYSIS - ABC’s RICK KLEIN: The images speak louder than the angry words exchanged inside the Trump White House. Among U.S. officials, the wake of James Comey’s firing has brought accusations, recriminations and even threats of resignations. On the Russian side, the Russian foreign minister and ambassador to the United States were all smiles and laughs in the Oval Office, in pictures with President Trump that were released by the Russians. Back home, Vladimir Putin bemusedly answered questions about U.S. political turmoil, while in full hockey gear (he scored seven goals in the charity event). The big picture here – what this was all about from the start – is the Russians and their attempts to influence U.S. politics. Could they possibly have succeeded more fully? Every day brings more dividends, and new reminders of the true stakes in these extraordinary times. Trump finds himself at war with his own agencies and own Congress, in something close to a constitutional crisis. Putin finds himself scoring, again and again.

--DEPUTY AG WAS ON THE VERGE OF RESIGNING: U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was so upset with the White House for pinning the firing of FBI Director James Comey on him Wednesday that he was on the verge of resigning, an administration source told ABC News. After Comey's firing Tuesday night, White House officials said the president acted on the recommendation of Rosenstein, ABC’s JONATHAN KARL reports. http://abcn.ws/2qXdJND

--ON GMA: DEPUTY AG DEVELOPED CASE TO FIRE COMEY ‘ON HIS OWN,’WH SAYS: Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein developed the rationale to fire embattled former FBI Director James Comey "on his own," White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said today. "The information in the letter was something that he came to on his own," Sanders said, ABC’s MORGAN WINSOR notes. http://abcn.ws/2q83L9l

--POWERHOUSE POLITICS PODCAST - REP. VAN HOLLEN ON COMEY FIRING: ROSENSTEIN 'USED BY THE WHITE HOUSE': Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland -- who introduced Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein during his Senate confirmation hearing, recommending him for the post -- said Wednesday he's "disappointed" with Rosenstein's letter to Trump, ABC’s RILEY BEGGIN writes. "It appears that he was used by the White House for the political purpose of firing an FBI director who was conducting an investigation into collusion between the White House and the Russians," Van Hollen told ABC’s JONATHAN KARL and RICK KLEIN during their Powerhouse Politics podcast. "I read his letter, and to me, it did not pass the credibility test," Van Hollen said. http://abcn.ws/2qWVNme

--FORMER TOP TERROR ADVISER SPOTTED AT WHITE HOUSE HOURS BEFORE FBI DIRECTOR WAS FIRED: A former White House counterterrorism official, who many consider to be a candidate to replace fired FBI Director James Comey, was spotted at the White House shortly before Comey was "terminated" six years ahead of the end of his term. Frances Townsend, who served in the George W. Bush administration as a White House homeland security and counterterrorism adviser, posted several photos on her Twitter and Instagram accounts snapped while inside the White House on Monday afternoon. ABC’s JAMES GORDON MEEK has more: http://abcn.ws/2qtnqn6

--PRESIDENT TRUMP EXPECTED TO LAUNCH COMMISSION ON 'ELECTION INTEGRITY': President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order today establishing a commission to review alleged voter fraud and voter suppression in the American election system, multiple senior administration officials tell ABC News. The officials say Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach will be announced as Chair and Vice Chair of the ‘Presidential Commission on Election Integrity’ in a press release today, ABC’s KATHERINE FAULDERS and ALEXANDER MALLIN report. It's not clear whether the White House will allow coverage of the order signing. The commission, which will include Republicans and Democrats, will be tasked with studying "vulnerabilities" in U.S. voting systems and potential effects on "improper voting, fraudulent voter registrations and fraudulent voting," according to one official with knowledge of the announcement. http://abcn.ws/2r4Khmd

SPEED READ with ABC’s ADAM KELSEY

COMEY ASKED FOR MORE MONEY, MANPOWER FOR RUSSIA INVESTIGATION DAYS BEFORE FIRING. FBI Director James Comey requested additional money and manpower from Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein for the investigation into Russian interference in the presidential election just days before his firing, according to a U.S. official with knowledge of the situation. News of the request came as Trump administration officials claimed that Comey's termination was unrelated to the investigation. Comey briefed some members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on the request on Monday. ABC's CECILIA VEGA and JONATHAN KARL have more: http://abcn.ws/2q3Db2N

