Russian Interference in 2016 Election

Source: C-SPAN
Type: congressional-testimony

Source Text

PARTIAL VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
This text was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.

00:07:19
TO COME TESTIFY AS PART OF THIS COMMITTEE’S INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIA. I REALIZE THAT THIS HEARING HAS BEEN OBVIOUSLY, THE FOCUS OF A LOT OF WASHINGTON IN THE LAST FEW DAYS. THE TRUTH IS, MANY AMERICANS WHO MAY BE TUNING IN TODAY PROBABLY HAVEN’T FOCUSED ON EVERY TWIST AND TURN OF THE INVESTIGATION. SO I’D LIKE TO BRIEFLY DESCRIBE, AT LEAST FROM THIS SENATOR’S STANDPOINT, WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW, AND WHAT WE’RE STILL INVESTIGATING. TO BE CLEAR, THIS INVESTIGATION IS NOT ABOUT RELITIGATING THE ELECTION. IT’S NOT ABOUT WHO WON OR LOST. AND IT SURE AS HECK IS NOT ABOUT DEMOCRATS VERSUS REPUBLICANS. WE ARE HERE BECAUSE A FOREIGN ADVERSARY ATTACKED US RIGHT HERE AT HOME. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. NOT BY GUNS OR MISSILES BUT BY FOREIGN OPERATIVES SEEKING TO HIJACK OUR MOST IMPORTANT DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, OUR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. RUSSIAN SPIES ENGAGED IN A SERIES OF ONLINE CYBER RAIDS, AND A BROAD CAMPAIGN OF DISINFORMATION. ALL ULTIMATELY AIMED AT SOWING CHAOS IN OUR LEADERSHIP AND ULTIMATELY IN OURSELVES. THAT’S NOT JUST THIS SENATOR’S OPINION. IT’S THE UNANIMOUS DETERMINATION OF THE ENTIRE U.S. INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY. SO WE MUST FIND OUT THE FULL STORY. WHAT THE RUSSIANS DID AND CANDIDLY AS SOME OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE MENTIONED, WHY THEY WERE SO SUCCESSFUL. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST DETERMINE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO TAKE TO PROTECT OUR DEMOCRACY, AND INSURE THEY CAN’T DO IT AGAIN. THE CHAIRMAN MENTIONED ELECTIONS IN 2018 AND 2020. IN VIRGINIA, WE HAVE ELECTIONS THIS YEAR IN 2017. SIMPLY PUT, WE CANNOT LET ANYTHING OR ANYONE PREVENT US FROM GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. MR. COMEY LET ME SAY AT THE OUTSET, WE HAVEN’T ALWAYS AGREED ON EVERY ISSUE. IN FACT, I’VE OCCASIONALLY QUESTIONED SOME OF THE ACTIONS YOU’VE TAKEN. BUT I’VE NEVER HAD ANY REASON TO QUESTION YOUR INTEGRITY, YOUR EXPERTISE, OR YOUR INTELLIGENCE. YOU’VE BEEN A STRAIGHT SHOOTER WITH THIS COMMITTEE. AND HAVE BEEN WILLING TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER. EVEN AT THE RISK OF YOUR OWN CAREER. WHICH MAKES THE WAY IN WHICH YOU ARE FIRED BY THE PRESIDENT ULTIMATELY SHOCKING. RECALL WE BEGAN THIS ENTIRE PROCESS WITH THE PRESIDENT AND HIS STAFF FIRST DENYING THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE EVER INVOLVED, AND THEN FALSELY CLAIMING THAT NO ONE FROM HIS TEAM WAS EVER IN TOUCH WITH ANY RUSSIANS. WE KNOW THAT’S JUST NOT THE TRUTH. NUMEROUS TRUMP ASSOCIATES HAD UNDISCLOSED CONTACTS WITH RUSSIANS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ELECTION. INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT’S ATTORNEY GENERAL, HIS FORMER NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, AND HIS CURRENT SENIOR ADVISOR, MR. KUSHNER. THAT DOESN’T EVEN BEGIN TO COUNT THE HOST OF ADDITIONAL CAMPAIGN ASSOCIATES AND ADVISORS WHO HAVE ALSO BEEN CAUGHT UP IN THIS MASSIVE WEB. WE SAW MR. TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN MANAGER, MR. MANAFORT FORCED TO STEP DOWN OVER TIES TO RUSSIAN BACKED ENTITIES. THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR, GENERAL FLYNN HAD TO RESIGN OVER HIS LIES ABOUT ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE RUSSIANS. AND WE SAW THE CANDIDATE HIMSELF EXPRESS AN ODD AND UNEXPLAINED AFFECTION FOR THE RUSSIAN DICTATOR, WHILE CALLING FOR THE HACKING OF HIS OPPONENT. THERE’S A LOT TO INVESTIGATE. ENOUGH, IN FACT, THEN DIRECTOR COMEY PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED HE WAS LEADING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THOSE LINKS BETWEEN MR. TRUMP’S CAMPAIGN AND THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT. AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, MR. COMEY WAS ULTIMATELY