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Investigations into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election
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- See also: Federal policy on Russia, 2017-2020
On December 29, 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a joint analysis report finding that Russian civilian and military intelligence services had engaged in malicious cyber activity, including the intrusion of a U.S. political party's systems. As a result, both the House and Senate launched inquiries into whether Russia interfered with the 2016 presidential election.[1][2][3]
The following committees were overseeing investigations on Russian cyberattacks and tampering in the 2016 presidential election and on relations between Russia and the Trump campaign:[4][5][6]
- The Senate Intelligence Committee investigated Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and contacts between Trump campaign staffers and Russian officials. On July 3, 2018, the committee released a report affirming the conclusions of the intelligence community assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.[7]
- The House Intelligence Committee reviewed Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. After Trump accused former President Barack Obama (D) of wiretapping Trump Tower on March 4, 2017, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the chair of the committee, said surveillance activities during the 2016 presidential election would also be under review.[8] The committee released a final report finding no evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia on April 27, 2018.[9]
The FBI also confirmed on March 20, 2017, that it was investigating potential ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.[10] Former FBI Director Robert Mueller was named as special counsel to oversee the FBI's investigation on May 17, 2017.[11] Mueller submitted a report of the findings to Attorney General William Barr on March 22, 2019.[12]
Scope of congressional investigations
 |
House Intelligence Committee
- See also: House Intelligence Committee investigation on Russian activity in 2016 presidential election
On January 25, 2017, the House Intelligence Committee announced that it was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, including possible links between Russia and any political campaigns. The committee further refined the scope of the investigation on March 1, 2017. It sought to answer the following questions:[13][14]
- What Russian active measures, including hacking, were directed against the United States and its allies?
- Did those active measures include links between Russia and any political campaigns?
- How did the U.S. government respond to Russian active measures? How can the United States protect itself in the future?
- Were there leaks of classified information related to the intelligence community report on Russian activity?
The investigation was expanded after President Donald Trump (R) released a series of four tweets on March 4, 2017. The tweets alleged that former President Barack Obama (D) ordered wiretapping of Trump's phones and Trump Tower, the headquarters of the Trump Organization, during the 2016 presidential election.[15]
The White House requested on March 5, 2017, that the congressional intelligence committees determine whether the executive branch abused its power in 2016 as part of their investigation into Russian activity during the presidential election.[16]
On the same day, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, indicated the committee would include Trump's wiretapping allegations in the scope of its Russian investigation. "One of the focus points of the House Intelligence Committee's investigation is the U.S. government's response to actions taken by Russian intelligence agents during the presidential campaign. As such, the Committee will make inquiries into whether the government was conducting surveillance activities on any political party’s campaign officials or surrogates, and we will continue to investigate this issue if the evidence warrants it," Nunes said in a statement.[17]
On March 12, 2018, the committee announced that it was ending its investigation. Representative Mike Conaway (R-Texas) told reporters that the final report would be released after Democrats on the committee reviewed its contents. Conway said, “We found no evidence of collusion. We found perhaps some bad judgment, inappropriate meetings, inappropriate judgment in taking meetings — but only Tom Clancy could take this series of inadvertent contacts, meetings, whatever, and weave that into some sort of a spy thriller that could go out there.” He also said that the committee "couldn’t establish the same conclusion that the CIA did that [the Russians] specifically wanted to help Trump.”[18]
Trump praised the findings. He wrote in a tweet, "The House Intelligence Committee has, after a 14 month long in-depth investigation, found no evidence of collusion or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election."[18]
Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the committee, criticized the report, saying, "By ending its oversight role in the only authorized investigation in the House, the Majority has placed the interests of protecting the President over protecting the country, and history will judge its actions harshly. ... If the Russians do have leverage over the President of the United States, the Majority has simply decided it would rather not know."[18]
Final report released
On April 27, 2018, Republican members on the House Intelligence Committee released the final report on its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The committee did not find evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. It did find that Russia interfered in the election.[9]
The committee noted that other ongoing investigations might come to a different conclusion because they might have access to facts the committee could not obtain. The report stated, "We acknowledge that Investigations by other committees, the Special Counsel, the media, or interest groups will continue and may find facts that were not readily accessible to the Committee or outside the scope of our investigation."[9]
Democrats on the committee disagreed with the conclusions. Schiff said in a statement, “To determine whether this evidence of collusion reaches the level of proof beyond a reasonable doubt of criminal conspiracy, we must await the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, since the Majority refused to interview the witnesses and obtain the documents necessary to find out."[9]
After the report was released, Trump wrote in a tweet, "Just Out: House Intelligence Committee Report released. 'No evidence' that the Trump Campaign 'colluded, coordinated or conspired with Russia.’ Clinton Campaign paid for Opposition Research obtained from Russia — Wow! A total Witch Hunt! MUST END NOW!"[9]
The full report can be viewed here.
Senate Intelligence Committee
- See also: Senate Intelligence Committee investigation on Russian activity in 2016 presidential election
On January 13, 2017, the leadership of the Senate Intelligence Committee announced in a joint statement that they were investigating Russian intelligence activities impacting the United States, particularly those active measures taken during the 2016 presidential election.[19] The committee said that it would consider the following issues and information in its investigation:
- The intelligence behind the intelligence community report on Russian activity in the 2016 election;
- Counterintelligence related to ties between Russia and individuals associated with political campaigns; and
- Russian active measures, including hacking, to interfere with the 2016 election and other U.S. interests.[19]
"The Committee will follow the intelligence wherever it leads. We will conduct this inquiry expeditiously, and we will get it right. When possible, the Committee will hold open hearings to help inform the public about the issues. That said, we will be conducting the bulk of the Committee’s business behind closed doors because we take seriously our obligation to protect sources and methods," Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), the chair of the committee, and Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the ranking member, said in the joint statement.[19]
After the House Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian activity encountered management conflicts, Burr and Warner held a press conference to discuss the future of their own investigation on March 29, 2017. Warner said, "I have confidence in Richard Burr that we together with the members of our committee are going to get to the bottom of this, and that's—if you get nothing else from today, take that statement to the bank."[20]
On May 8, 2018, Burr said that the committee planned to end its investigation in August 2018. Burr said, "This gives staff the month of August in all likelihood to wrap up our investigation and for staff to work intensely while we're out of here and not getting in their hair."[21]
On July 3, 2018, the committee released a report affirming the conclusions of the intelligence community assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The full text of the report is available here.[7]
Between 2019 and 2020, the committee released five bipartisan reports examining Russian active measures in the 2016 presidential election. The fifth and final volume, which found that Russia "engaged in an aggressive, multifaceted effort to influence" the election's outcome, was released on August 18, 2020.[22]
Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation
The following timeline highlights major events and announcements in the special counsel's investigation into potential ties between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.
March 20, 2017: FBI confirms its investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election
On March 20, 2017, James Comey, then the director of the FBI, confirmed his agency was investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, including any association between Trump's associates and the Russian government. He said during a House Intelligence Committee hearing:
| “ | I have been authorized by the Department of Justice to confirm that the FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election and that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts. As with any counterintelligence investigation, this will also include an assessment of whether any crimes were committed.
