THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG WAR: FDA wants opioid painkiller pulled off market.

If Opana ER sounds familiar, it’s because it was the drug of choice for many addicts at the center of an HIV outbreak in Indiana in 2015.

The drug is about twice as powerful as OxyContin, another often abused opioid. Opana ER, oxymorphone hydrochloride, is used to manage pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment for which alternatives aren’t strong enough, according to the manufacturer’s website. The FDA approved it for this use in 2006.

“My comment is ‘wow,’ ” said Dr. Andrew Kolodny, co-director of opioid policy research at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University. “This is pretty exciting. This is big news.”

Though it is a “good sign” for the fight against opioid abuse, he said, “Opana is not the only one that needs to come off the market.”

How long before deadly knockoffs hit the streets?

WELL, NO. THIS WAS ALWAYS SMOKE AND MIRRORS. Alan Dershowitz: History, precedent and James Comey’s opening statement show that Trump did not obstruct justice.

Throughout United States history — from Presidents Adams to Jefferson to Lincoln to Roosevelt to Kennedy to Obama — presidents have directed (not merely requested) the Justice Department to investigate, prosecute (or not prosecute) specific individuals or categories of individuals.

It is only recently that the tradition of an independent Justice Department and FBI has emerged. But traditions, even salutary ones, cannot form the basis of a criminal charge. It would be far better if our constitution provided for prosecutors who were not part of the executive branch, which is under the direction of the president.

In Great Britain, Israel and other democracies that respect the rule of law, the director of public prosecution or the attorney general are law enforcement officials who, by law, are independent of the prime minister.

But our constitution makes the attorney general both the chief prosecutor and the chief political adviser to the president on matters of justice and law enforcement.

The president can, as a matter of constitutional law, direct the attorney general, and his subordinate, the director of the FBI, tell them what to do, whom to prosecute and whom not to prosecute. Indeed, the president has the constitutional authority to stop the investigation of any person by simply pardoning that person.

Read the whole thing.

IT’S ALMOST LIKE THEY FAVORED IRAN: Former Official: Obama Admin ‘Systematically Disbanded’ Units Investigating Iran’s Terrorism Financing Networks.

DEVOLUTION: Catalonia will hold October referendum on independence from Spain.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: Mr. Nunes Went to Washington.

I live in rural Fresno County at the juncture of three congressional districts. All three are currently represented by Portuguese-Americans from farming families and from both parties: Nunes (22nd District); my own representative, David Valadao (Republican, 21st District); and Rep. Jim Costa (Democrat, 16th District). All three keep getting re-elected for their accessibility, informality and commitment to the traditional values of their districts.

Nunes became a controversial public figure nationally when he revealed that the surveillance of foreign governments by American intelligence agencies may have resulted in the inappropriate monitoring of members of the Trump transition team — and perhaps some private citizens, too — and the unmasking of their identities.

What followed this disclosure could have mirror-imaged the script of director Frank Capra’s classic film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

It all started when Nunes said he had received unsolicited information of wrongdoing from one or more whistleblowers. Unfortunately for Nunes, he approached complaints of improper surveillance in a Central Valley sort of way (but a most un-Washington manner).

Instead of the usual pattern of leaking the whistleblower’s information to friendly media (and, of course, denying that he was the source of the leaks), Nunes went ballistic — and, heaven forbid, public.

Certain things simply aren’t done in Washington — but do read the whole thing.

HMM: Blackburn Passes on Corker Challenge: Tennessee congresswoman will seek ninth term in Congress instead.

MICHAEL VAN DER GALIEN: Britain’s Election Disaster: Tories Lose Majority.

JAM SESSION: The Navy Has a Plan to Make Sure Its Carriers Can Crush Russia and China’s Air Defenses.

CHANGE: Rep. Trey Gowdy wins Oversight gavel.

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) was chosen Thursday as the next chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

Gowdy never officially announced a bid for the post, but he was considered a lock to get it ahead of the House GOP Steering Committee’s meeting Thursday where the decision was made.

“I am grateful to the Steering Committee and the Conference as a whole for this opportunity to serve,” Gowdy said in a statement.

“I look forward to working alongside the other Committee members, as well as any member of Congress, as we discharge the jurisdiction assigned to us.”

The former prosecutor is best known for his role leading the House select committee that investigated the 2012 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

The Benghazi panel played a key role in helping uncover that Hillary Clinton used a private email server while secretary of State. Gowdy led the panel for nearly two years until it closed down in late 2016.

I’d like to see someone investigate Loretta Lynch’s politicization of the Justice Department, in light of what we learned from Comey’s testimony yesterday.

OH: French-German TV network shelves documentary that revealed European funding for antisemitic groups.

The French-German broadcaster ARTE has reportedly shelved a documentary on antisemitism because it doesn’t bash Israel enough. ARTE and WDR, the publicly-funded TV networks that commissioned the 90-minute documentary, have decided to confine the film to the archives, calling it “unbalanced”. “You can’t make a film on antisemitism without saying every three minutes that the Palestinians are the victims of Israelis,” the co-producer of the documentary, Joachim Schröder, told The Jerusalem Post.

The documentary makers reject the objections publicised by the broadcasters as eyewash. “It’s not about balance,” Schröder was quoted saying in the German newspaper Bild, “How can a film on Antisemitism be ‘balanced’? ARD with offices in Strasbourg is obviously fearful of calling out the Jew-hatred in France and Germany.” Both ARTE and WDR are financed by German taxpayers.

It’s been memory-holed along with the Khalidi Tape.

WELL, FOR CERTAIN VALUES OF “WE,” ANYHOW:

I’d like to get Clinton, Lynch — and everyone else present, down to the cabin steward — under oath for separate depositions about what happened.

JUST WHAT I NEEDED: The post-Comey Day Edition of Liz Sheld’s morning brief.

THOMAS EDSALL: The Democratic Party Is In Worse Shape Than You Thought. It’s media-dominance makes it seem stronger than it is.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Chris Matthews: Trump-Russia collusion theory ‘came apart’ with Comey testimony.

HOW TRANSGRESSIVE — YAWN: ‘Jefferies Show’ debut calls president a racist “dick”.

THE NEXT LEAKER’S NAME WILL BE “TIGER BLOOD”: Of leaks and oaths and voter lists.

THEY’RE NOT FUNNY; AND THEY HAVEN’T BEEN FOR A LONG TIME: Comics like Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld are rushing to Kathy Griffin’s defense. Here’s why they’re wrong.

IN THE MAIL FROM CELIA HAYES: Luna City IV (The Chronicles of Luna City Book 4).

IT IS ACTUALLY ENTIRELY POSSIBLE THIS IS WRITER HUMOR, BUT… I’M PROUD TO REPORT MY FRIEND KATE HASN’T BEEN INCINERATED BY A LIGHTENING BOLT.  YET: Open Letter to The Author.

PRIVATE GROUPS?  WHAT PRIVATE GROUPS? Harvard Rescinds Acceptance Letters Over ‘Offensive’ Facebook Posts.

THESE ARE THE CRAZY YEARS: Male Transgender Sprinter Wins Two Girls State Championships — as a Freshman.

I’VE READ THAT STORY; IT DIDN’T END WELL:Give robots anxiety to prevent the AI apocalypse.

YOU MUST HAVE A HEART OF STONE NOT TO LAUGH LIKE A HYENA: The truly sad part is that they THINK they’re smart and intellectual.  Shakespeare in the Park stabs Trump.

IF ONLY: Dealing with Terrorism.