RESPONSIBLE FOR CONDUCTING THAT INVESTIGATION. WHICH MIGHT EXPLAIN WHY YOU’RE SITTING NOW AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. WHAT WE DIDN’T KNOW WAS THAT THE SAME TIME THIS INVESTIGATION WAS PROCEEDING, THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN AN EFFORT TO INFLUENCE, OR AT LEAST CO-OPTHE DIRECTOR OF THE FBI. THE TESTIMONY MR. COMEY HAS SUBMITTED FOR TODAY’S HEARING IS VERY DISTURBING. ON JANUARY 27TH AFTER SUMMONING DIRECTOR COMEY TO DINNER. THE PRESIDENT APPEARS TO HAVE THREATENED THE DIRECTOR’S JOB WHILE TELLING HIM, QUOTE, I NEED LOYALTY. I EXPECT LOYALTY. AT A LATER MEETING, ON FEBRUARY 14TH, THE PRESIDENT ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO LEAVE THE OVAL OFFICE SO THAT HE COULD PRIVATELY ASK DIRECTOR COMEY, AGAIN, QUOTE, TO SEE WAY CLEAR TO LETTING FLYNN GO. THAT IS A STATEMENT THAT DIRECTOR COMEY INTERPRETED AS A REQUEST THAT HE DROP THE INVESTIGATION CONNECTED TO GENERAL FLYNN’S FALSE STATEMENTS. THINK ABOUT IT. THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ASKING THE FBI DIRECTOR TO DROP AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION. AND AFTER THAT, THE PRESIDENT CALLED THE FBI DIRECTOR ON TWO ADDITIONAL OCCASIONS, MARCH 30TH AND APRIL 11TH. AND ASKED HIM, AGAIN, QUOTE, TO LIFT THE CLOUD ON THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION. NOW, DIRECTOR COMEY DENIED EACH OF THESE IMPROPER REQUESTS. THE LOYALTY PLEDGE, THE ADMINITION TO DROP THE FLYNN INVESTIGATION, THE REQUEST TO LIFT THE CLOUD, AND THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION. OF COURSE, AFTER HIS REFUSALS, DIRECTOR COMEY WAS FIRED. THE INITIAL EXPLANATION FOR THE FIRING DIDN’T PASS ANY SMELL TESTS. SOMEHOW DIRECTOR COMEY WAS FIRED BECAUSE HE DIDN’T TREAT HILLARY CLINTON APPROPRIATELY. OF COURSE, THAT EXPLANATION LASTED ABOUT A DAY BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF THEN MADE VERY CLEAR THAT HE WAS THINKING ABOUT RUSSIA WHEN HE DECIDED TO FIRE DIRECTOR COMEY. SHOCKINGLY, REPORTS SUGGEST THAT THE PRESIDENT ADMITTED AS MUCH IN AN OVAL OFFICE MEETING WITH THE RUSSIANS THE DAY AFTER DIRECTOR COMEY WAS FIRED. DISPARAGING OUR COUNTRY’S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IS A QUOTE UNQUOTE, NUT JOB. THE PRESIDENT ALLEGEDLY SUGGESTED HIS FIRING RELIEVED GREAT PRESSURE ON HIS FEELINGS ABOUT RUSSIA. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING IN ISOLATION. AT THE SAME TIME THE PRESIDENT WAS ENGAGED IN THESE EFFORTS WITH DIRECTOR COMEY HE WAS ALSO, AT LEAST ALLEGEDLY ASKING SENIOR LEADERS OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY TO DOWNPLAY THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION OR TO INTERVENE WITH THE DIRECTOR. YESTERDAY, WE HAD DNI DIRECTOR COATS AND NSA DIRECTOR ADMIRAL ROGERS WHO WERE OFFERED A NUMBER OF OPPORTUNITIES TO FLATLY DENY THOSE PRESS REPORTS. THEY EXPRESSED THEIR OPINIONS, BUT THEY DID NOT TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO DENY THOSE REPORTS. THEY DID NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT OPPORTUNITY. MY BELIEF, THAT’S NOT HOW A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SHOULD BEHAVE. REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME OF OUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE RUSSIA LINKS, DIRECTOR COMEY’S FIRING AND HIS TESTIMONY RAISED SEPARATE AND TROUBLING QUESTIONS THAT WE MUST GET TO THE BOTTOM OF. AGAIN, AS I SAID AT THE OUTSET I’VE SEEN FIRST-HAND HOW SERIOUSLY EVERY MEMBER OF THIS COMMITTEE IS TAKING HIS WORK. I’M PROUD OF THE COMMITTEE’S EFFORTS SO FAR. LET ME BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT A WITCH-HUNT. THIS IS NOT FAKE NEWS. IT IS AN EFFORT TO PROTECT OUR COUNTRY FROM A NEW THREAT THAT QUITE HONESTLY WILL NOT GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON. SO, MR. COMEY, YOUR TESTIMONY HERE TODAY WILL HELP US MOVE TOWARDS THAT GOAL. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT TESTIMONY, THANK YOU MR. CHAIRMAN. >> THANK YOU, VICE CHAIRMAN. DIRECTOR, AS DISCUSSED WHDEN YOU AGREED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. IT WOULD BE UNDER OATH. I ASK YOU TO PLEASE STAND, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

