Comey-Trump timeline

William Kristol said on MSNBC that former FBI Director James Comey met with President Trump one day after his White House was warned that General Michael Flynn was compromised by the Russians. So, I'm going to look back at the first months of the Trump administration and see how Comey's termination fits into this. The dates regarding Comey's meetings with Trump come from his opening statement released to the media on June 8. Here it is with NPR's annotations.

January 26, 2017

Acting Attorney General Sally Yates warns the White House that National Security Adviser Michael Flynn lied to Vice President Pence on the issue of meeting with the Russians. Flynn did. This could be used by the Russians to blackmail Flynn. CNN

January 27, 2017

FBI Director Comey is invited to dinner by President Trump in the Green Room. It's just hin and Trump. The President asks Comey if he wants to stay as FBI Director. Trump then demands, "I need loyalty, I expect loyalty." Towards the end of the dinner, Trump again demands loyalty. Comey says he can only promise "honesty." Trump then conflates that to mean "honest loyalty."

(Hey Kristol got something right. This demand by Trump occurs after he was warned about Flynn.)

February 13, 2017

National Security Adviser Michael Flynn resigns. Washington Post

February 14, 2017

Oval Office Meeting. This started out as a briefing by intelligence officials about counter-terrorism. At the end of the meeting, Trump clears the room of everybody. The last two to leave were Jared Kusner and ... Attorney General Jeff Sessions. It's important to note that Sessions is Comey's boss. The FBI is under the Department of Justice. Trump made it clear that he wanted to speak to Comey alone.

Trump says,"I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”

April 11 Phone call

Trump calls Comey. Wants to know if he is able to state publicly that Trump is not under investigation.
Complains about the Russia investigation as a "cloud" that hangs over his administration. Says to Comey, " Because I have been very loyal to you, very loyal; we had that thing you know.”

May 9, 2017

Trump fires Comey

Note. The dates that Trump pressures Comey occur after Flynn events. One day after being warned about Flynn, Trump on Jan 27 demands loyalty. On February 14 after Flynn resigns, Trump directs Comey to stop the criminal investigation into Flynn.

One more thing. Rachel Maddow is making an issue about Attorney General Sessions possibly being kept out of the loop on Comey-Trump meetings and Russian stuff, i.e. the details. Check out her video at 5:00 minutes. Comey hinted at such in today's Senate hearing. Business Insider. Sessions recused himself on March 2.

hmm. What does Jeff Sessions know? Why did he recuse himself?