WH SAYS TRUMP DID NOT PROMPT DOJ REVIEW OF COMEY. The White House says President Donald Trump did not prompt the Department of Justice review that led to the firing of former FBI Director James Comey, ABC’s RYAN STRUYK notes. "There was no request by [Trump] to have a review at the Department of Justice," White House principal deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told the press on Wednesday when asked by ABC’s JONATHAN KARL. http://abcn.ws/2qsc7f0

TOP US OFFICIALS BEING INTERVIEWED FOR INTERIM FBI DIRECTOR. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein are interviewing candidates to take over the FBI as interim director, after James Comey's firing Tuesday, ABC’s MIKE LEVINE reports. Four candidates are being considered, fielded from senior FBI and Justice Department officials and the heads of FBI field offices across the country, according to a Justice Department official. http://abcn.ws/2qTGomN

TRUMP DEFENDS COMEY'S FIRING, ATTACKS DEMS ON TWITTER. The morning after the surprise firing of FBI Director James Comey, President Trump said he removed Comey “very simply” because “he wasn’t doing a good job.” "He wasn't doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job," the president said Wednesday in the Oval Office. Asked if the Comey decision affected his meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister earlier in the day, the president said “not at all.” Trump also took to Twitter to defend the move and attack Democrats for criticizing his decision, notes ABC’s JORDYN PHELPS. http://abcn.ws/2qZQjUi

ANALYSIS: IN FIRING COMEY, TRUMP CREATES WATERGATE-LEVEL CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE. A president who thrives on crises has created the biggest one yet of his presidency. President Trump’s decision to fire James Comey creates a crisis of confidence around the federal government on a level that most likely hasn’t been seen since Watergate. With the tangled threads of Russian influence, the most recent election, and an active FBI investigation, Trump’s move will test loyalties and force a moment of truth for his Republican allies and his Justice Department, writes ABC's RICK KLEIN. http://abcn.ws/2r11lbA

COMEY INVITED TO TESTIFY BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE. Recently fired FBI director James Comey was invited to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee next Tuesday, according to a Democratic aide. The testimony would be given in a closed session without cameras, but it is not yet known whether Comey has accepted the invitation, reports ABC's ALI ROGIN. Prior to his dismissal, Comey was scheduled to testify Thursday at the World Wide Threats Hearing with the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, but will now be replaced by Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe. http://abcn.ws/2q3O04P

ROD ROSENSTEIN, ANDREW MCCABE EMERGE AS KEY PLAYERS IN FIRING OF FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY. Amid the controversy over the unexpected firing of former FBI Director James Comey, two officials in Washington -- U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe -- have emerged as key players in the move and could be critical in what happens next. ABC's MORGAN WINSOR explains on their involvement: http://abcn.ws/2qTvQ6V

AFTER COMEY'S FIRING, ACTING FBI CHIEF JOKES BENGHAZI CONTROVERSY WAS 'THE GOOD OL' DAYS.' In case there's any doubt that the FBI is going through a particularly rough time these days, the new acting head of the agency, Andrew McCabe, told current and past colleagues today: "I didn't think I would ever reach a point in my life where I'd look back on the Benghaz iinvestigation as the good ol' days." ABC’s MIKE LEVINE has more: http://abcn.ws/2q7kDx3

TOP DEM SAYS TRUMP ASKED DOJ OFFICIALS TO LOOK INTO 'MESS' AT FBI. The top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dianne Feinstein, said that President Donald Trump told her that he asked top Justice Department officials to review the FBI, which he called "a mess," before he received a report that led to the firing of FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday. "When I talked to the president last night, he said, 'The department's a mess. I asked [Deputy Attorney General Rod] Rosenstein and [Attorney General Jeff] Sessions to look into it. Rosenstein sent me a memo. I accepted the recommendation to fire him,'" Feinstein, D-Calif., told reporters Wednesday at the Capitol. ABC's ALEXANDER MALLIN and BENJAMIN SIEGEL have more: http://abcn.ws/2pxDiAg

