U.S. Department of Justice
Attorney Work Product // May Contain Material Protected Under Fed. R. Crim. P. 6(e)
just[ice].[1] McGahn told the President that his "biggest exposure" was not his act of firing Comey but his "other contacts" and "calls," and his "ask re: Flynn.[2] By the time McGahn provided this advice to the President, there had been widespread reporting on the President's request for Comey's loyalty, which the President publicly denied; his request that Comey "let[] Flynn go," which the President also denied; and the President's statement to the Russian Poreign Minister that the termination of Comey had relieved "great pressure" related to Russia, which the President did not deny.[3]
On June 8, 2017, Comey testified before Congress about his interactions with the President before his termination, including the request for loyalty, the request that Comey "let[] Flynn go," and the request that Comey "lift the cloud" over the presidency caused by the ongoing investigation.[4] Comey's testimony led to a series of news reports about whether the President had obstructed justice.[5] On June 9, 2017, the Special Counsel's Office informed the White House Counsel's Office that investigators intended to interview intelligence community officials who had allegedly been asked by the President to push back against the Russia investigation.[6]
On Monday, June 12, 2017, Christopher Ruddy, the chief executive of Newsmax Media and a longtime friend of the President's, met at the White House with Priebus and Bannon.[7] Ruddy recalled that they told him the President was strongly considering firing the Special Counsel
- ↑ SC_AD_00361 (Donaldson 5/31/17 Notes). SC _AD_ 00361 (Donaldson 5/31/17 Notes).
- ↑ SC_AD_00361 (Donaldson 5/31/17 Notes). SC _AD_ 00361 (Donaldson 5/31/17 Notes).
- ↑ See, e.g., Michael S. Schmidt, In a Private Dinner, Trump Demanded Loyalty. Comey Demurred., New York Times (May 11, 2017); Michael S. Schmidt, Comey Memorandum Says Trump Asked Him to End Flynn Investigation, New York Times (May 16, 2017), Matt Apuzzo et al., Trump Told Russians That Firing 'Nut Job' Comey Eased Pressure From Investigation, New York Times (May 19, 2017).
- ↑ 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 5-6). Comey testified that he deliberately caused his memorandum documenting the February 14, 2017 meeting to be leaked to the New York Times in response to a tweet from the President, sent on May 12, 2017, that stated "James Comey better hope that there are no 'tapes' of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!," and because he thought sharing the memorandum with a reporter "might prompt the appointment of a special counsel," Hearing on Russian Election Interference Before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, 115th Cong. (June 8, 2017) (CQ Cong. Transcripts, at 55) (testimony by James B. Comey, former Director of the FBI).
- ↑ See, e.g, Matt Zapotosky, Comey lays out the case that Trump obstructed justice, Washington Post (June 8, 2017) ("Legal analysts said Comey's testimony clarified and bolstered the case that the president obstructed justice.").
- ↑ 6/9/17 Email, Special Counsel's Office to the White House Counsel's Office. This Office made the notification to give the White House an opportunity to invoke executive privilege in advance of the interviews. On June 12, 2017, the Special Counsel's Office interviewed Admiral Rogers in the presence of agency counsel. Rogers 6/12/17 302, at |. On June 13, the Special Counsel's Office interviewed Ledgett. Ledgett 6/13/17 302, at 1. On June 14, the Office interviewed Coats and other personnel from his office. Coats 6/14/17 302, at 1; Gistaro 6/14/17 302, at 1; Culver 6/14/17 302, at 1.
- ↑ Ruddy 6/6/18 302, at 5.
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