THUS THE TRUMPBOT HYSTERIA:

One of the most important revelations is that Baker and FBI Director James Comey's chief of staff James Rybicki listened in on Comey's side of at least some phone conversations with the president, in which Trump reportedly attempted to alter the course of the Russia investigation.

"(Jim) Rybicki and (Jim) Baker also heard Comey's side of phone conversations with the President, in real time," the minority report states. It is, however, not clear which particular phone conversations with the president they were able to hear in this manner. Comey testified to Congress about six separate phone conversations he had with Trump.

Both Comey and McCabe interpreted one of the president's phone calls as threatening Comey if he did not lift the cloud of the Russia investigation. In a phone conversation on April 11, the president said he wanted Comey to lift the cloud, "because I have been very loyal to you, very loyal; we had that thing you know," according to Comey's written testimony and contemporaneous memo. But why would the president refer to his loyalty to Comey rather than Comey's "honest loyalty" to the president?

McCabe testified that the FBI director and he "weren't 100 percent sure what that was" but interpreted it as "a veiled threat." Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff asked McCabe to clarify:

SCHIFF: And in this case the veiled threat would be against Director Comey?

MCCABE: That's correct.

SCHIFF: Along the lines of, I the president have been very loyal to you. I want you to lift the cloud. Otherwise I might be less loyal to you. Is that the--

MCCABE: That's correct.

SCHIFF: That was the impression of Director Comey?

MCCABE: It was his and my impression.

Second, the FBI director and deputy director were also concerned that the president was threatening to take action against McCabe if the FBI director did not lift the cloud of the Russia investigation. According to Comey's testimony and contemporaneous memos, Trump repeatedly brought up McCabe in these conversations about the probe. McCabe testified that he and Comey were concerned that the president "was bringing it up as some sort of an almost a veiled threat."

Rep. Schiff again asked McCabe to clarify:

SCHIFF: That if the Director didn't lift the cloud of the Russian investigation, that he would take action against you?

MCCABE: That's correct. That was my concern, and as I understand it, that was Director Comey's concern as well.

Other observations in the minority report and in McCabe's testimony are perhaps less significant on their own, but also add to the case for obstruction and abuse of power. It is readily apparent that McCabe's testimony very closely tracks Comey's congressional testimony.

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