Word on the Hill: Comey Time

By Alex Gangitano

Posted June 8, 2017 at 5:00am

Former FBI director James Comey is heading to Capitol Hill this morning and D.C. is preparing in many different ways.

The Capitol will be hectic leading up to the 10 a.m. hearing. For those outside of the Capitol complex, or able to leave work for a couple of hours, there are a handful of bars in D.C. opening early, pouring cleverly titled drinks, and taking advantage of some great TV.

Watch for HOH’s coverage from the bars and more Roll Call reporting of all things Comey. Have a tip for us? Send it to HOH@rollcall.com.

Seersucker Day

It’s National Seersucker Day in the Senate, led by Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., kicking off the D.C. summer tradition of wearing the breathable, cool fabric on Thursdays around the Capitol. Do you have your seersucker outfit on? Watch for HOH’s coverage of the traditional lawmaker photo shoot at the Capitol’s Ohio Clock Corridor.

Ropes in the Senate subway

Ropes and stanchions have been set up in the area of the Senate subway stop in the U.S. Capitol to help control the growing crowds of reporters. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

You may have noticed new stanchions and ropes in the Senate subway. They were placed yesterday, a day before Comey’s appearance before the Senate Intelligence panel, to deal with the large number of reporters in the Capitol so far this Congress and to help with the flow of traffic in the area. HOH has not yet been able to confirm if they are intended to be temporary.

Lawmakers celebrate Home Depot VP

Kent Knutson, vice president of government relations for The Home Depot and board member of the Home Depot Foundation, celebrated his 50th birthday at Hotel Monaco’s Dirty Habit on Wednesday. Members of Congress spotted at the shindig included: Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and Reps. Sean P. Duffy, R-Wis., Barbara Comstock, R-Va., Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., Jackie Speier, D-Calif., Richard Hudson, R-N.C., Adrian Smith, R-Neb., and Bill Flores, R-Texas.

Pride begins

Capital Pride kicks off today at 7 p.m. The sold-out opening event is a rooftop pool party at VIDA Penthouse Pool and Lounge — The Yards (1212 Fourth St. SE). The main festivities this year — the Pride Parade and the Pride Festival — are on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Also happening today …

Screening of season four of “Power” hosted by Starz; 8 p.m. at the Newseum. Invite-only.

Overheard

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch replied to a mean tweet from his official account …

The plan is to live forever with the help of essential oils and dietary supplements but we’ll just have to see. https://t.co/Jdh5XbIUCo
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) June 7, 2017

“I think you may have to teach me that before my next town hall.”

— House Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Phil Roe, R-Texas, to Paul Downs, a veteran who spoke about the benefits of transcendental meditation after being discharged from the Marine Corps.