Because it is an open ongoing investigation and is classified, I cannot say more about what we are doing and whose conduct we are examining.[23] |
” |
| —James Comey[24] | ||
May 9, 2017: Initial calls for a special prosecutor
On May 9, 2017, Trump, on the recommendations of Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, said that he fired Comey for his handling of the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's private email server use.[25]
Rosenstein wrote in a memo, "[Comey] was wrong to usurp the Attorney General's authority on July 5, 2016, and announce his conclusion that the case should be closed without prosecution. It is not the function of the Director to make such an announcement. At most, the Director should have said the FBI had completed its investigation and presented its findings to federal prosecutors. ... Compounding the error, the Director ignored another longstanding principle: we do not hold press conferences to release derogatory information about the subject of a declined criminal investigation."[26]
In a letter to Comey, Trump wrote, "While I greatly appreciate you informing me, on three separate occasions, that I am not under investigation, I nevertheless concur with the judgment of the Department of Justice that you are not able to effectively lead the bureau."[25]
Following Comey's termination, several Democratic members of Congress—including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)—called for a special prosecutor to lead the investigation into possible collusion between Trump associates and Russia.[27] Schumer said in a statement to the press, "If Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein does not appoint an independent prosecutor, every American will rightly suspect that the decision to fire Director Comey was part of a cover-up."[28] Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, dismissed the claim that Comey's termination had ulterior motives. "This is just one person. It's the director. The investigation is going forward, both at the FBI and in the Senate Intelligence Committee in a bipartisan way," she said.[29]
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said on May 15, 2017, that a special prosecutor was unnecessary. "I think that’s—there’s, frankly, no need for a special prosecutor. We’ve discussed this before. You have two Senate committees that are looking into this. The FBI is conducting their own review. And I think if you even look at what [acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe] said last week, he made it very clear that they had the resources that they need and that the work continues," Spicer said.[30]
May 17, 2017: Justice Department names special counsel
On May 17, 2017, Rosenstein named former FBI Director Robert Mueller as the special counsel "to oversee the previously-confirmed FBI investigation of Russian government efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election and related matters."[11]
Rosenstein released the following statement, in part:
| “ | In my capacity as acting Attorney General, I determined that it is in the public interest for me to exercise my authority and appoint a Special Counsel to assume responsibility for this matter.
My decision is not a finding that crimes have been committed or that any prosecution is warranted. I have made no such determination. What I have determined is that based upon the unique circumstances, the public interest requires me to place this investigation under the authority of a person who exercises a degree of independence from the normal chain of command.[23] |
” |
| —Rod Rosenstein[11] | ||
The Justice Department determined on May 23, 2017, that Mueller acting as special counsel did not violate ethics rules because his former employer, WilmerHale, represented Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and former campaign chair, Paul Manafort.[31]
June 3, 2017: The Associated Press reports Mueller will oversee criminal probe involving Manafort
The Associated Press reported on June 3, 2017, that Mueller would oversee a criminal probe involving Manafort and potentially review what role Sessions and Rosenstein had in the termination of Comey.[32]
August 3, 2017: Mueller impanels grand jury
On August 3, 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported that Mueller had impaneled a grand jury in Washington, D.C. This was in addition to a grand jury previously impaneled in Virginia related to an investigation of former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. A grand jury reviews subpoenaed documents, witness testimony, and other evidence in order to determine whether there is probable cause that a crime occurred. This can lead to an indictment.[33][34][35]
White House special counsel Ty Cobb responded to the report, saying, "This is news to me, but it’s welcome news to the extent it suggests that it may accelerate the resolution of Mr. Mueller’s work. The White House has every interest in bringing this to a prompt and fair conclusion. As we’ve said in the past, we’re committed to cooperating fully with Mr. Mueller."[34]
October 27, 2017: Manafort indicted
On October 27, 2017, Manafort was indicted under seal for allegedly laundering more than $18 million. The 12 counts against Manafort also included being an unregistered agent of the government of Ukraine and making false statements. Manafort's associate, Rick Gates, was also indicted. None of the charges were reportedly related to 2016 presidential campaign activity.[36][37]
U.S. District Court Judge Amy B. Jackson set a September 17, 2018, trial date for Manafort.[38]
October 30, 2017: Papadopoulos pleads guilty to making false statements to the FBI
George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser to the Trump presidential campaign, pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI, according to unsealed court documents on October 30, 2017. The statements involved Papadopoulos' communication with an unnamed overseas professor who told him that Russia had thousands of Clinton's emails. Through the professor and another Russian national, Papadopoulos tried to arrange meetings between Trump campaign officials and Russian government officials.[39]
December 1, 2017: Flynn pleads guilty to making false statements to the FBI; agrees to cooperate with investigation
On December 1, 2017, Flynn pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false statements to the FBI about conversations he had with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December 2016. According to Politico, "Flynn admitted that he told agents that he had not asked Kislyak to avoid escalating tensions over sanctions imposed by former President Barack Obama, and he also told agents he had not asked Kislyak to delay or defeat a pending resolution at the UN Security Council, both of which proved to be false, according to court documents."[40]
Flynn agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation as part of the plea agreement. He remained free as of the plea agreement, but the charges carried a maximum penalty of five years in prison.[41]
Cobb said in a statement, “Today, Michael Flynn, a former National Security Advisor at the White House for 25 days during the Trump Administration, and a former Obama administration official, entered a guilty plea to a single count of making a false statement to the FBI. The false statements involved mirror the false statements to White House officials which resulted in his resignation in February of this year. Nothing about the guilty plea or the charge implicates anyone other than Mr. Flynn. The conclusion of this phase of the Special Counsel's work demonstrates again that the Special Counsel is moving with all deliberate speed and clears the way for a prompt and reasonable conclusion.”[40]
In a statement, Flynn said, "It has been extraordinarily painful to endure these many months of false accusations of 'treason' and other outrageous acts. Such false accusations are contrary to everything I have ever done and stood for. But I recognize that the actions I acknowledged in court today were wrong, and, through my faith in God, I am working to set things right. My guilty plea and agreement to cooperate with the Special Counsel's Office reflect a decision I made in the best interests of my family and of our country."[40]
Flynn had resigned from his position as national security advisor on February 13, 2017, amid reports that he did not provide Vice President Mike Pence (R) with accurate information about a conversation he had with Kislyak concerning sanctions against the country.[40]
January 3, 2018: Manafort files lawsuit against Mueller
On January 3, 2018, Manafort filed a lawsuit against Mueller accusing him of exceeding his authority on indicting him for allegedly laundering more than $18 million. None of the charges against Manafort were reportedly related to 2016 presidential campaign activity. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The lawsuit asks a federal judge in Washington to throw out the order issued by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May that appointed Mr. Mueller to investigate any links between the Russian government and the Trump campaign, as well as any issues arising from that inquiry. It also seeks to toss the indictment against Mr. Manafort and requests an order barring Mr. Mueller from pursuing similar investigations.”[42] The lawsuit said that the indictment “is completely unmoored from the special counsel’s original jurisdiction."[42]
February 16, 2018: Mueller indicts internet organization and 13 Russian nationals for election interference
