May 8 - Trump meets with Sessions and Rosenstein. Rosenstein agrees draft a memo, which is used to justify firing Comey.
It isn’t known whether Trump revealed his pre-occupation with the Russia investigation OR the original letter.
That day he tweeted:
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May 9 - Trump fires Comey.
He cites Sessions' recommendation, which used Rosenstein's memo as justification.
Rosenstein didn't recommend firing, but focuses on handling of the Clinton email investigation.
Trump also mentions Comey told him 3 times he isn't under investigation.
May 10 - In the Oval Office with Russia's Sergei Lavrov and Sergey Kislyak, Trump admits firing "nut-job" Comey lifted pressure from the Russia investigation.
“I just fired the head of the FBI...I faced great pressure because of Russia. That’s taken off.” nytimes.com/2017/05/19/us/…
May 11 - Trump admits to NBC’s Lester Holt that he fired Comey thinking of the Russia investigation.
“In fact when I decided to just do it, I said to myself, I said, ‘You know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made-up story, it’s an excuse by the Democrats...'"
May 12 - Trump tweets a threat to Comey about “tapes, in hopes of intimidating him into remaining silent.
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May 16 - NYT reports existence of the Comey memos and Trump's attempt to obstruct and "let go" of the Flynn investigation.
Later, we learn Trump's tweet led Comey to ask a friend to leak details, in hopes of spurring the appointment of a special counsel.
Rosenstein, the ranking authority due to Sessions’ recusal, announces the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Russian election interference and any connections to the Trump campaign or associates.
#BREAKING: THE WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL, DON MCGAHN, HAS COOPERATED EXTENSIVELY W/ MUELLER'S OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE INVESTIGATION.
He has detailed the most damning episodes in at least 3 voluntary interviews that have totaled 30 hours over the past 9 months. nytimes.com/2018/08/18/us/…
#FLAG: McGahn has disclosed details surrounding...
- The firing of former FBI Director James Comey.
- Trump's obsession with putting a loyalist in charge.
- Trump's repeated urging of Sessions to claim oversight of the investigation.
- Trump's attempts to fire Mueller himself.
#FLAG: MCGAHN AND HIS LAWYER COOPERATED...BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT TRUMP WAS GOING TO SET HIM UP AS "THE FALL GUY."
They were suspicious when Trump didn't protest letting him be interviewed...
So McGahn cooperated extensively to cover to demonstrate that McGahn did nothing wrong.
#FLAG: I don't want to read too far into it, but for the jury in the Manafort trial to be asking for the definition of "reasonable doubt," after one day of deliberation, is concerning, at least for me...
Meanwhile, JOINT MILITARY EXERCISES with our allies in South Korea were "too expensive."
They act as a deterrent to North Korea, China and Russia, and are essential to ensure preparedness with our allies should Kim Jong Un launch an attack.
#REMINDER: The Trump Administration's position on the suspension of joint military exercises with South Korea was CONDITIONAL.
The annual August exercises were suspended...AS LONG AS North Korea acted in "GOOD FAITH" in working towards denuclearization. washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-ca…
#FLAG: U.S. Officials, from the Military Intelligence Agency in the Pentagon to the Secretary of State, have ACKNOWLEDGED...
North Korea is ACCELERATING their nuclear program, continuing missiles production, and hiding assets from the U.S..