{"id":1412,"date":"2017-06-06T18:52:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-06T18:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/democrats.org\/blog\/2017\/06\/06\/timeline-james-comeys-russia-investigation-and-his-firing\/"},"modified":"2017-06-06T18:52:00","modified_gmt":"2017-06-06T18:52:00","slug":"timeline-james-comeys-russia-investigation-and-his-firing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/timeline-james-comeys-russia-investigation-and-his-firing\/","title":{"rendered":"TIMELINE: James Comey\u2019s Russia Investigation and His Firing"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><META HTTP-EQUIV=\"Content-Type\" CONTENT=\"text\/html; charset=us-ascii\"><meta name=Generator content=\"Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)\"><\/p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\"><!--\n\/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:\"Cambria Math\";\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Calibri;\n\tpanose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Georgia;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;}\n\/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{margin:0in;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tfont-size:11.0pt;\n\tfont-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif;}\na:link, span.MsoHyperlink\n\t{mso-style-priority:99;\n\tcolor:#0563C1;\n\ttext-decoration:underline;}\na:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed\n\t{mso-style-priority:99;\n\tcolor:#954F72;\n\ttext-decoration:underline;}\nspan.EmailStyle17\n\t{mso-style-type:personal-compose;\n\tfont-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif;\n\tcolor:windowtext;}\n.MsoChpDefault\n\t{mso-style-type:export-only;\n\tfont-family:\"Calibri\",sans-serif;}\n@page WordSection1\n\t{size:8.5in 11.0in;\n\tmargin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}\ndiv.WordSection1\n\t{page:WordSection1;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n<p><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n<o:shapedefaults v:ext=\"edit\" spidmax=\"1026\" \/>\n<\/xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>\n<o:shapelayout v:ext=\"edit\">\n<o:idmap v:ext=\"edit\" data=\"1\" \/>\n<\/o:shapelayout><\/xml><![endif]--><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Here are three key points and a timeline to keep in mind during Jim Comey&rsquo;s testimony on Thursday about Trump&rsquo;s conversations with Comey and Comey&rsquo;s eventual firing.<\/span><span arial=\"\" style=\"font-size:13.5pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"WordSection1\">\n<ul>\n<li class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15pt; line-height: 18pt; background: white;\"><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump ratcheted up the pressure on Comey and then fired him as revelations about the Trump team&rsquo;s contacts with Russia got&nbsp;<b><u>worse and moved closer to the Oval Office. <\/u><\/b><\/span><span arial=\"\" style=\"font-size:13.5pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15pt; line-height: 18pt; background: white;\"><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump&rsquo;s request that Comey drop the Flynn probe&nbsp;<b><u>followed a months-long effort&nbsp;<\/u><\/b>by Trump and the White House to obstruct and discredit the FBI investigation.<\/span><span arial=\"\" style=\"font-size:13.5pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15pt; line-height: 18pt; background: white;\"><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn was in serious trouble when Trump asked Comey to give him a pass, and there&rsquo;s no way the White House can deny they knew that.<\/span><span arial=\"\" style=\"font-size:13.5pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">11\/8\/16- <\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump wins election; Michael Flynn <a href=\"http:\/\/thehill.com\/blogs\/pundits-blog\/foreign-policy\/305021-our-ally-turkey-is-in-crisis-and-needs-our-support\">publishes<\/a> an Op-ed in support of Turkish President, Erdogan in <i>The Hill<o:p><\/o:p><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">11\/10\/16-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">President Obama <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/08\/us\/politics\/obama-flynn-trump.html?_r=0\">warns<\/a> Trump against hiring Flynn during an Oval Office meeting<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">11\/11\/16- <\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn was first <a href=\"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2016\/11\/donald-trump-turkey-lobbying-231354\">revealed<\/a> to be working for group closely tied to Erdogan&rsquo;s government&nbsp;<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">11\/18\/16- <\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn <a href=\"http:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2016\/11\/17\/politics\/trump-offers-flynn-job-of-national-security-adviser\/\">accepts<\/a> job as National Security Advisor to Trump; Rep. Elijah Cummings <a href=\"https:\/\/democrats-oversight.house.gov\/news\/press-releases\/cummings-requests-documents-relating-to-michael-flynn-s-apparent-conflicts-of\">sends<\/a> Vice President Pence a letter raising concerns about Flynn&rsquo;s work for company tied to Turkey.