This episode covers Section II. Factual Results of the Obstruction Investigation, pages 15 to 158 of Volume 2 of the "Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election." This section of the report details the evidence obtained. Beginning with an overview of how Russia became an issue in the 2016 presidential campaign, and how candidate Trump responded. Included are key events that were investigated: the President’s conduct concerning the FBI investigation of Michael Flynn; the President’s reaction to public confirmation of the FBI’s Russia investigation; events leading up to and surrounding the termination of FBI Director Comey; efforts to terminate the Special Counsel; efforts to curtail the scope of the Special Counsel’s investigation; efforts to prevent disclosure of information about the June 9, 2016 Trump Tower meeting between Russians and senior campaign officials; efforts to have the Attorney General unrecuse; and conduct towards McGahn, Cohen, and other witnesses. Factual Results of the Obstruction Investigation

A. The Campaign's Response to Reports About Russian Support for Trump

Press Reports Allege Links Between the Trump Campaign and Russia

The Trump Campaign Reacts to WikiLeaks's Release of Hacked Emails

The Trump Campaign Reacts to Allegations That Russia was Seeking to Aid Candidate Trump

After the Election, Trump Continues to Deny Any Contacts or Connections with Russia or That Russia Aided his Election

B. The President's Conduct Concerning the Investigation of Michael Flynn

Incoming National Security Advisor Flynn Discusses Sanctions on Russia with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak

President-Elect Trump is Briefed on the Intelligence Community’s Assessment

Flynn Makes False Statements About his Communications with Kislyak

DOJ Officials Notify the White House of Their Concerns About Flynn

McGahn has a Follow-Up Meeting About Flynn with Yates; President Trump has Dinner with FBI Director Comey

Flynn’s Resignation

The President Discusses Flynn with FBI Director Comey

The Media Raises Questions About the President’s Delay in Terminating Flynn

The President Attempts to Have K.T. McFarland Create a Witness Statement

Analysis

C. The President's Reaction to Public Confirmation of the FBI's Russia Investigation

Attorney General Sessions Recuses From the Russia Investigation

FBI Director Comey Publicly Confirms the Existence of the Russia Investigation in Testimony Before HPSCI

The President Asks Intelligence Community Leaders to Make Public Statements that he had No Connection to Russia

The President Asks Comey to "Lift the Cloud" Created by the Russia Investigation

Analysis

D. Events Leading Up To and Surrounding the Termination of FBI Director Comey

Comey Testifies Before the Senate Judiciary Committee and Declines to Answer Questions About Whether the President is Under Investigation

The President Makes the Decision to Terminate Comey

Analysis

E. The President's Efforts to Remove the Special Counsel

The Appointment of the Special Counsel and the President's Reaction

The President Asserts that the Special Counsel has Conflicts of lnterest

The Press Reports that the President is Being Investigated for Obstruction of Justice and the President Directs the White House Counsel to Have the Special Counsel Removed

Analysis

F. The President's Efforts to Curtail the Special Counsel Investigation

The President Asks Corey Lewandowski to Deliver a Message to Sessions to Curtail the Special Counsel Investigation

The President Follows Up with Lewandowski

The President Publicly Criticizes Sessions in a New York Times Interview

The President Orders Priebus to Demand Sessions's Resignation

Analysis

G. The President's Efforts to Prevent Disclosure of Emails About the June 9, 2016 Meeting Between Russians and Senior Campaign Officials

The President Learns About the Existence of Emails Concerning the June 9, 2016 Trump Tower Meeting

The President Directs Communications Staff Not to Publicly Disclose Information About the June 9 Meeting

The President Directs Trump Jr.'s Response to Press Inquiries About the June 9 Meeting

The Media Reports on the June 9, 2016 Meeting

Analysis

H. The President's Further Efforts to Have the Attorney General Take Over the Investigation

The President Again Seeks to Have Sessions Reverse his Recusal

Additional Efforts to Have Sessions Unrecuse or Direct Investigations Covered by his Recusal

Analysis

I. The President Orders McGahn to Deny that the President Tried to Fire the Special Counsel

The Press Reports that the President Tried to Fire the Special Counsel

The President Seeks to Have McGahn Dispute the Press Reports

Analysis

J. The President's Conduct Towards Flynn, Manafort, and Stone

Conduct Directed at Michael Flynn

Conduct Directed at Paul Manafort

Conduct Directed at Roger Stone

Analysis

K. The President's Conduct Involving Michael Cohen

Candidate Trump's Awareness of and Involvement in the Trump Tower Moscow Project

Cohen Determines to Adhere to a "Party Line" Distancing Candidate Trump From Russia

Cohen Submits False Statements to Congress Minimizing the Trump Tower Moscow Project in Accordance with the Party Line

The President Sends Messages of Support to Cohen

The President's Conduct After Cohen Began Cooperating with the Government

Analysis

L. Overarching Factual Issues