\u00a0testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday<\/a> about his conversations with President Trump on the FBI’s investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.\u00a0Here are a few key takeaways from his testimony:<\/p>\nComey cuts Trump: \u2018He might lie\u2019<\/h2>\n
In his opening remarks, Comey went straight at Trump, saying the president\u2019s conflicting explanations for his firing \u201cdidn\u2019t make any sense to me.\u201d In an initial letter firing Comey, Trump said it was because of Comey\u2019s handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation. But long after that\u00a0investigation, \u201cHe had repeatedly told me I was doing a great job,\u201d Comey said.\u00a0\u201cThe shifting explanations confused me and increasingly concerned me.”<\/p>\n
Later in the hearing, Comey said it eventually became clear to him that Trump \u201cwas looking to get something\u201d from Comey in exchange for allowing him to keep his job. Then, after the firing, the White House chose \u201cto defame me and then the FBI,\u201d\u00a0Comey said, by saying there was disarray at the bureau. “Those were lies,” Comey said.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI am so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
After his very first meeting, Comey began documenting his interactions with Trump. When asked why, Comey was frank:\u00a0\u201cI was honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting.\u201d He also made clear he never felt the need to take notes to memorialize his interactions with former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.<\/p>\n
Comey makes some key Trump points<\/h2>\n
Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.,\u00a0the Intelligence Committee chairman, succeeded in getting Comey to confirm some key Republican talking points, including that he did not see any evidence that the Russia cyber effort altered any votes in the 2016 election. \u201cI\u2019d seen no indication of that whatsoever,\u201d said Comey. He also confirmed no one asked him to stop the overall Russia investigation, as his interaction with Trump related specifically to the FBI\u2019s probe into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.<\/p>\n
Comey admitted as well that Trump never specifically asked or directed him to drop the investigation of Flynn; instead Comey said that was his impression from Trump’s comment that he hoped “you can let this go.”<\/p>\n
![\"USP](\"http:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/-mm-\/27f6664fb8ef48299f06ee96e2d6771613497b2a\/c=170-0-2830-2000&r=x404&c=534x401\/local\/-\/media\/2017\/06\/08\/USATODAY\/USATODAY\/636325180283518356-COMEY-2.JPG\")