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">11\/30\/16- <\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Department of Justice <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say\/2017\/02\/09\/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.cdd0d99e2d2f\">informs<\/a> Flynn that he is under investigation for lobbying on behalf of Turkey.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Early-Dec. 2016-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn, Jared Kushner and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak meet and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/politics\/wp\/2017\/05\/30\/timeline-what-we-know-about-trumps-campaign-russia-and-the-investigation-of-the-two\/?utm_term=.0e8b275520ce\">discuss<\/a>&nbsp;secret Russian Backchannel; Kislyak suggests that Kushner meet with Sergey Gorkov, Chairman of U.S.-sanctioned VEB bank.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;Mid-Dec. 2016-&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>Kushner <a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/explanations-for-kushners-meeting-with-head-of-kremlin-linked-bank-dont-match-up\/2017\/06\/01\/dd1bdbb0-460a-11e7-bcde-624ad94170ab_story.html?utm_term=.b7c257478f89\">meets<\/a>&nbsp;with VEB Chairman Sergey Gorkov; VEB later tells media that the meeting was about business, while the White House says it was related to the transition.<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\">&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">12\/29\/16-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Obama Administration announces sanctions on Russia in response to election interference;&nbsp; Flynn and Kislyak <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say\/2017\/02\/09\/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.59b1fb0ec2cahttps:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say\/2017\/02\/09\/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.59b1fb0ec2ca\">discuss<\/a> sanctions on at least one of multiple phone calls that day<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/4\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/17\/us\/politics\/michael-flynn-donald-trump-national-security-adviser.html\">informs<\/a> future White House Counsel Don McGahn about Turkish lobbying work and letter from Department of Justice.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/11\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">David Ignatius <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/post-partisan\/wp\/2017\/02\/11\/when-it-comes-to-his-contacts-with-russia-michael-flynn-has-bigger-problems-than-the-logan-act\/?utm_term=.34b61c614df0\">reports<\/a> that Flynn discussed sanctions with Kislayk on Dec. 29th phone call<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/15\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Pence <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mike-pence-michael-flynn-russia-contact-strictly-coincidental\/\">tells<\/a> CBS News that that Flynn did not discuss sanctions with Kislyak, refuses to say whether Trump has confidence in Comey; Priebus <a href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/week-transcript-15-17-reince-priebus-sen-bernie\/story?id=44778012&amp;cid=clicksource_903_null_vert_hed\">says<\/a> Trump has no plans to replace Comey as FBI Director<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/22\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/01\/24\/us\/politics\/trump-comey-fbi-director-.html\">embraces<\/a> Comey during a White House event honoring law enforcement<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/23\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Comey sends FBI Agents to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/02\/14\/us\/politics\/fbi-interviewed-mike-flynn.html?action=Click&amp;contentCollection=BreakingNews&amp;contentID=64912735&amp;pgtype=Homepage\">interview<\/a> Flynn about his contacts with Kislyak amid Department of Justice concerns about Russian Blackmail<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/26\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Acting Attorney General Sally Yates <a href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/nationworld\/politics\/ct-mike-pence-trump-inner-circle-20170214-story.html\">informs<\/a> White House Counsel Don McGahn about Flynn Concerns, McGahn tells Trump the same day.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Jan 2017-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">The White House <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/white-house\/former-diplomats-trump-team-sought-lift-sanctions-russia-n767406\">begins<\/a> exploring unilateral lifting of sanctions on Russia for nothing in return<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/27\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Yates meets again with McGahn, who asks about <a href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/timeline-sally-yates-warnings-white-house-mike-flynn\/story?id=47272979\">potential<\/a> legal ramifications of Flynn&rsquo;s conversations with Kislyak; Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/11\/us\/politics\/trump-comey-firing.html\">Asks<\/a> for Comey&rsquo;s loyalty during White House Dinner, Comey Refuses<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">1\/30\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Yates and McGahn discuss <a href=\"http:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Politics\/timeline-sally-yates-warnings-white-house-mike-flynn\/story?id=47272979\">reviewing<\/a> evidence against Flynn; Yates is fired later that day by Trump for refusing to defend Muslim Ban.