PENCE: COMEY FIRING NOT ABOUT RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. Vice President Mike Pence pushed back on suggestions Wednesday that President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director James Comey was related to the ongoing investigation into Russian interference in last year's presidential election. Pence insisted that Trump's decision was based solely on the best interests of the country and that he was acting upon the recommendation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, notes ABC's ADAM KELSEY. http://abcn.ws/2pkGRP1

SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE SUBPOENAS MICHAEL FLYNN IN RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. The Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 presidential election, formally subpoenaed former national security adviser Michael Flynn Wednesday. Chairman Sen. Richard Burr, R-North Carolina, and Vice Chairman Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, said in a statement that the subpoena requests documents relevant to the investigation. They also noted that they had asked Flynn for the documents in late April, but that "he declined, through counsel, to cooperate with the Committee’s request." ABC’s RILEY BEGGIN, ALI ROGIN and JUSTIN FISHEL has more: http://abcn.ws/2pAZaLK

APPOINTING SPECIAL PROSECUTOR COULD BE 'PROBLEMATIC,' EXPERT SAYS. Democratic lawmakers are demanding the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election after FBI Director James Comey was fired on Tuesday, writes ABC's MORGAN WINSOR. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reacted to Comey’s termination on Twitter Tuesday night, writing, “If we don’t get a special prosecutor, every American will rightfully suspect that the decision to fire #Comey was part of a cover-up.” http://abcn.ws/2qrtPPz

WHY PRESIDENT CLINTON FIRED THEN-FBI DIRECTOR WILLIAM SESSIONS. James Comey's abrupt firing as FBI director took Washington -- and the nation -- by surprise Tuesday, but he is not the first bureau chief to be dismissed by a president. William Sessions -- no relation to current Attorney General Jeff Sessions -- served as director of the FBI from Nov. 2, 1987, until July 19, 1993, when he was fired by then President Bill Clinton. ABC’s BLAIR SHIFF has more: http://abcn.ws/2pxbDPF

TRUMP'S SHIFTING OPINIONS ON COMEY BEFORE HIS FIRING. When President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, the news was received with a considerable amount of shock across the political spectrum. Trump, who has developed a reputation for speaking up loudly on a multitude of issues on the stump and on social media, has addressed his feelings about Comey a number of times, and those opinions have vacillated considerably. ABC’s MICHAEL EDISON HAYDEN looks at what Trump has said about Comey: http://abcn.ws/2pkzjLQ

TIMELINE OF EVENTS THAT LED TO COMEY’S FIRING. As more details surrounding Comey’s firing are revealed, ABC’s VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and RILEY BEGGIN note the events leading up to his dismissal: http://abcn.ws/2qvfO3C

REP. TOM MACARTHUR DEFENDS HEALTH CARE VOTE AT RANCOROUS TOWN HALL. For nearly five hours Wednesday night, Republican congressman Tom MacArthur took questions during a marathon constituent town hall meeting in a heavily Democratic area in his district, ABC’s MARYALICE PARKS reports. MacArthur, who brokered a deal to resurrect and pass the House GOP’s latest health care bill, could barely speak for a minute at a time without the room interrupting with boos, jeers and shout-outs. http://abcn.ws/2pnD3MI

WHAT WE’RE READING

OPINION: COMEY’S FIRING LIKE DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN WITH NIXON ERA. It feels like déjà vu all over again for those of us who lived through the Nixon administration, ABC’s COKIE ROBERTS writes. An investigator gets too close to the occupant of the Oval Office for comfort and gets the boot. The rule of law is threatened. Now what? http://abcn.ws/2q6s8UQ

WHO’S TWEETING?

@jonkarl: I am told Rod Rosenstein was so upset w/ the White House for pinning the Comey firing on him yesterday that he was on the verge of resigning

@WillRabbe: NYT: "The president, Mr. Comey told associates, was 'outside the realm of normal,' even 'crazy'" https://nyti.ms/2pysKAy @maggieNYT @nytmike

@jonathanvswan: I can independently confirm reporting that President Trump has been sounding people out about removing Sean Spicer as Press Secretary. 1/2

@rickklein: "the information in the letter is something he came to on his own," @SHSanders45 says of Rosenstein @GMA