The much-anticipated testimony of former FBI director James Comey is going ahead Thursday morning.
After U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he would not block Comey’s appearance before a Senate committee, he and his allies in the White House are reportedly crafting a strategy to undermine Comey’s credibility by questioning his treatment of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email scandal.
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With so much riding on this hearing, here’s what you need to know about the testimony of James Comey.
When is the James Comey testimony?
Comey takes the stand in front of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 8.
Where can I watch Comey’s testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee?
Global News’ Senior National Affairs Correspondent Eric Sorensen will be providing context and analysis before and after Comey’s testimony during a live special that will be streamed on Globalnews.ca and the Global News Facebook page.
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Why is Comey testifying?
The former FBI director was called to testify as part of a federal probe into Trump’s ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign and in the first months of his presidency. After Comey was suddenly fired by the president on May 9, there was increasing pressure on the Trump administration to explain its reasons. In a letter from Trump to Comey, the president thanked the former FBI director for his service, and for reportedly informing him “three times” that he himself was not under investigation. Trump promptly began interviewing candidates to fill the role of FBI director.
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Shortly after he was dismissed, Comey revealed that Trump asked him to let go of his investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. The Senate intelligence committee called Comey to testify as part of its ongoing investigation. Shortly after, Robert Mueller was appointed to conduct an independent investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election, which may include the circumstances around Comey’s firing.
What is Comey likely to say?
James Comey is reportedly planning to dispute Trump’s claims that he told the president he was not under investigation. Depending on what’s revealed during the testimony, a former Nixon adviser said that Trump is in “impeachment territory.”
In a statement released to the Senate Intelligence Committee, the former FBI head said he became concerned that Trump was trying to create “some sort of patronage relationship.”
While it’s not entirely clear how Trump plans to dispute Comey’s claims, he and his team plan to capitalize on the fallout from Comey’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server to question his credibility.
On Wednesday, members of Trump’s national security team are being questioned by the committee about whether the president has attempted to influence investigations into Russia’s meddling in the 2016 federal election.
It’s still unclear whether Trump himself will watch Comey’s testimony.
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