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/9\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Washington Post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/national-security-adviser-flynn-discussed-sanctions-with-russian-ambassador-despite-denials-officials-say\/2017\/02\/09\/f85b29d6-ee11-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.59b1fb0ec2ca\">reports<\/a> that Flynn lied to Pence about nature of contacts with Kislyak<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/10\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Pence, Reince Priebus and McGahn <a href=\"http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/nationworld\/politics\/ct-mike-pence-trump-inner-circle-20170214-story.html\">speak<\/a> to Flynn and about discrepancies in his account of Kislyak calls<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/11\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn files financial disclosure that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/politics\/wp\/2017\/05\/30\/timeline-what-we-know-about-trumps-campaign-russia-and-the-investigation-of-the-two\/?utm_term=.ab6289419f84\">omits<\/a> payments from Kremlin-backed RT Channel and other foreign sources<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/13\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Flynn <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/02\/13\/politics\/michael-t-flynn-resignation-letter\/\">resigns<\/a><\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/14\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/16\/us\/politics\/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html\"> pushes<\/a> Comey to &ldquo;let Flynn go&rdquo; in Oval Office conversation after asking Sessions and Pence to leave the room;&nbsp; The New York Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/02\/14\/us\/politics\/russia-intelligence-communications-trump.html\">reports<\/a> on repeated contacts between Trump Campaign officials and Russian intelligence figures<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/15\/17- <\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Priebus asks Comey to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/02\/14\/us\/politics\/russia-intelligence-communications-trump.html\">push<\/a> back against The New York Times report of an investigation into Trump Campaign contacts with Russian intelligence. <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">2\/16\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/02\/16\/trump-no-i-didnt-tell-flynn-to-talk-about-sanctions-with-russia.html\">defends<\/a> Flynn&rsquo;s conversations with Kislyak during a news conference<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">3\/2\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Attorney General Jeff Sessions<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/powerpost\/top-gop-lawmaker-calls-on-sessions-to-recuse-himself-from-russia-investigation\/2017\/03\/02\/148c07ac-ff46-11e6-8ebe-6e0dbe4f2bca_story.html?utm_term=.9cf4d29296a4\"> recuses<\/a> himself from the Russia investigation amid questions about his meetings with the Russian ambassador in 2016 and his failure to disclose them to Congress.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">3\/20\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Comey confirms FBI Investigation of potential Trump Team collusion with Russia in public Congressional Hearing<o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Mar. 2017-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">After Comey&rsquo;s 3\/20 testimony, Trump asks Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo to<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/trump-asked-intelligence-chiefs-to-push-back-against-fbi-collusion-probe-after-comey-revealed-its-existence\/2017\/05\/22\/394933bc-3f10-11e7-9869-bac8b446820a_story.html?pushid=592365508a38f24c0000000c&amp;tid=notifi_push_breaking-news&amp;utm_term=.caf662d12cfc\"> publicly<\/a> state that there is no evidence of collusion between Trump Team and Russia, and White House staff inquire about getting intelligence officials to shut down the FBI&rsquo;s Russia investigation<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">4\/6\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">New York Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/04\/06\/us\/politics\/jared-kushner-russians-security-clearance.html\">reports<\/a> that Kushner failed disclose meeting with Kislyak and VEB Bank CEO on his security clearance forms.