On February 16, 2018, Mueller announced indictments against 13 Russian nationals and the Russia-based Internet Research Agency for allegedly interfering in the 2016 presidential election. The group of Russian nationals and the agency were charged with "conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud and aggravated identity theft,"[43] according to Politico. The indictment alleges that “some defendants, posing as U.S. persons and without revealing their Russian association, communicated with unwitting individuals associated with the Trump Campaign and with other political activists to seek to coordinate political activities."[43]
According to the indictment, the Russians engaged in online efforts on Twitter and Facebook to create social and political discord among Americans. Specifically, the indictment says, "Defendants' operations included supporting the presidential campaign of then-candidate Donald J. Trump ('Trump campaign') and disparaging Hillary Clinton. Defendants made various expenditures to carry out those activities, including buying political advertisements on social media in the names of U.S. persons and entities."[44]
In a press conference, Rosenstein discussed the indictment, saying, “There is no allegation in this indictment that any American was a knowing participant in this illegal activity. There is no allegation in the indictment that the charged conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election. This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the internet. The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed.”[44][45][46]
In response to the indictment, Trump wrote in a tweet, "Russia started their anti-US campaign in 2014, long before I announced that I would run for President. The results of the election were not impacted. The Trump campaign did nothing wrong - no collusion!"[47]
The White House also released a statement in which Trump said, “[I]t is more important than ever before to come together as Americans. We cannot allow those seeking to sow confusion, discord, and rancor to be successful. It’s time we stop the outlandish partisan attacks, wild and false allegations, and far-fetched theories, which only serve to further the agendas of bad actors, like Russia, and do nothing to protect the principles of our institutions. We must unite as Americans to protect the integrity of our democracy and our elections.”[48]
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also responded to the indictment, saying in a statement, “The Special Counsel’s indictments make absolutely clear that the Russians perpetrated a strategic effort to undermine and influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election to support the campaign of Donald Trump, and are continuing to interfere with our elections. As desperately as President Trump insists that the Special Counsel investigation is a ‘hoax’, these latest indictments build on multiple guilty pleas and indictments of several Trump campaign officials, demonstrating the gravity of the Trump-Russia scandal."[47]
February 20, 2018: Mueller charges lawyer for lying
On February 20, 2018, Mueller charged Dutch attorney Alex Van Der Zwaan with making “materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statements and representations”[49] to the special counsel’s office and FBI agents about his communications with Rick Gates, a former Trump campaign aide. According to The Hill, "Van Der Zwaan allegedly lied about his last communications with Gates and then deleted emails requested by the special counsel’s office, according to the indictment. He allegedly did so as part of his work for a firm hired by the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice to prepare a report on the trial of Yulia Tymoshenko, a former prime minister of Ukraine."[49]
February 22, 2018: Mueller files new charges against Manafort and Gates
On February 22, 2018, Mueller filed new charges against Manafort and Gates. According to Politico, they were charged with "understating their income on federal tax returns filed from 2010 through 2014. The pair is also accused of bank fraud totaling more than $20 million tied to three loans Manafort applied for in connection with various homes he owns. In all, Manafort and Gates laundered more than $30 million in income, chiefly from their Ukraine work, the new indictment alleges." None of the charges related directly to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.[50]
Gates pleads guilty
On February 23, 2018, Gates pleaded guilty to two counts: making a false statement and conspiring against the United States. The first charge referred to Gates' statement to special counsel that Manafort told him Ukraine was not mentioned during a 2013 meeting between Manafort, a lobbyist, and a member of Congress, and the second charge referred to Gates not having represented himself to the U.S. government as a foreign agent, according to CNBC.[51]
March 5, 2018: Nunberg refuses to appear before grand jury
On March 5, 2018, Sam Nunberg, an advisor to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, said Mueller subpoenaed him to appear in front of a federal grand jury, but that he would not comply with the subpoena. Nunberg said, “Let him arrest me. Mr. Mueller should understand I am not going in on Friday.”[52]
Nunberg added, “The Russians and Trump did not collude. Putin is too smart to collude with Donald Trump. I’m not spending 80 hours going over my emails with Roger Stone and Steve Bannon and producing them. Donald Trump won this election on his own. He campaigned his ass off. And there is nobody who hates him more than me.”[52]
April 3, 2018: van der Zwaan sentenced
On April 3, 2018, a federal judge sentenced van der Zwaan to 30 days in prison and ordered him to pay $20,000 in fines for lying to federal investigators involved with the special counsel's probe.[53]
According to The Hill, "van der Zwaan lied about his contacts with Trump campaign official Richard Gates and a Ukraine-based business associate of both Gates and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. He then tried to cover his tracks by deleting emails that the special counsel's office had requested."[53]
It was the first criminal sentence to result from Mueller's investigation.[53]
June 4, 2018: Mueller accuses Manafort of trying to tamper with witnesses
On June 4, 2018, Mueller accused Manafort of attempting to tamper with potential witnesses, according to a court filing. Mueller asked the judge to revoke or revise Manafort's release conditions.[54]
According to The Hill, “FBI agent Brock Domin said in the filing that Manafort and a longtime associate linked to Russian intelligence attempted to contact via phone call, text and encrypted messages two people from the ‘Hapsburg group,’ which Manafort had worked with to lobby for Ukrainian interests. Domin said that Manfort's attempts at contact were ‘in an effort to influence their testimony and to otherwise conceal evidence’ and that the probe into the matter was still ongoing.”[54]
In response to the allegations, Manafort's lawyers said, "Mr. Manafort is innocent and nothing about this latest allegation changes our defense. We will do our talking in court."[54]
June 8, 2018: Mueller files charges against Manafort
On June 8, 2018, Mueller filed an indictment against Manafort and Konstantin Kilimnik, a longtime Manafort aide, accusing them of obstructing justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Manafort and Kilimnik “knowingly and intentionally attempted to persuade” two people with “intent to influence, delay, and prevent the testimony of any person in an official proceeding,” according to the court filing. Mueller accused Manafort, Kilimnik, and Gates of engaging in a multimillion dollar lobbying campaign at the direction of Viktor Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian president from 2006 until 2014. The allegations were related to events that took place before Manafort joined the Trump campaign.[55]
When asked about the indictment, Manafort’s spokesman, Jason Maloni, said, “Same as always.” Maloni had said that Manafort was innocent.[55]
On June 15, 2018, U.S. District Judge Amy B. Jackson ordered Manafort to jail for allegedly attempting to tamper with witnesses. He was taken to Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia.[56]
June 28, 2018: House passes resolution demanding information from Department of Justice
On June 28, 2018, the United States House of Representatives approved House Resolution 970, directing the Department of Justice to provide documents subpoenaed by the House related to the Russia investigation. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), passed the House by a vote of 226 to 183, with one member voting present. No Democrats voted in support of the resolution. The non-binding resolution set a deadline of July 6, 2018, for compliance. The full text of the resolution can be accessed here.[57]
Meadows said, "For over eight months, they have had the opportunity to choose transparency. But they've instead chosen to withhold information and impede any effort of Congress to conduct oversight. If Rod Rosenstein [deputy attorney general] and the Department of Justice have nothing to hide, they certainly haven't acted like it."[58] Representative Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said, "If the DOJ fails to comply, then we'll be forced to take it to the next level, to hold Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein in contempt or even impeach, which would be my preferred course of action right now."[59] Democratic Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said, "This resolution is wrong on the facts, wrong on the law, wrong on the rules, and a dangerous precedent for the House of Representatives."[60] Schiff said, "This is not oversight. This is collaboration with the president masquerading as oversight."[59]
In testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on June 28, 2018, in advance of the House vote on the resolution, Rosenstein said, "I understand that some people still state concerns about the speed of the production, but those concerns are mistaken. Most requests have been fulfilled, and other document productions are in progress. Trump administration officials are meeting and talking with committee staff every day and working overtime with teams of FBI employees to accommodate requests and produce relevant information."[61]
July 13, 2018: Mueller indicts 12 Russians for hacking Democratic National Committee
On July 13, 2018, Mueller indicted 12 Russian military officials for hacking two Democratic National Committee computers with the goal of sabotaging the 2016 presidential election. While announcing the indictments days before a scheduled meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Rosenstein said the timing was “a function of the collection of the facts, the evidence, and the law and a determination that it was sufficient to present the indictment at this time.”[62] He also concluded that there was no evidence “the conspiracy changed the vote count or affected any election result.”[62]
Responding to the indictments, the White House said that Rosenstein's statement validates Trump's claim that his campaign and Moscow did not cooperate in 2016. Schumer called on Trump to cancel the meeting with Putin.[62]
July 25, 2018: GOP lawmakers introduce articles of impeachment against Rosenstein
On July 25, 2018, Reps. Meadows and Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) introduced five articles of impeachment against Rosenstein in the United States House of Representatives. Jordan said, "The [Department of Justice] is keeping information from Congress. Enough is enough. It's time to hold Mr. Rosenstein accountable for blocking Congress's constitutional oversight role."[63] Meadows, chair of the House Freedom Caucus, said, "For 9 months we’ve warned them consequences were coming, and for 9 months we’ve heard the same excuses backed up by the same unacceptable conduct. Time is up and the consequences are here. It’s time to find a new Deputy Attorney General who is serious about accountability and transparency."[63] The following representatives signed on as co-sponsors to the articles of impeachment: Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Scott Perry (R-Penn.), Gosar, Jody Hice (R-Ga.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), and Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn).[64]
In a joint statement, Democratic Reps. Nadler, Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), and Schiff, said, "It is a panicked and dangerous attempt to undermine an ongoing criminal investigation in an effort to protect President Trump as the walls are closing in around him and his associates. It is certainly not, as its sponsors claim, a principled attempt to conduct oversight of the Department of Justice, because House Republicans have refused to conduct oversight of any aspect of the Trump Administration, except where the inquiry might distract from their failed agenda, undermine law enforcement, and serve the interests of President Trump."[63]
Regarding the possibility of bringing the articles of impeachment to a vote before the full House, Meadows said, "What we put in today was non-privileged. It goes in, gets referred to the Judiciary Committee, but starting [July 26], we can bring it up as a privileged motion. It really means that it would require a vote on the House floor within two days and that's something any member of Congress, Jim [Jordan] or I, can do."[65]
July 26, 2018: GOP Rep. Meadows tables articles of impeachment against Rosenstein
Meadows announced that he was tabling the articles of impeachment that he had introduced against Rosenstein on July 25, 2018. Meadows said he would instead move to launch contempt proceedings against Rosenstein if Rosenstein should fail to turn over requested documents to the House. Meadows said that he came to this decision after speaking with House GOP leaders and Judiciary Committee chair Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.). Meadows said, "I hope we can avoid impeachment and hopefully avoid contempt and get the documents, but certainly both of those things are on the table and remain on the table to have more of a contempt process. Both options remain there."[66]
September 14, 2018: Manafort pleads guilty; agrees to cooperate with Mueller probe
On September 14, 2018, Manafort pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against the United States and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice by witness tampering. He also agreed to cooperate with Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Manafort also agreed to forfeit several of his properties and money in several of his bank accounts. The crimes Manafort pleaded guilty to did not relate to his involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign.[67]
November 26, 2018: Mueller accuses Manafort of lying to the FBI
On November 26, 2018, Mueller accused Manafort of continuing to lie to the FBI and Mueller’s team after his plea deal in September, a breach of the deal.[68]
Manafort’s lawyers wrote that Manafort “believes he has provided truthful information and does not agree with the government’s characterization or that he has breached the agreement.”[68]
On September 14, 2018, Manafort pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against the United States and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice by witness tampering. He also agreed to cooperate with Mueller’s investigation. The crimes Manafort pleaded guilty to did not relate to his involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign.
December 4, 2018: Mueller requests no jail time for Flynn
On December 4, 2018, Mueller requested that Flynn not be sentenced to jail time. In a sentencing memo, Mueller’s team wrote, “Given the defendant’s substantial assistance and other considerations…a sentence at the low end of the guideline range—including a sentence that does not impose a term of incarceration—is appropriate and warranted."[69]
The team also wrote, “The defendant’s record of military and public service distinguish him from every other person who has been charged as part the [special counsel’s] investigation. However, senior government leaders should be held to the highest standards.”[69]
Flynn pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false statements to the FBI about conversations he had with then-Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak in December 2016.
December 12, 2018: Cohen sentenced
On December 12, 2018, Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen was sentenced to 36 months in jail after pleading guilty to eight federal charges. "His sentence also entails two months to be served concurrently for a single charge of lying to Congress about plans to build a Trump property in Moscow, which Cohen pleaded guilty to in late November as part of a deal with special counsel Robert Mueller," according to The Hill.[70] Cohen was also ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution, forfeiture of $500,000, and a fine of $50,000.[70]
December 18, 2018: Flynn's sentencing delayed
On December 18, 2018, Judge Emmet Sullivan asked Flynn if he wanted to wait to be sentenced until his cooperation with Mueller's investigation was complete. Flynn agreed.[71]
January 25, 2019: Stone arrested
- See also: Roger Stone
On January 25, 2019, Roger Stone, a former adviser to President Donald Trump, was arrested by the FBI as part of special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Stone was accused of lying to Congress about his involvement in providing the Trump campaign with information about emails WikiLeaks stole from Democrats in 2016. He was also charged with obstructing the congressional inquiry and persuading a witness to provide false testimony.[72]
Stone said he would not plead guilty. He said, “There is no circumstance, whatsoever, under which I will bear false witness against the president.”[72]
On November 15, 2019, the jury found Stone guilty on five counts of lying to Congress and one count each of obstruction of an official proceeding and witness tampering.[73] Stone's sentencing was scheduled for February 6, 2020.[74][75] Stone's sentencing was later delayed to February 20, 2020.[76]
On February 20, 2020, Judge Amy B. Jackson sentenced Stone to 40 months in prison.[77][78] On July 10, 2020, Trump commuted Stone's sentence.[79]
On December 23, 2020, Trump pardoned Stone. [80]
March 7, 2019: Manafort sentenced
- See also: Paul Manafort
On March 7, 2019, Manafort was sentenced to 47 months in federal prison in the first of two rounds of sentencing. He was convicted in 2018 of five counts of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of failure to disclose a foreign bank account. Manafort's convictions did not relate to his involvement in the 2016 presidential campaign.[81]
March 12, 2019: Flynn completes cooperation with special counsel
The office of the special counsel released a status report indicating that Flynn's cooperation with the office was complete on March 12, 2019.[82]
March 22, 2019: Mueller submits findings
Mueller submitted a report of his findings to Attorney General William Barr on March 22, 2019. Barr notified Congress that he would provide a summary of the conclusions after he had reviewed the document and determined what information could be released. A senior Justice Department official told reporters that the special counsel had not recommended any further indictments.[83]
March 24, 2019: Barr releases summary report
Barr released a letter summarizing the special counsel's findings on March 24, 2019. See the letter below:
April 18, 2019: Barr releases full report
On April 18, 2019, Barr released the special counsel's full report. To read the report, click here.
