Former FBI director James Comey is testifying before the US Senate intelligence committee to answer questions about Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. (Comey’s written testimony was released ahead of the hearing. Read key excerpts from the document here).
How to watch the hearing online and on broadcast TV
Comey’s testimony is streaming online via PBS NewsHour (you can also watch PBS’s stream here, on the player above) and C-SPAN.
CBS said it will air the hearing as a special report, co-anchored by CBS This Morning’s Norah O’Donnell, Gayle King, and Charlie Rose.
That network, along with CNN, and Fox News Channel plan to air Comey’s testimony without commercial interruption.
What you should know
Comey was abruptly fired from his position as FBI director on May 9. He learned of his dismissal from cable news reports while attending an FBI event.
Later, he was given an official dismissal letter from Trump, that said, in part: “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.”
The president later told NBC’s Lester Holt in an interview that he considered “this Russia thing” before firing Comey.
A bombshell report published the following week in the New York Times alleged that Trump had asked Comey to stop an FBI investigation into former national security advisor Michael Flynn. The White House has vigorously denied this account.
According to his prepared testimony, Comey kept detailed records of his conversations with Trump, and in one memo recalled the president saying, of the investigation into Flynn: “He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go.”
To catch up on what we know so far about the Trump/Russia probe:
- James Comey’s statement describes in detail the way Trump pressured him for loyalty, not honesty
- What to expect from Comey’s testimony
- The ultimate guide to Donald Trump’s Russia connections
- From the FBI to the Senate: The status of everyone still investigating Trump’s Russia ties
- All the times Trump and his sons touted the Trump Organization’s Russian business ties
This post has been updated.