00:15:44
DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH SO HELP YOU GOD. PLEASE BE SEATED. DIRECTOR COMEY YOU’RE NOW UNDER OATH. AND I WOULD JUST NOTE TO MEMBERS, YOU WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY SENIORITY FOR A PERIOD UP TO SEVEN MINUTES, AND, AGAIN, IT’S THE INTENT TO MOVE TO A CLOSED SESSION NO LATER THAN 1:00 P.M. WITH THAT, DIRECTOR COMEY, YOU ARE RECOGNIZED. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR AS LONG AS YOU MIGHT NEED. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. RANKING MEMBER WARNER, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME HERE TO TESTIFY TODAY. I HAVE SUBMITTED MY STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD AND I’M NOT GOING TO REPEAT IT HERE THIS MORNING. I THOUGHT I WOULD OFFER BRIEF INTRODUCTORY REMARKS AND I WOULD WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS. WHEN I WAS APPOINTED FBI DIRECTOR IN 2013, I UNDERSTOOD THAT I SERVED AT THE PLEASURE OF THE PRESIDENT. EVEN THOUGH I WAS APPOINTED TO A TEN YEAR TERM, WHICH CONGRESS CREATED IN ORDER TO UNDERSCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FBI BEING OUTSIDE OF POLITICS AND INDEPENDENT, I UNDERSTOOD THAT I COULD BE FIRED BY A PRESIDENT FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON AT ALL. AND ON MAY 9TH WHEN I LEARNED I HAD BEEN FIRED FOR THAT REASON I IMMEDIATELY CAME HOME AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN. BUT THEN THE EXPLANATIONS, THE SHIFTING EXPLANATIONS, CONFUSED ME AND INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ME.