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/3\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Comey <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/16\/us\/politics\/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html\">testifies<\/a> in open Senate Intel hearing about Clinton e-mail investigation and again confirms FBI probe of potential Trump-Russia collusion<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/6-5\/7\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump reportedly<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/how-trumps-anger-and-impatience-prompted-him-to-fire-the-fbi-director\/2017\/05\/10\/d9642334-359c-11e7-b373-418f6849a004_story.html?utm_term=.c02a9bd4a2e9\"> spends<\/a> the weekend stewing in anger over Comey and the Russia Investigation<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/8\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Yates <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/08\/us\/politics\/michael-flynn-sally-yates-hearing.html\">tells<\/a> Senate Judiciary Committee that she warned White House multiple times of Flynn conversations with Kislyak; Trump<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/politics\/how-trumps-anger-and-impatience-prompted-him-to-fire-the-fbi-director\/2017\/05\/10\/d9642334-359c-11e7-b373-418f6849a004_story.html?utm_term=.cf66526f8d37\"> meets<\/a> with Rosenstein and Sessions to discuss firing Comey, asks Rosenstein to put concerns about Comey&rsquo;s handling of email investigation into writing<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/9\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/09\/us\/politics\/james-comey-fired-fbi.html\">fires<\/a> Comey<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/10\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump tells Russian Foreign Minister and Ambassador that firing Comey <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/19\/us\/politics\/trump-russia-comey.html?_r=0\">eased<\/a> pressure of Russia investigation; Sec. of State Tillerson informs them that U.S. will no longer demand concession for returning properties seized by U.S. as part of 2016 election sanctions.<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/11\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump tells Lester Holt that he was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/nightly-news\/video\/pres-trump-s-extended-exclusive-interview-with-lester-holt-at-the-white-house-941854787582\">thinking<\/a> of the &ldquo;Russia thing&rdquo; when he decided to fire Comey<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/16\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">The New York Times <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/05\/16\/us\/politics\/james-comey-trump-flynn-russia-investigation.html\">reports<\/a> on Comey memo alleging Trump asked Comey to drop Flynn investigation; The White House releases statement calling Comey memo &ldquo;not a truthful or accurate portrayal&rdquo;<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"> <o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/17\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/world\/national-security\/deputy-attorney-general-appoints-special-counsel-to-oversee-probe-of-russian-interference-in-election\/2017\/05\/17\/302c1774-3b49-11e7-8854-21f359183e8c_story.html?utm_term=.38a0ff0b682b\">appoints<\/a> Special Counsel to handle FBI Russia probe amid questions about his own conflicts of interest in the wake of Comey&rsquo;s firing<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">5\/18\/17-<\/span><\/b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\">Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/news\/post-politics\/wp\/2017\/05\/18\/trump-to-hold-news-conference-at-white-house-as-political-crisis-deepens\/?utm_term=.18b176cf2be9\">denies<\/a> asking Comey to drop Flynn investigation during press conference<\/span><b><span georgia=\"\" style=\"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:\"><o:p><\/o:p><\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p class=\"MsoNormal\"><o:p>&nbsp;<\/o:p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are three key points and a timeline to keep in mind during Jim Comey&rsquo;s testimony on Thursday about Trump&rsquo;s conversations with Comey and Comey&rsquo;s eventual firing. Trump ratcheted up the pressure on Comey and then fired him as revelations about the Trump team&rsquo;s contacts with Russia got&nbsp;worse and moved closer to the Oval Office. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>TIMELINE: James Comey\u2019s Russia Investigation and His Firing - Democrats<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/timeline-james-comeys-russia-investigation-and-his-firing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Democrats\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-06-06T18:52:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/timeline-james-comeys-russia-investigation-and-his-firing\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/democrats.org\/news\/timeline-james-comeys-russia-investigation-and-his-firing\/\",\"name\":\"TIMELINE: James Comey\u2019s Russia Investigation and His Firing - 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