November 27, 2019: Flynn's sentencing postponed a second time
On November 27, 2019, Judge Sullivan postponed the sentencing of Flynn a second time pending the release of a report from the FBI inspector general regarding the investigation.[84] Sullivan subsequently set a new sentencing date of January 28, 2020.[85]
January 7, 2020: Justice Department recommends six months of jail time for Flynn
On January 7, 2020, in a reversal of the December 2018 request from Mueller that Flynn not be sentenced to jail time, the Department of Justice recommended that Flynn be sentenced to up to six months in prison due to his lack of cooperation with the investigation. The Justice Department wrote in a sentencing memo, "The sentence should adequately deter the defendant from violating the law, and to promote respect for the law...It is clear that the defendant has not learned his lesson. He has behaved as though the law does not apply to him, and as if there are no consequences for his actions."[86]
January 14, 2020: Flynn withdraws guilty plea
On January 14, 2020, lawyers acting on behalf of Flynn filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia requesting that the court allow Flynn to withdraw his guilty plea in the case.[87]
January 16, 2020: Flynn's sentencing postponed a third time
On January 16, 2020, Judge Sullivan granted a request from Flynn to delay his sentencing following his plea withdrawal. Sullivan set a new sentencing date of February 27, 2020.[88]
February 10, 2020: Flynn's sentencing delayed indefinitely
On February 10, 2020, Judge Sullivan canceled Flynn's February 27 sentencing date without setting a new hearing date.[89]
May 7, 2020: Justice Department moves to dismiss Flynn's case
The Department of Justice filed a motion with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to drop the charges against Flynn and dismiss the case on May 7, 2020.[90]
May 12, 2020: Sullivan invites submission of amicus curiae briefs in Flynn case
On May 12, 2020, Judge Sullivan issued an order indicating that he would accept briefs from outside parties regarding the case. Sullivan wrote, "[A]t the appropriate time, the Court will enter a Scheduling Order governing the submission of any amicus curiae briefs." At the time, he did not indicate whether he planned to hold a hearing on the Justice Department's motion to dismiss the case.[91]
May 20, 2020: United States Supreme Court blocks release of grand jury materials to House Judiciary Committee
On May 20, 2020, the United States Supreme Court issued an order that temporarily prevented the release of grand jury materials from the special counsel's investigation to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee. The order followed a request by the committee for the unredacted sections of Mueller's report as part of the committee's ongoing investigations. The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit had issued an order for the release of the materials in March 2020, which the Supreme Court's May 20 ruling blocked. The Supreme Court did not state a reason for the order, though the Department of Justice had requested the documents not be released until lawyers in the investigation filed a full appeal. The Supreme Court ordered the Department of Justice to file a petition for review by June 1.[92][93]
June 24, 2020: DC Court of Appeals panel orders Sullivan to dismiss Flynn case
On June 24, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted two to one to issue a writ of mandamus ordering Judge Sullivan to drop the case against Flynn. Judges Karen Henderson and Neomi Rao voted in favor of the order; Judge Robert Leon Wilkins dissented. Rao wrote in the majority opinion that the case concerns "whether, after the government has explained why a prosecution is no longer in the public interest, the district judge may prolong the prosecution by appointing an amicus, encouraging public participation, and probing the government’s motives. On that, both the Constitution and cases are clear: He may not."[94]
July 30, 2020: Full DC Court of Appeals vacates panel order, agrees to hear Flynn case
On July 30, 2020, the full United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order vacating the June 24 decision by the court's three-judge panel to drop the case. The order scheduled oral arguments in the case to take place before the full court on August 11.[95]
Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, issued a subpoena to the FBI on August 6, 2020, requesting all records from the FBI's investigation into potential election interference by the Russian government and Trump associates. These records included documents provided to the Justice Department's inspector general and requests made to the General Services Administration in relation to Trump's presidential transition.[96]
August 31, 2020: DC Court of Appeals rejects Flynn's request to immediately dismiss case
On August 31, 2020, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, by an eight to two vote, rejected Flynn's request to immediately dismiss his case. The court also rejected Flynn's request to remove Sullivan over allegations of bias.[97]
September 1, 2020: Judge Sullivan orders joint status report by September 21, 2020
On September 1, 2020, Judge Sullivan ordered Flynn's lawyers, the Department of Justice, and a court-appointed lawyer to file a joint status report by September 21, 2020. The report should have included suggested next steps and "a proposal for holding oral arguments on the Justice Department’s request to drop its prosecution of Flynn."[98]
September 29, 2020: No ruling, Judge Sullivan to review case records
Judge Sullivan did not issue a ruling during Flynn's court hearing on September 29, 2020. Sullivan said he would review the case records and requested that lawyers file additional documents within a week of the hearing.[99]
October 7, 2020: Flynn's attorneys request recusal of Judge Sullivan
Flynn's attorneys submitted court papers on October 7, 2020, requesting the recusal of Judge Sullivan. The attorneys alleged that Sullivan held a bias against Flynn. According to USA Today, Flynn's attorneys said, "His [Sullivan's] continued presence in the case has become a national scandal undermining confidence in the impartiality of the federal judicial system and faith in the rule of law."[100]
October 23, 2020: Judge Sullivan orders the Department of Justice to verify all submitted evidence
On October 23, 2020, Judge Sullivan ordered the Department of Justice to certify the accuracy of all submitted evidence by October 26, 2020. In early October, the Department of Justice confirmed that it had accidentally altered evidence by forgetting to remove inaccurately dated sticky notes from FBI documents.[101]
November 25, 2020: Trump pardons Flynn
On November 25, 2020, Trump announced Flynn's full pardon via Twitter.[102]
November 30, 2020: The Department of Justice releases Flynn's formal pardon and requests the dismissal of his criminal case
On November 30, 2020, the Department of Justice released Flynn's pardon and submitted a court filing requesting the dismissal of Flynn's criminal case.[103] According to CNN, the pardon cleared "Flynn from anything related to the investigation the FBI conducted into his contacts with Russia; his cooperation during the Mueller investigation and other cases Mueller could have investigated; and his disclosures about secretly lobbying for Turkey in 2016 before becoming Trump's first national security adviser."[104]
December 8, 2020: Judge Sullivan dismisses criminal case against Flynn
On December 8, 2020, in a 43-page opinion, Judge Sullivan dismissed Flynn's criminal case. Sullivan said, "Because the law recognizes the President's political power to pardon, the appropriate course is to dismiss this case as moot."[105]
President Donald Trump on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election
- The Wall Street Journal reported on November 23, 2016, that Donald Trump Jr. attended a private meeting with pro-Russian diplomats, businessmen, and politicians in Paris, France, in October 2016. Conway said that the younger Trump "was addressing a roundtable in Paris, and she was present for that talk and at a group dinner for 30 people. This event featured a number of opinion leaders from all over the world who were interested in the U.S. elections."[106]