00:16:28
THEY CONFUSED ME BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT THAT I HAD HAD MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT MY JOB, BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER HE TOOK OFFICE, AND HE HAD REPEATEDLY TOLD ME I WAS DOING A GREAT JOB AND HE HOPED I WOULD STAY. AND I HAD REPEATEDLY ASSURED HIM THAT I DID INTEND TO STAY AND SERVE OUT THE REMAINING SIX YEARS OF MY TERM. HE TOLD ME REPEATEDLY THAT HE HAD TALKED TO LOTS OF PEOPLE ABOUT ME. INCLUDING OUR CURRENT ATTORNEY GENERAL. AND HAD LEARNED I WAS DOING A GREAT JOB. AND THAT I WAS EXTREMELY WELL-LIKED BY THE FBI WORK FORCE. SO IT CONFUSED ME WHEN I SAW ON TELEVISION THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT HE ACTUALLY FIRED ME BECAUSE OF THE RUSSIA INVESTIGATION. AND LEARNED, AGAIN, FROM THE MEDIA THAT HE WAS TELLING PRIVATELY OTHER PARTIES THAT MY FIRING HAD RELIEVED GREAT PRESSURE ON THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION. I WAS ALSO CONFUSED BY THE INITIAL EXPLANATION THAT WAS OFFERED PUBLICLY, THAT I WAS FIRED BECAUSE OF THE DECISIONS I HAD MADE DURING THE ELECTION YEAR. THAT DIDN’T MAKE SENSE TO ME FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF REASONS, INCLUDING THE TIME AND ALL THE WATER THAT HAD GONE UNDER THE BRIDGE SINCE THOSE HARD DECISIONS HAD HAD TO BE MADE. THAT DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME. AND ALTHOUGH THE LAW REQUIRED NO REASON AT ALL TO FIRE AN FBI DIRECTOR, THE ADMINISTRATION THEN CHOSE TO DEFAME ME AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE FBI BY SAYING THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS IN DISARRAY. THAT IT WAS POORLY LED. THAT THE WORKFORCE HAD LOST CONFIDENCE IN ITS LEADER. THOSE WERE LIES, PLAIN AND SIMPLE. AND I AM SO SORRY THAT THE FBI WORKFORCE HAD TO HEAR THEM AND I’M SO SORRY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WERE TOLD THEM. I WORKED EVERY DAY AT THE FBI TO HELP MAKE THAT GREAT ORGANIZATION BETTER. AS A HELP, BECAUSE I DID NOTHING ALONE AT THE FBI. THERE ARE NO INDISPENSABLE PEOPLE AT THE FBI. THE ORGANIZATION’S GREAT STRENGTH IS THAT ITS VALUE AND ABILITIES RUN DEEP AND WIDE. THE FBI WILL BE FINE WITHOUT ME. THE FBI’S MISSION WILL BE RELENTLESSLY PURSUED BY ITS PEOPLE AND THAT MISSION IS TO PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. I WILL DEEPLY MISS BEING PART OF THAT MISSION, BUT THIS ORGANIZATION AND ITS MISSION WILL GO ON LONG BEYOND ME AND LONG BEYOND ANY PARTICULAR ADMINISTRATION. I HAVE A MESSAGE BEFORE I CLOSE FOR THE — FOR MY FORMER COLLEAGUES OF THE FBI. FIRST I WANT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO KNOW THIS TRUTH. THE FBI IS HONEST. THE FBI IS STRONG. AND THE FBI IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE INDEPENDENT. AND NOW TO MY FORMER COLLEAGUES, IF I MAY, I AM SO SORRY I DIDN’T GET THE CHANCE TO SAY GOOD BYE TO YOU PROPERLY. IT WAS THE HONOR OF MY LIFE TO SERVE BESIDE YOU, TO BE PART OF THE FBI FAMILY AND I WILL MISS IT FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. THANK YOU FOR STANDING WATCH, THANK YOU FOR DOING SO MUCH GOOD FOR THIS COUNTRY. DO THAT GOOD AS LONG AS EVER YOU CAN. AND SENATORS, I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. >> DIRECTOR, THANK YOU FOR THAT TESTIMONY, BOTH ORAL AND THE WRITTEN TESTIMONY THAT YOU PROVIDED TO THE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY AND MADE PUBLIC TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

