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investigation itself.[1] Rogers later testified in a congressional hearing that as NSA Director he had "never been directed to do anything [he] believe[d] to be illegal, immoral, unethical or inappropriate" and did "not recall ever feeling pressured to do so."[2]
In addition to the specific comments made to Coats, Pompeo, and Rogers, the President spoke on other occasions in the presence of intelligence community officials about the Russia investigation and stated that it interfered with his ability to conduct foreign relations.[3] On at least two occasions, the President began Presidential Daily Briefings by stating that there was no collusion with Russia and he hoped a press statement to that effect could be issued.[4] Pompeo recalled that the President vented about the investigation on multiple occasions, complaining that there was no evidence against him and that nobody would publicly defend him.[5] Rogers recalled a private conversation with the President in which he "vent[ed]" about the investigation, said he had done nothing wrong, and said something like the "Russia thing has got to go away."[6] Coats recalled the President bringing up the Russia investigation several times, and Coats said he finally told the President that Coats's job was to provide intelligence and not get involved in investigations.[7]
- 4. The President Asks Comey to "Lift the Cloud" Created by the Russia Investigation
On the morning of March 30, 2017, the President reached out to Comey directly about the Russia investigation.[8] According to Comey's contemporaneous record of the conversation, the President said "he was trying to run the country and the cloud of this Russia business was making
- ↑ Rogers 6/12/17 302, at 5; Ledgett 6/13/17 302, at 2.
- ↑ Hearing on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act Before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, 115th Cong. (June 7, 2017) (CQ Cong. Transcripts, at 20) (testimony by Admiral Michael Rogers, Director of the National Security Agency).
- ↑ Gistaro 6/14/17 302, at 1, 3; Pompeo 6/28/17 302, at 2-3. 456
- ↑ Gistaro 6/14/17 302, at 1.
- ↑ Pompeo 6/28/17 302, at 2.
- ↑ Rogers 6/12/17 302, at 6.
- ↑ Coats 6/14/17 302, at 3-4.
- ↑ SCRO12b_000044 (President's Daily Diary, 3/30/17, reflecting call to Comey from 8:14 - 8:24 a.m.); Comey 3/30/17 Memorandum, at 1 ("The President called me on my CMS phone at 8:13 am today . . . . The call lasted 11 minutes (about 10 minutes when he was connected)."; Hearing on Russian Election Interference Before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, 115th Cong. (June 8, 2017) (Statement for the Record of James B. Comey, former Director of the FBI, at 6).
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