- In an interview released on December 11, 2016, Trump challenged a report from The Washington Post that said Russia had interfered with the presidential election to Trump's benefit, according to CIA sources. He said, "It's just another excuse. I don't believe it. … Every week it's another excuse. We had a massive landslide victory, as you know, in the Electoral College. Nobody really knows, and hacking is very interesting. Once they hack, if you don't catch them in the act you're not going to catch them. They have no idea if it's Russia or China or somebody. It could be somebody sitting in a bed some place.”[107] Campaign manager Kellyanne Conway elaborated that Trump "thinks people are trying to relitigate the election"[108] yet he "would not interfere in the legislative branch" if there were to be a congressional investigation of the matter.[108]
- U.S. intelligence agencies released a declassified report on January 6, 2017, regarding Russian involvement in the 2016 presidential election. Obama ordered the report on December 9, 2016. The report stated, “We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election. Russia’s goals were to undermine public faith in the US democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency. We further assess Putin and the Russian Government developed a clear preference for President-elect Trump. We have high confidence in these judgments.”[109] The report continued, “We also assess Putin and the Russian Government aspired to help President-elect Trump’s election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton and publicly contrasting her unfavorably to him. All three agencies agree with this judgment. CIA and FBI have high confidence in this judgment; NSA has moderate confidence.”[109] The agencies involved in the report did not weigh in on whether such efforts had an impact on the outcome of the election, saying, “We did not make an assessment of the impact that Russian activities had on the outcome of the 2016 election. The US Intelligence Community is charged with monitoring and assessing the intentions, capabilities, and actions of foreign actors; it does not analyze US political processes or US public opinion.”[109]
- Trump received a briefing on the report on January 6, 2017. He released a statement, saying, “While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organizations including the Democrat National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election including the fact that there was no tampering whatsoever with voting machines. There were attempts to hack the Republican National Committee, but the RNC had strong hacking defenses and the hackers were unsuccessful.”[110] To read more about the Trump administration on cybersecurity, click here.
- During a press conference on January 11, 2017, Trump said that he believed Russia was behind the hack of the Democratic National Committee and attempted hack of the Republican National Committee in 2016. "As far as hacking, I think it was Russia. But I think we also get hacked by other countries and other people. And I can say that, you know, when we lost 22 million names and everything else that was hacked recently, they didn’t make a big deal out of that. That was something that was extraordinary — that was probably China. We had much hacking going on," Trump said.[111]
- Trump also rejected the claim that he had conflicts of interest because of financial business dealings with Russia. He said, "I have no deals in Russia, I have no deals that could happen in Russia because we have stayed away, and I have no loans with Russia. As a real estate developer I have very very little debt, I have assets that are - and now people have found out how big the company is. I have very little debt, I have very low debt. But I have no loans with Russia at all and I thought that was important to point out. I certify that. I have no deals. I have no loans. I have no dealings. We could make deals in Russia very easily, if we wanted to, I just don’t want to because I think that would be a conflict. So I have no loans, no dealings, and no current pending deals."[111]
- CNN reported on February 14, 2017, that the White House requested the FBI refute media reports about alleged contact between the Trump campaign and Russia during the presidential election—an act that potentially violated regulations limiting communications with the FBI regarding its pending investigations. The White House later confirmed the story but disputed the characterization of the request as inappropriate. Press secretary Sean Spicer said on February 23, 2017, "We didn't try to knock the story down. We asked them to tell the truth."[112]
- On November 11, 2017, while en route to Hanoi on his first trip to Asia, Trump was asked if he discussed Russia's attempts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election with Putin. Trump said, "He said he didn't meddle. He said he didn't meddle. I asked him again. You can only ask so many times. But I just asked him again, and he said he absolutely did not meddle in our election. He did not do what they're saying he did."[113]
- When asked how Russian interference came up during their conversation, Trump said, "He just -- every time he sees me, he says, 'I didn't do that.' And I believe -- I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it. But he says, 'I didn't do that.' I think he's very insulted by it, if you want to know the truth. Don't forget, all he said is he never did that, he didn't do that. I think he's very insulted by it, which is not a good thing for our country. Because again, if we had a relationship with Russia, North Korea -- which is our single biggest problem right now -- North Korea, it would be helped a lot. I think I'm doing very well with respect to China. They've cut off financing; they've cut off bank lines; they've cut off lots of oil and lots of other things, lots of trade. And it's having a big impact. But Russia, on the other hand, may be making up the difference. And if they are, that's not a good thing."[113]
- During a joint press conference after landing in Hanoi, Trump was asked to clarify his comments on whether he believed Putin knew about Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. A reporter asked, "Could you, once and for all, definitively, sir -- yes or no -- say whether or not you believe that President Putin and/or Russia interfered in the election?"[114] Trump said, "What I said there, I'm surprised that there's any conflict on this. What I said there is that I believe he believes that, and that's very important for somebody to believe. I believe that he feels that he and Russia did not meddle in the election. As to whether I believe it or not, I'm with our agencies, especially as currently constituted with their leadership. I believe in our intel agencies, our intelligence agencies. I've worked with them very strongly. There weren’t seventeen as was previously reported; there were actually four. But they were saying there was seventeen; there were actually four. But as currently led by fine people, I believe very much in our intelligence agencies."[114]
- On January 24, 2018, Trump said that he would speak with special counsel Robert Mueller as part of the Russia investigation. Trump said, “I'm looking forward to it. ... I would do it under oath."[115]
- On February 17, 2018, Trump commented on the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. He wrote in a tweet, "Funny how the Fake News Media doesn’t want to say that the Russian group was formed in 2014, long before my run for President. Maybe they knew I was going to run even though I didn’t know!"[116]
- On February 18, 2018, Trump blamed the Obama administration for Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. He wrote in a series of tweets, "Finally, Liddle’ Adam Schiff, the leakin’ monster of no control, is now blaming the Obama Administration for Russian meddling in the 2016 Election. He is finally right about something. Obama was President, knew of the threat, and did nothing. Thank you Adam! I never said Russia did not meddle in the election, I said 'it may be Russia, or China or another country or group, or it may be a 400 pound genius sitting in bed and playing with his computer.' The Russian 'hoax' was that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia - it never did! Now that Adam Schiff is starting to blame President Obama for Russian meddling in the election, he is probably doing so as yet another excuse that the Democrats, lead by their fearless leader, Crooked Hillary Clinton, lost the 2016 election. But wasn’t I a great candidate? If it was the GOAL of Russia to create discord, disruption and chaos within the U.S. then, with all of the Committee Hearings, Investigations and Party hatred, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They are laughing their asses off in Moscow. Get smart America!"[117][118][119]