00:20:33
THE CHAIR WOULD RECOGNIZE HIMSELF FIRST FOR 12 MINUTES, VICE CHAIR FOR 12 MINUTES BASED UPON THE AGREEMENT WE HAVE. DIRECTOR, DID THE SPECIAL COUNSEL’S OFFICE REVIEW AND/OR EDIT YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY? >> NO. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT RUSSIA ATTEMPTED TO INTERFERE IN THE 2016 ELECTION? >> NONE. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WAS BEHIND THE INTRUSIONS IN THE DNC AND DCCC SYSTEMS AND THE SUBSEQUENT LEAKS OF THAT INFORMATION? >> NO, NO DOUBT. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WAS BEHIND THE CYBER INTRUSION IN THE STATE VOTER FILES? >> NO. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY DOUBT THAT OFFICIALS OF THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT WERE FULLY AWARE OF THESE ACTIVITIES? >> NO DOUBT. >> ARE YOU CONFIDENT THAT NO VOTES CAST IN THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WERE ALTERED? >> I’M CONFIDENT. WHEN I LEFT AS DIRECTOR I HAD SEEN NO INDICATION OF THAT WHATEVER. >> DIRECTOR COMEY, DID THE PRESIDENT AT ANY TIME ASK YOU TO STOP THE FBI INVESTIGATION INTO RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT IN THE 2016 U.S.

00:21:49
ELECTIONS? >> NOT TO MY UNDERSTANDING, NO. >> DID ANY INDIVIDUAL WORKING FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION, INCLUDING THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, ASK YOU TO STOP THE RUSSIAN

00:22:02
INVESTIGATION? >> NO. >> DIRECTOR, WHEN THE PRESIDENT REQUESTED THAT YOU — AND I QUOTE —

00:22:12
LET FLYNN GO, GENERAL FLYNN HAD AN UNREPORTED CONTACT WITH THE RUSSIANS. WHICH IS AN OFFENSE. AND IF PRESS ACCOUNTS ARE RIGHT, THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN FACTS AND HIS FBI TESTIMONY. IN YOUR ESTIMATION, WAS GENERAL FLYNN AT THAT TIME IN SERIOUS LEGAL JEOPARDY? IN ADDITION TO THAT, DO YOU SENSE THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS TRYING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE OR JUST SEEK FOR A WAY FOR MIKE FLYNN TO SAVE FACE, GIVEN HE HAD ALREADY BEEN FIRED? >> GENERAL FLYNN AT THAT POINT IN TIME WAS IN LEGAL JEOPARDY. THERE WAS AN OPEN FBI CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION OF HIS STATEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE RUSSIAN CONTACTS.

00:22:58
AND THE CONTACTS THEMSELVES. AND SO THAT WAS MY ASSESSMENT AT THE TIME. I DON’T THINK IT’S FOR ME TO SAY WHETHER THE CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE PRESIDENT WAS AN EFFORT TO OBSTRUCT. I TOOK IT AS A VERY DISTURBING THING, VERY CONCERNING. BUT THAT’S A CONCLUSION I’M SURE THE SPECIAL COUNSEL WILL WORK TOWARDS TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INTENTION WAS THERE AND WHETHER THAT’S AN OFFENSE. >> DIRECTOR, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT AS PART OF THIS FBI INVESTIGATION THE FBI COULD FIND EVIDENCE OF CRIMALITY THAT IS NOT TIED TO THE 2016 ELECTIONS, POSSIBLE COLLUSION, OR COORDINATION WITH RUSSIANS? >> SURE. >> SO THERE COULD BE SOMETHING THAT JUST FITS A CRIMINAL ASPECT TO THIS THAT DOESN’T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE 2016 ELECTION CYCLE? >> CORRECT, IN ANY COMPLEX INVESTIGATION WHEN YOU START TURNING OVER ROCKS SOMETIMES YOU FIND THINGS THAT ARE UNRELATE TODAY THE PRIMARY INVESTIGATION THAT ARE CRIMINAL IN NATURE. >> DIRECTOR, COMEY YOU HAVE BEEN YOU CRITICIZED PUBLICLY FOR YOUR DECISION TO PRESENT YOUR FINDINGS ON THE E-MAIL INVESTIGATION DIRECTLY TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. HAVE YOU LEARNED ANYTHING SINCE THAT TIME THAT WOULD HAVE CHANGED WHAT YOU SAID OR HOW YOU CHOSE TO INFORM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE? >> HONESTLY, NO. IT CAUSED A WHOLE LOT OF PERSONAL PAIN FOR ME, BUT AS I LOOK BACK, GIVEN WHAT I KNEW AT THE TIME AND EVEN WHAT I’VE LEARNED SINCE I THINK IT WAS THE BEST WAY TO TRY AND PROTECT THE JUSTICE INSTITUTION, INCLUDING

