David Corn/Twitter
The line outside the Senate hearing room in which former FBI Director James Comey will testify on Thursday.
Thursday marks the biggest political event of Donald Trump's presidency so far - former FBI Director James Comey is scheduled to begin his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee at 10 a.m.There's so much interest around the event that members of the public began lining up to get into the hearing at just after 4 a.m.
David Corn, the Washington bureau chief for Mother Jones, tweeted that the DC police estimated the line was 600 people long around 8 a.m. on Thursday.
There are just 88 seats reserved for members of the public in the hearing room, Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The remainder of the space is reserved for members of Congress, other government officials, and members of the news media.
The hearing is one of the most anticipated in recent Washington history. Major cable news networks have featured countdowns this week to the live testimony, which will interrupt regular programming and is being called "Washington's Super Bowl."
The group at the very front of the line arrived at 4:15 a.m., according to Corn.
A New York Times photographer captured the extent of Senate line:
And there are even lines to get into bars and restaurants to watch the hearing:
The line for the Comey hearing stretches for blocks. Cops say about 600 people on it. They are only 88 audience seats. pic.twitter.com/M5klyjVAeA
- David Corn (@DavidCornDC) June 8, 2017These guys are at the front of the line for the Comey hearing. They got here at 4:15 am. pic.twitter.com/b9TOUQSd5M
- David Corn (@DavidCornDC) June 8, 2017Here's the line to get into the James Comey FBI hearing this morning. pic.twitter.com/RTf9xAYAmC
- Al Drago (@Al_Drago) June 8, 2017The line to get into Shaw's Tavern to watch the Comey trial. (It keeps going.) @wamu885 pic.twitter.com/FYfKp8nGRB
- Mikaela Lefrak (@mikafrak) June 8, 2017