- On February 21, 2018, Trump wrote in a tweet, "Question: If all of the Russian meddling took place during the Obama Administration, right up to January 20th, why aren’t they the subject of the investigation? Why didn’t Obama do something about the meddling? Why aren’t Dem crimes under investigation? Ask Jeff Sessions!"[120]
- On March 17, 2018, in a series of tweets, Trump discussed the Mueller probe and the firing of FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe. He wrote, "As the House Intelligence Committee has concluded, there was no collusion between Russia and the Trump Campaign. As many are now finding out, however, there was tremendous leaking, lying and corruption at the highest levels of the FBI, Justice & State. #DrainTheSwamp. The Fake News is beside themselves that McCabe was caught, called out and fired. How many hundreds of thousands of dollars was given to wife’s campaign by Crooked H friend, Terry M, who was also under investigation? How many lies? How many leaks? Comey knew it all, and much more! The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime. It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!"[121][122][123]
See also
- Senate Intelligence Committee investigation on Russian activity in 2016 presidential election
- House Intelligence Committee investigation on Russian activity in 2016 presidential election
- Federal policy on Russia, 2017-2020
- 2016 presidential candidates on Russia
- Michael Flynn
- James Comey
- Robert Mueller
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team, "Grizzly Steppe – Russian Malicious Cyber Activity," December 29, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Obama Strikes Back at Russia for Election Hacking," December 29, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Congressional investigations into alleged Russian hacking begin without end in sight," January 25, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Defense Congressional investigations into alleged Russian hacking begin without end in sight," January 25, 2017
- ↑ USA Today, "5 ways Congress is investigating Russia-Trump ties," February 17, 2017
- ↑ USA Today, "Senate panel to investigate Russian election interference," February 2, 2017
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, "Report," July 3, 2018
- ↑ House Select Committee on Intelligence, "Nunes Statement on Surveillance of Political Campaigns," March 5, 2017
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Politico, "Trump hails House Intelligence Committee report on Russia," April 27, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "F.B.I. Is Investigating Trump’s Russia Ties, Comey Confirms," March 20, 2017
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Department of Justice, "Appointment of Special Counsel," May 17, 2017
- ↑ NPR, "Robert Mueller Submits Report On Russia Investigation To Attorney General," March 22, 2019
- ↑ House Intelligence Committee, "Joint Statement on Progress of Bipartisan HPSCI Inquiry into Russian Active Measures," January 25, 2017
- ↑ House Intelligence Committee, "Intelligence Committee Chairman, Ranking Member Establish Parameters for Russia Investigation," March 1, 2017
- ↑ ABC News, "A timeline of President Trump's unsubstantiated wiretapping claims," April 6, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Statement from the Press Secretary," March 5, 2017
- ↑ House Intelligence Committee, "Nunes Statement on Surveillance of Political Campaigns," March 5, 2017
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 The Hill, "House GOP ending Russia probe, says no collusion found," March 12, 2018
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Senate Intelligence Committee, "Joint Statement on Committee Inquiry into Russian Intelligence Activities," January 13, 2017
- ↑ NPR, "Senate Intel Committee Previews Probe Into Russia's Election Meddling," March 29, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Senate Intelligence panel to wrap up Russia probe in August," May 8, 2018
- ↑ Senate Intelligence Committee, "Volume 5: Counterintelligence Threats and Vulnerabilities," accessed August 20, 2020
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Full transcript: FBI Director James Comey testifies on Russian interference in 2016 election," March 20, 2017
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 The New York Times, "F.B.I. Director James Comey Is Fired by Trump," May 9, 2017
- ↑ The American Presidency Project, "Memorandum for the Attorney General from Rod J. Rosenstein Recommending the Termination of FBI Director James Comey," May 9, 2017
- ↑ CBS News, "Reaction pours in over sudden firing of FBI Director James Comey," May 9, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Comey firing: Reaction from members of Congress on FBI director’s dismissal," May 9, 2017
- ↑ Fox News, "Trump fires Comey: Reaction to FBI Director's termination," May 9, 2017
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Press Daily Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer—#48," May 15, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "DOJ: No ethics conflict for special counsel in Russia probe," May 23, 2017
- ↑ Associated Press, "Special counsel Mueller’s investigation seems to be growing," June 3, 2017
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Special Counsel Robert Mueller Impanels Washington Grand Jury in Russia Probe," August 3, 2017
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 The Washington Post, "Special Counsel Mueller using grand jury in federal court in Washington as part of Russia investigation," August 3, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Mueller's grand jury: What it means," August 4, 2017
- ↑ The New York Times, "Paul Manafort, Who Once Ran Trump Campaign, Indicted on Money Laundering and Tax Charges," October 30, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "Manafort, Gates charged with conspiracy against US," October 30, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Judge sets Sept. 17 trial date for Manafort on Mueller charges," February 28, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "Trump Campaign Adviser Met With Russian to Discuss ‘Dirt’ on Clinton," October 30, 2017
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 Politico, "Flynn pleads guilty to lying to the FBI," December 1, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Flynn enters guilty plea, will cooperate with Mueller," December 1, 2017
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 The Wall Street Journal, "Former Trump Aide Manafort Files Suit Against Special Counsel Mueller," January 3, 2018
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Politico, "Mueller charges 13 Russian nationals with interfering in 2016 election," February 16, 2018
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 The Hill, "Mueller indicts 13 Russians for interfering in US election," January 16, 2018
- ↑ NBC Montana, "Rosenstein: No allegation of Americans as 'knowing participants' in Russia's election plot," February 16, 2018
- ↑ PBS News, "WATCH: Rosenstein says 13 Russian nationals committed ‘information warfare against the United States’," February 16, 2018
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Politico, "Mueller charges 13 Russians with 2016 election 'information warfare,'" February 16, 2018
- ↑ The American Presidency Project, "Statement by the Press Secretary Regarding the Russia Indictments" February 16, 2018
- ↑ 49.0 49.1 The Hill, "Mueller charges lawyer with lying in Russia probe," February 20, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Mueller adds new tax, bank fraud charges against Manafort, Gates," February 22, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Former Trump campaign official Rick Gates pleads guilty to lying and conspiracy against the United States," February 23, 2018
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 The Washington Post, "Former Trump aide Sam Nunberg called before grand jury, says he will refuse to go," March 5, 2018
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 53.2 The Hill, "Lawyer gets jail time in first sentence of Mueller probe," April 3, 2018