00:24:22
THE FBI. >> IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, IS THIS QUESTION OF THE STEEL DOSSIER A DOCUMENT THAT HAS BEEN AROUND NOW FOR OVER A YEAR, I’M NOT SURE WHEN THE FBI FIRST TOOK POSSESSION OF IT, BUT THE MEDIA HAD IT BEFORE YOU HAD IT AND WE HAD IT. AT THE TIME OF YOUR DEPARTURE FROM THE FBI, WAS THE FBI ABLE TO CONFIRM ANY CRIMINAL ALLEGATIONS CONTAINED IN THE STEEL DOCUMENT? >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I DON’T THINK THAT’S A QUESTION I CAN ANSWER IN AN OPEN SETTING. IT GOES INTO THE DETAILS OF THE

00:25:08
INVESTIGATION. >> DIRECTOR, THE TERM WE HEAR MOST OFTEN IS COLLUSION. WHEN PEOPLE ARE DESCRIBING POSSIBLE LINKS BETWEEN AMERICANS AND RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT ENTITIES RELATED TO THE INTERFERENCE IN OUR ELECTION, WOULD YOU SAY THAT IT’S NORMAL FOR FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS TO REACH OUT TO MEMBERS OF AN INCOMING ADMINISTRATION? >> YES. >> AT WHAT POINT DOES THE NORMAL CONTACT CROSS THE LINE INTO AN ATTEMPT TO RECRUIT AGENTS OR INFLUENCE OR SPIES? >> DIFFICULT TO SAY IN THE ABSTRACT.

00:25:43
IT DEPENDS ON THE CONTEXT, WHETHER THERE’S AN EFFORT TO KEEP IT COVERT. WHAT THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST MADE TO THE AMERICAN.

00:25:56
IT’S A JUDGMENT CALL BASED ON A WHOLE LOT OF FACTS. >> AT WHAT POINT WOULD THAT RECRUITMENT BECOME A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE THREAT TO OUR COUNTRY? >> DIFFICULT TO ANSWER IN THE ABSTRACT.

00:26:11
BUT WHEN A FOREIGN POWER IS USING — ESPECIALLY COERCION OR SOME SORT OF PRESSURE TO TRY TO CO-OPT AN AMERICAN, ESPECIALLY A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL TO ACT ON ITS BEHALF THAT’S A SERIOUS CONCERN TO THE FBI AND AT THE HEART OF THE FBI’S COUNTERINTELLIGENCE MISSION. >> IF YOU’VE GOT A 36 PAGE DOCUMENT OF SPECIFIC CLAIMS THAT ARE OUT THERE, THE FBI WOULD HAVE TO — FOR COUNTERINTELLIGENCE REASONS — TRY TO VERIFY ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE CLAIMED IN THERE, ONE, AND PROBABLY FIRST AND

00:26:35
FOREMOST, IS THE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE ABOUT BLACKMAIL? WOULD THAT BE AN ACCURATE STATEMENT? >> YES IF THE FBI RECEIVES A CREDIBLE ALLEGATION THERE IS SOME ATTEMPT TO COERCE AN AMERICAN ON BEHALF OF A FOREIGN POWER THAT’S THE BASIS ON WHICH A CASE IS OPEN. >> WHEN YOU READ THE DOSSIER, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION GIVEN THAT IT WAS 100% DIRECTED AT THE PRESIDENT ELECT? >> NOT A QUESTION I CAN ANSWER IN AN OPEN

00:27:16
SETTING, MR. CHAIRMAN. >> OKAY. WHEN DID YOU BECOME AWARE OF THE CYBER INTRUSION? >> THE FIRST — ALL KINDS OF CYBER INTRUSIONS GOING ON ALL THE TIME. THE FIRST RUSSIA CONNECTED CYBER INTRUSION I BECAME AWARE OF IN THE LATE SUMMER OF 2015. >> AND IN THAT TIMEFRAME THERE WERE MORE THAN THE DNC AND DCCC THAT WERE TARGETS? >> CORRECT, THERE WAS A MASSIVE EFFORT TO TARGET GOVERNMENT AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL — NEAR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES LIKE NON-PROFITS. >> WHAT WOULD BE THE ESTIMATE OF HOW MANY ENTITIES OUT THERE THE RUSSIANS SPECIFICALLY TARGETED IN THAT TIMEFRAME? >> IT’S HUNDREDS, I SUPPOSE IT COULD BE MORE THAN A THOUSAND.

