According to a report first published in the New York Times, President Donald Trump asked James Comey, the FBI director to end the investigation into his former national security adviser in February. The request came during a meeting in the Oval Office and is revealed in a memo Comey wrote right after the meeting.
A documentation of the President's directive
The memo written by James Comey right after his meeting with Trump is the strongest evidence to date that the president tried to influence the FBI and the Justice Department. According to the memo the president told him to end the investigation.
Michael Flynn, along with other Trump associates was being investigated for links to Russia. In the memo, Comey detailed his conversation with Donald Trump. Two other people read the report and say that it was Comey's way of documenting what he felt was the president's efforts to undermine the investigation. The meeting took place one day after Flynn resigned.
Details of the memo
While the New York Times did not read the memo which is unclassified, portions of the memo were read to the paper by an associate of James Comey. One part of the memo revealed said that it was hoped that he (Comey) can see a way of letting it go. Mr. Trump told Mr. Comey, according to the memo. that Flynn was a good person.
Mr Trump also reportedly told Comey that Flynn had done nothing wrong.
House oversight committee demands records
The Republican chairman of the House Oversight committee, Jason Chaffetz has demanded all recordings of discussions between the president and Mr Comey, including notes, summaries, recordings and memoranda. According to Chaffetz, these documents would raise questions about whether the president tried to influence or impede the FBI.
The letter was sent to Andrew McCabe, the Acting FBI Director with a deadline of May 24th for the delivery of the documents.
The White House response
The White House responded to the memo in a statement denying the events as related in the memo. The statement said that while the president often referred to General Michael Flynn as decent and one who protected our country, he never asked the FBI director to stop the investigation of General Flynn.
It also stated that Mr Trump is highly respectful of enforcement agencies, laws and investigations and that it is not a truthful and accurate report of the conversation between President Trump and James Comey.
