former fbi director jam comey testify u.s. senate intelligence committee thursday russian involvement 2016 presidential election president donald trump abrupt fire comey may renew attention allegations u.s. intelligence agencies russia interfere election benefit trump also raise question motivations behind comey dismissal follow describe publicly know know u.s. investigations meddle possible collusion russia members trump campaign investigations begin former president barack obama order u.s. intelligence agencies assess whether russia try intervene election cyber attack democratic national committee july 2016 publication thousands hack personal email hillary clinton campaign manager month nov. election obama tell intelligence officials deliver report possible foreign interference leave white house january 2017. intelligence agencies find central intelligence agency federal bureau investigation national security agency conclude report declassify january russian president vladimir putin order campaign undermine confidence u.s. electoral system affect outcome agencies say putin russian government clear preference trump win white house putin associate hack information pay social media troll back efforts russian government agencies state-funded media sway public opinion agencies say report stop short assess whether russia succeed sway election result putin russian officials repeatedly deny interfere u.s. election many u.s. probe russia election meddle comey tell house intelligence committee march 20 fbi investigate moscow role election include possible collusion trump campaign justice department announce may 17 appoint robert mueller former fbi director special counsel lead independent russia probe mueller would evidence merit work tandem fbi handle relate criminal prosecutions addition multiple committees senate house representatives investigate various aspects russian election meddle trump say russia role election trump take clear public position tell russia listen hope able find 30,000 email miss trump say july 2016 news conference reference fbi probe clinton use private email system secretary state email possibly delete trump subsequently dismiss report include u.s. intelligence officials russia attempt intervene election behalf first time trump say accept find intelligence agencies jan. 11 news conference ahead inauguration far hack think russia trump say although add could others also trump say may china may hack email democratic officials meddle election offer evidence counter view intelligence officials trump make clear multiple occasion believe russia investigations run course close russia-trump collusion story total hoax taxpayer fund charade end write twitter may 8. may 30 trump write twitter russian officials must laugh u.s. lame excuse dems lose election take fake news fbi probe continue comey dismissal evidence fbi end pause investigation comey departure fbi act director andrew mccabe lead agency promise senate intelligence committee comey fire would affect investigation notify committee attempt delay derail trump june tap former u.s. justice department official christopher wray represent new jersey governor chris christie so-called bridgegate scandal next fbi director wray need senate confirmation comey fire white house cite may letter trump attorney general sessions attach memo rod rosenstein deputy attorney general restore confidence fbi recommend comey dismissal rosenstein memo say comey err july 2016 announce fbi examine clinton use private email server case close without prosecution rosenstein view comey decision make public statement break longstanding fbi precedent handle then-u.s. attorney general loretta lynch trump call comey showboat grandstander interview nbc news may 11 say would fire comey regardless rosenstein recommendation unorthodox move great america alliance offshoot pro-trump super pac devote promote white house agenda develop television ad call showboat air comey testify ad claim comey consume election meddle expense fight terrorism comey fire relate fbi russia probe whether comey believe fire link fbi russia probe likely main focus testify thursday trump ask comey end agency investigation michael flynn former national security adviser also make sort public statement personally investigation order clear cloud hang presidency accord comey prepare testimony comey find concern trump would ask drop agency probe flynn decline state publicly trump investigation part would create duty correct change accord testimony need loyalty expect loyalty trump tell comey january 27 dinner accord testimony less week fire comey tell congressional panel make mildly nauseous may affect outcome election publicly re-opening re-closing clinton email probe days election fallout trump associate contact russia election campaign flynn fire february white house say mislead vice president mike pence contact russia ambassador unite state sergei kislyak trump take office may federal prosecutors issue grand jury subpoena seek business record people work flynn private citizen may 10 senate intelligence committee issue first subpoena russia investigation demand document flynn provide first batch june 6. sessions recuse involvement russia-related probe justice department tell congress contact kislyak 2016. rosenstein handle matter relate russia appoint mueller special counsel trump investigation short letter trump send comey dismiss fbi thank comey inform three separate occasion investigation comey confirm write testimony tell trump personally investigation know u.s. probe russian meddle 2016 election