{"slug":"trump-james-comey-firing-obstruction","title":"James Comey Firing: Obstruction of the Russia Investigation","date":"2017-05-09","lastUpdated":"2017-05-11","description":"On May 9, 2017, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey — the official leading the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign. Trump gave a stated reason (a memo criticizing Comey's handling of the Clinton email investigation), then told NBC's Lester Holt two days later that 'the Russia thing' was on his mind when he fired Comey. He reportedly told Russian officials in the Oval Office that firing Comey had relieved pressure. The Mueller investigation later examined the firing as potential obstruction of justice; Mueller concluded that if prosecutorial standards had allowed charging a sitting president, the firing would have supported an obstruction charge.","summary":"The Comey firing followed Trump's request to Comey for 'loyalty' and a request to drop the investigation of Michael Flynn. Comey had declined both. After the firing, Trump told NBC: 'When I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story.' In a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Ambassador Kislyak the next day, Trump reportedly said firing Comey had taken 'great pressure' off him. The Mueller report identified 10 instances of potential obstruction; regarding the Comey firing specifically, Mueller found 'substantial evidence' of corrupt intent but did not recommend charges based on DOJ policy.","category":"rule-of-law","severity":"critical","ongoing":false,"sources":[{"url":"https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/us/politics/james-comey-fired-fbi.html","title":"Trump Fires Comey, Citing Handling of Clinton Email Inquiry","publisher":"The New York Times"},{"url":"https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-asked-comey-to-end-flynn-investigation-if-he-could-ex-fbi-director-wrote-in-memo/2017/05/16/cf288b3c-3998-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html","title":"Trump asked Comey to end Flynn investigation, according to Comey memo","publisher":"The Washington Post"},{"url":"https://apnews.com/article/trump-comey-firing-russia-investigation-obstruction","title":"Trump fires FBI director Comey","publisher":"The Associated Press"},{"url":"https://www.justice.gov/archives/sco/file/1373816/dl","title":"Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election — Volume II","publisher":"Special Counsel's Office / Department of Justice"}],"draft":false,"status":"published","tags":["Comey","obstruction","Russia","FBI","first-term","rule-of-law","Mueller"],"relatedEntries":[],"timeline":[{"date":"2017-01-27","title":"Trump demands loyalty from Comey at dinner","summary":"At a private White House dinner, Trump asks Comey for a pledge of loyalty. Comey offers 'honesty.' Trump presses for 'loyal honesty.' Comey documents the conversation in a contemporaneous memo."},{"date":"2017-02-14","title":"Trump asks Comey to 'let go' of Flynn investigation","summary":"Trump asks Comey to end the FBI investigation of Michael Flynn. Comey declines. He documents the request in a memo dated the same day."},{"date":"2017-05-09","title":"Trump fires Comey — stated reason: Clinton emails","summary":"Trump fires Comey via a letter citing Rosenstein's memo criticizing the Clinton email investigation. Rosenstein later says he was 'disgusted' the memo was used as the justification."},{"date":"2017-05-10","title":"Trump tells Russian officials firing Comey relieved pressure","summary":"Trump meets with Lavrov and Kislyak in the Oval Office. He tells them firing Comey took 'great pressure' off him regarding Russia. Russian state media photographs the meeting; U.S. press is not present."},{"date":"2017-05-11","title":"Trump tells NBC: 'Russia thing' was on his mind","summary":"In an interview with NBC's Lester Holt, Trump explicitly states that 'this Russia thing with Trump and Russia' was on his mind when he decided to fire Comey."},{"date":"2019-04-18","title":"Mueller report documents obstruction evidence","summary":"The Mueller report's Volume II documents 10 instances of potential obstruction of justice, including the Comey firing, finding 'substantial evidence' of corrupt intent but declining to recommend charges under DOJ policy."}],"location":{"name":"Washington, D.C.","lat":38.9072,"lng":-77.0369},"custom":{"era":"first-term","posture":"reported","warCrimeClassification":"enabling","internationalLaw":[],"iccRelevance":false,"victims":"Rule of law and independence of federal law enforcement; FBI investigation into Russian interference in U.S. elections; American democracy","structuredPerpetrators":[{"name":"Donald Trump","role":"President; fired the FBI director conducting the Russia investigation; admitted to NBC that the Russia investigation was on his mind; reportedly told Russian officials the firing relieved pressure","institution":"White House"}],"updateLog":[{"date":"2019-04-18","summary":"Updated with Mueller report findings."}]}}