00:27:57
BUT IT’S AT LEAST HUNDREDS. >> WHEN DID YOU BECOME AWARE THAT DATA HAD BEEN EXFILTRATED? >> I’M NOT SURE

00:28:12
EXACTLY. I THINK EITHER LATE ‘15 OR EARLY ‘16. >> DID YOU, THE DIRECTOR OF THE FBI, HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LAST ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE RISK THAT THIS POSED? >> YES. >> AND SHARE WITH US, IF YOU WILL, WHAT ACTIONS THEY TOOK. >> WELL, THE FBI HAD ALREADY UNDERTAKEN AN EFFORT TO NOTIFY ALL THE VICTIMS, AND THAT’S WHAT WE CONSIDER THE ENTITIES THAT WERE ATTACKED AS PART OF THIS MASSIVE SPEAR PHISHING CAMPAIGN. WE NOTIFIED THEM IN AN EFFORT TO DISRUPT WHAT MIGHT BE ONGOING. AND THEN THERE WAS A SERIES OF CONTINUING INTERACTIONS WITH ENTITIES THROUGH THE REST OF ‘15 INTO ‘16 AND THROUGHOUT ‘16 THE ADMINISTRATION WAS TRYING TO DECIDE HOW TO RESPOND TO THE INTRUSION ACTIVITY IT SAW. >> THE FBI IN THIS CASE, UNLIKE OTHER CASES YOU MIGHT INVESTIGATE, DID YOU EVER HAVE ACCESS TO THE ACTUAL HARDWARE THAT WAS HACKED? OR DID YOU HAVE TO RELY ON A THIRD PARTY TO PROVIDE YOU THE DATA THEY HAD COLLECTED? >> IN THE CASE OF THE DNC WE DID NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE DEVICES THEMSELVES. WE GOT RELEVANT FORENSIC INFORMATION FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, A HIGH CLASS ENTITY THAT HAD DONE THE WORK. WE DIDN’T GET DIRECT ACCESS. >> NO CONTENT? >> CORRECT. >> ISN’T CONTENT AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE FORENSICS FROM A COUNTERINTELLIGENCE STANDPOINT? >> IT IS. ALTHOUGH WHAT WAS BRIEFED TO ME BY MY FOLKS, THE PEOPLE WHO WERE MY FOLKS AT THE TIME IS THAT THEY HAD GOTTEN THE INFORMATION FROM THE PRIVATE PARTY THAT THEY NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND THE INTRUSION BY THE SPRING OF 2016. >> LET ME GO

00:29:48
BACK, IF I CAN, VERY BRIEFLY TO THE DECISION TO PUBLICLY GO OUT WITH YOUR RESULTS ON THE

00:30:04
E-MAIL. WAS YOUR DECISION INFLUENCED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S TARMAC MEETING WITH THE FORMER PRESIDENT, BILL CLINTON? >> YES, IN AN ULTIMATELY CONCLUSIVE WAY THAT’S THE THING THAT CAPPED IT FOR ME THAT I HAD TO DO SOMETHING SEPARATELY TO PROTECT THE CREDIBILITY OF THE INVESTIGATION WHICH MEANT BOTH THE FBI AND THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT. >> WERE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THAT THAT YOU CAN DESCRIBE IN AN OPEN SESSION? >> THERE WERE OTHER THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THAT.

Events Citing This Source

Event	Date	Category
Comey Firing	May 2017	Cover-ups & Obstruction

People Mentioned

Person	Role
Donald Trump	45th and 47th President of the United States
James Comey	FBI Director (2013-2017); fired by Trump May 2017
Robert Mueller	Special Counsel for the Russia investigation (2017-2019); former FBI Director

Institutions Mentioned

Institution	Description
DOJ	United States Department of Justice
FBI	Federal Bureau of Investigation
NBC News	American broadcast news organization

Related Sources

Source	Type	Publisher
Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election	government-filing	Justice.gov
Trump Interview With Lester Holt - President Asked Comey If He Was Under Investigation	news-reporting	NBC News