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 54.2 The Hill, "Mueller says Manafort tried to tamper with potential witnesses," June 4, 2018
- ↑ 55.0 55.1 The Hill, "Mueller brings new charges against Paul Manafort," June 8, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Judge sends Manafort to jail after Mueller charges witness tampering," June 15, 2018
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.Res.970 - Insisting that the Department of Justice fully comply with the requests, including subpoenas, of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the subpoena issued by the Committee on the Judiciary relating to potential violations of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act by personnel of the Department of Justice and related matters." accessed June 29, 2018
- ↑ The New York Times, "House G.O.P. Breaks Into Open Warfare With Rosenstein, Demanding Files," June 28, 2018
- ↑ 59.0 59.1 USA Today, "House passes resolution demanding that DOJ hand over more documents in Russia probe," June 28, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "House passes measure demanding DOJ documents," June 28, 2018
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Rosenstein Says Justice Department Providing Congress Documents," June 28, 2018
- ↑ 62.0 62.1 62.2 Politico, "Mueller indicts 12 Russians for DNC hacking as Trump-Putin summit looms," July 13, 2018
- ↑ 63.0 63.1 63.2 The Hill, "GOP lawmakers introduce articles of impeachment against Rosenstein," July 25, 2018
- ↑ CBS News, "House Republicans introduce articles of impeachment against Rod Rosenstein," July 25, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Meadows threatens to force a vote on Rosenstein impeachment," July 25, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Meadows backs off impeaching Rosenstein after leadership talks," July 26, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Manafort pleads guilty, reaches 'cooperation agreement,'" September 14, 2018
- ↑ 68.0 68.1 The Wall Street Journal, "Mueller Accuses Paul Manafort of Lying to FBI After Plea Agreement," November 26, 2018
- ↑ 69.0 69.1 The Wall Street Journal, "Special Counsel Robert Mueller Asks for No Jail Time for Mike Flynn," December 4, 2018
- ↑ 70.0 70.1 The Hill, "Cohen sentenced to three years in prison," December 12, 2018
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Mike Flynn Sentencing Unexpectedly Delayed," December 18, 2018
- ↑ 72.0 72.1 The Wall Street Journal, "Trump Adviser Roger Stone Charged as Part of Mueller Investigation," January 25, 2019
- ↑ National Public Radio, "Longtime Trump Ally Roger Stone Indicted On 7 Counts In Mueller Investigation," January 26, 2019
- ↑ FOX News, "Roger Stone found guilty on all counts in trial stemming from Mueller probe," November 15, 2019
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Roger Stone guilty on all counts in federal trial of lying to Congress, witness tampering," November 15, 2019
- ↑ Politico, "Judge delays Roger Stone’s sentencing until Feb. 20," December 20, 2019
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Trump loyalist Roger Stone gets 40 months in prison after Justice Department backs off sentencing recommendation," February 20, 2020
- ↑ The New York Times, "Roger Stone Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Prison," February 20, 2020
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcommuted - ↑ Politico, "Trump pardons Manafort, Stone, father of Jared Kushner," December 23, 2020
- ↑ CBS News, "Manafort sentenced to under 4 years in prison, far less than prosecutors sought," March 7, 2019
- ↑ CNBC, "Former Trump advisor Michael Flynn’s cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller is ‘complete’," March 13, 2019
- ↑ Politico, "Robert Mueller's Russia investigation is officially complete," March 22, 2019
- ↑ Politico, "Judge delays Flynn sentencing to wait for Russia IG report," November 27, 2019
- ↑ Politico, "Flynn set for Jan. 28 sentencing after judge rejects claims ex-Trump aide was tricked," December 16, 2019
- ↑ The Hill, "Feds recommend six-month prison term for Michael Flynn," January 7, 2020
- ↑ The Hill, "Flynn moves to withdraw guilty plea ahead of sentencing," January 14, 2020
- ↑ The Hill, "Flynn sentencing delayed as he seeks to withdraw guilty plea," January 16, 2020
- ↑ The Hill, "Judge delays Flynn sentencing for second time," February 10, 2020
- ↑ United States v. Flynn, "Motion to Dismiss Case," May 7, 2020
- ↑ Politico, "Judge slows down effort to drop Flynn case," May 12, 2020
- ↑ CNN, "Supreme Court blocks release of Mueller grand jury documents to House," May 20, 2020
- ↑ New York Times, "Supreme Court Blocks Release of Full Mueller Report for Now," May 20, 2020
- ↑ New York Times, "Appeals Court Panel Orders End to Michael Flynn Case," June 24, 2020
- ↑ United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, "Document #1854249," July 30, 2020
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Republican senator subpoenas FBI for documents related to 2016 Russia investigation," August 11, 2020
- ↑ Politico, "Appeals court deals setback to Flynn’s attempt to end DOJ case against him," August 31, 2020
- ↑ CNBC, "Judge forges ahead with Michael Flynn case after ex-Trump aide loses bid for quick dismissal," September 1, 2020
- ↑ The New York Times, "Judge Scrutinizes Justice Dept. Request to Drop Michael Flynn Case," September 29, 2020
- ↑ USA Today, "Michael Flynn's lawyers say judge is 'hostile,' should recuse himself from Trump ally's case," October 7, 2020
- ↑ Politico, "Judge orders Justice Department to verify its filings in Flynn case," October 23, 2020
- ↑ AP, "Trump pardons Flynn despite guilty plea in Russia probe," November 26, 2020
- ↑ Politico, "’Any and all possible offenses’: Trump pardon grants Flynn a sweeping reprieve," November 30, 2020
- ↑ CNN, "Justice Department releases Trump's pardon of Flynn and asks court for dismissal," November 30, 2020
- ↑ CBS News, "Judge formally ends Michael Flynn's legal fight," December 8, 2020
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Donald Trump Jr. Held Talks on Syria With Russia Supporters," November 23, 2016
- ↑ Fox News, "Trump: Claims of Russian interference in 2016 race 'ridiculous,' Dems making excuses," December 11, 2016
- ↑ 108.0 108.1 CBS News, "Kellyanne Conway defends Donald Trump's response to Russian hacking stories," December 11, 2016
- ↑ 109.0 109.1 109.2 Office of the Director of National Intelligence, "Background to 'Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections': The Analytic Process and Cyber Incident Attribution," January 6, 2017
- ↑ The American Presidency Project, "Statement by President-Elect Donald J. Trump Following a Meeting with Intelligence Community Leaders," January 6, 2017
- ↑ 111.0 111.1 NPR, "Donald Trump's Press Conference, Annotated," January 11, 2017
- ↑ CNN, "FBI refused White House request to knock down recent Trump-Russia stories," February 24, 2017
- ↑ 113.0 113.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump in Press Gaggle Aboard Air Force One en route Hanoi, Vietnam | 11/11/2017," November 11, 2017 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "med" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ 114.0 114.1 WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by President Trump and President Quang of Vietnam in Joint Press Conference | Hanoi, Vietnam," November 11, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "Trump says he would speak to Mueller under oath in Russia probe," January 24, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Trump scolds 'Fake News Media' over reporting of Russian meddling in 2016 election," February 17, 2018
- ↑ NBC DFW, "‘Get Smart America': Trump Says Russia's Laughing at US," February 18, 2018
- ↑ NBC News, "Trump denies collusion again in tweets, sparks concerns among lawmakers," February 18, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "Trump: ‘Liddle Adam Schiff’ finally right in blaming Obama for Russian meddling," February 18, 2018
- ↑ USA Today, "Trump questions why Obama administration is not subject of Russia investigation," February 21, 2018
- ↑ Facebook, "Donald J. Trump," March 17, 2018
- ↑ The American Presidency Project, "Tweets of March 18, 2018," March 18, 2018
- ↑ Politico, "Trump’s adversaries steal the spotlight after wild 24 hours," March 17, 2018
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