Another blockbuster report has rocked President Donald Trump‘s White House and left Republicans on Capitol Hill reeling. And in a week filled with damaging revelations, this one appears to be the biggest yet.
Tonight’s news: Trump asked FBI Director James Comey to drop the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn‘s ties to Russia, according to a memo Comey drafted immediately after a February meeting with Trump in the Oval Office. The story was broken by The New York Times’ Michael Schmidt — the same reporter who revealed the existence of Hillary Clinton‘s private email server.
Per Comey’s memo, Trump said: “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go.” And: “He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
More details from CNN’s Jake Tapper, Pamela Brown and Dan Merica: Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions had been in the meeting with Comey — but before making the Flynn request, Trump asked Pence and Sessions to leave the room, per Comey’s memo. Comey was “concerned” that the President was trying to “stop the investigation,” a source told CNN. “He wrote a number of memos, a great many if not all were about contacts with Trump — particularly the ones that made him feel uneasy.” The source said Comey hopes the President’s threats about “tapes” of their conversations indicate there are actually recordings of their conversations. “He would love to have them,” the source said. “One of his reasons for writing these memos is the concern this couldn’t be corroborated — but that could be met if there are tapes.”
Congress wants the memo — and to hear from Comey. Sen. Lindsey Graham, chairman of a judiciary subcommittee investigating Russia, said Comey should testify before his panel. House Speaker Paul Ryan‘s spokeswoman said he wants the Comey memo. House Oversight Chairman Jason Chaffetz tweeted this: |