Former FBI Director James Comey is set to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday about his interactions with President Donald Trump, the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election and the actions of former national security adviser Michael Flynn.
Here is a timeline of the events that led to Thursday’s testimony:
June 2013
President Barack Obama appoints Comey to head the FBI. He succeeds Robert Mueller.
August 2015
The FBI confirms it is investigating former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server while she headed the State Department.
July 2, 2016
Clinton is interviewed by FBI agents for more than three hours.
July 5, 2016
Comey holds a press conference to say that while he feels Clinton's handling of classified information was "extremely careless,” he will not be recommending charges against Clinton. The next day, Attorney General Loretta Lynch announces that she accepts the FBI recommendation and will not bring charges against Clinton for mishandling confidential information.
July 7, 2016
Comey appears before a House committee to defend his decision not to charge Clinton.
Oct. 28, 2016
Days before the presidential election, Comey announces that more State Department emails have been discovered on the laptop of former New York Rep. Anthony Weiner. Weiner is married to Huma Abedin, a long-time Clinton aide. Comey says those emails are related to the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server.
Nov. 6, 2016
Comey announces that the emails have been reviewed and that while there are a few that had not been seen before, the decision not to prosecute Clinton stands.
Nov. 8, 2016
Donald Trump wins the 2016 presidential election.
Dec. 1, 2016
Flynn meets with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the United States, at Trump Tower.
Dec. 9, 2016
The Washington Post reports that the CIA believes the Russians were trying to help Trump win the election. In response, Trump issues a statement that criticizes the U.S. intelligence community after the Washington Post reports that the CIA believes the Russians tried to help Trump win the election
Dec. 29, 2016
President Obama announces sanctions against Russian officials over the CIA report of meddling in the U.S. election. Later on that day, Flynn calls Kislyak about the sanctions.
Jan. 6, 2017
Leaders of the U.S. intelligence community meet with President-elect Trump in Trump Towers. They tell him that Russia interfered with the election. Comey, according to a statement he released Wednesday, tells Trump about a Russian dossier containing sordid information allegedly about Trump. Comey tells Trump he is not being investigated as part of the Russian interference in the election.
Jan. 27, 2017
Trump invites Comey to dinner at the White House. During that dinner, according to notes jotted down afterward by Comey, Trump tells him, “I need loyalty, I expect loyalty.”
Feb. 13, 2017
Michael Flynn resigns as national security adviser. Different stories emerge about his resignation/firing. According to reports, Sally Yates, acting attorney general, had warned the White House Flynn could be blackmailed after he made misleading statements in public about meeting with Russian officials. The White House says Flynn was let go because he lied to Vice President Mike Flynn.
Feb. 14, 2017
After the New York Times reports that member of Trump's campaign "had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials," Comey goes to the White House for a meeting. During that meeting, according to a memo Comey said he made that evening, Trump tells him he hopes “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." Later, Comey asks Attorney General Jeff Sessions to prevent any future direct communication between him and the president. According to Comey’s statement, he does not tell Sessions about Trump’s request.
March 2, 2017
Sessions recuses himself from any investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election a day after media reports show he met with Kislyak twice in 2016. .
March 20, 2017
In a public House hearing, Comey confirms the FBI his agency is investigating allegations that members of Trump's campaign might have colluded with Russian officials.
March 30, 2017
According to Comey’s statement, Trump calls him to ask him what could be done to “lift the cloud” of suspension about Russia.
April 11, 2017
Trump again calls Comey, telling him the Russian investigation is hampering his ability to do his job.
May 3, 2017
Comey once again testifies before a Senate committee. He explains his reasoning behind the decision to reopen the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of an email server days before the 2016 election. During that testimony, he says “hundreds of thousands” of emails ended up on Weiner’s laptop. He says he won’t talk about the Russian interference with the election until the investigation is completed.
May 9, 2017
That morning, the FBI corrects Comey’s testimony on how many emails involving Clinton were on Weiner’s laptop. Late in the afternoon, the White House announces Comey has been fired. Comey finds out via a television report while he is speaking to a group of FBI agents in Los Angeles. The White House says Comey is being fired, in part, over his handling of the email investigation.
May 10, 2017
Trump meets with Russian diplomats in the White House, reportedly revealing sensitive information and slamming Comey as a “real nut job.” The next day he tells NBC News’ Lester Holt that Comey is “a grandstander,” and that the Bureau is in disarray because Comey is not respected by his agents. He went on to say the Russia investigation was on his mind when he considered firing Comey.
May 16, 2017
News breaks that Trump asked Comey in February to end the investigation into Michael Flynn’s involvement with the Russians, and that Comey kept memos of meetings he had with Trump.
May 17, 2017
The Justice Department announces that former FBI director Robert Mueller has been named as a special counsel to head-up the Russia investigation.
May 22, 2017
After getting a subpoena from the Senate Intelligence Committee,, Flynn says he will invoke his 5th Amendment rights.
June 1, 2017
The Senate Intelligence Committee announces that Comey would testify publicly and in a closed session on June 8.
June 2, 2017
The White House says it isn’t sure if Trump will try to block Comey’s testimony using executive privilege. Three days later, on June 5, deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump will not block Comey from testifying.
June 7, 2017
Comey releases his opening statement to the Senate Intelligence committee in advance of the June 8 hearing. In the statement, he details meetings and phone calls with the president and Trump's comments about Flynn and about when Comey will publicly announce that Trump is not being investigated.
June 8, 2017
Comey is set to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee at 10 a.m. ET
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