WORDS. WE HAVE COMPLETE COVERAGE STARTING WITH
CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT HALLIE JACKSON.
>> Reporter: COMMANDING A SPOTLIGHT ENTIRELY HIS, JAMES
COMEY TURNED IT ON TO THE PRESIDENT DESCRIBING DONALD
TRUMP AS NOT TRUTHFUL AND NOT CREDIBLE. >> I WAS HONESTLY
CONCERNED HE MIGHT LIE ABOUT THE NATURE OF OUT MEETING SO I
THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DOCUMENT. >> Reporter: THOSE
MEMOS PROVIDED THE BASIS OF COMEY'S TESTIMONY TODAY.
DRAMATIC, COMPELLING AND CONTROVERSIAL. >> DID THE PRESIDENT
AT ANY TIME ASK YOU TO STOP THE FBI INVESTIGATION INTO
RUSSIAN INVOLVEMENT IN THE 2016 U.S. ELECTIONS?
>> NOT TO MY UNDERSTANDING, NO. >> Reporter: COMEY
LESS CONCLUSIVE WHEN ASKED ABOUT FLYNN T FIRED NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISER AFTER TESTIFYING THAT THE PRESIDENT HOPED HE
WOULD LET FLYNN GO. >> I TOOK IT AS A DIRECTION.
THIS IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WITH ME ALONE SAYING I
HOPE THIS, I TOOK IT THIS IS WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO.
DIPLOMAT OBEY THAT BUT THAT'S THE WAY I TAKEN IT.
>> HE SAID -- THAT'S NOT WHAT HE SAID, HE SAID I HOPE.
>> THOSE ARE HIS EXACT WORDS QUESTION. >> DO YOU THINK THAT
THE PRESIDENT WAS TRYING TO OBSTRUCT JUSTICE?
>>'M SURE THE SPECIAL COUNSEL WILL WORK TOWARDS THAT.
>> Reporter: THAT IMPLIES THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IS LOOKING AT
WHETHER THE PRESIDENT BROKE THE LAW BY DIRECTING COMEY TO
DIAL BACK AN INVESTIGATION. >> WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP
AND SAY, MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS WRONG?
>> MAYBE IF I WERE STRONGER I WOULD HAVE. I WAS SO STUNNED BY
IF -- BY THE CONVERSATION I TOOK IT IN.
>> Reporter: ANOTHER STARTLING REVELATION CAME FROM COMEY ABOUT
THE CONVERSATION HE DOCUMENTED RELATED TO FLYNN.
>> I ASKED A FRIEND OF MINE TO SHARE THE CONTENT OF THE MEMO
WITH A REPORTER. I ASKED HIM TO BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT MIGHT
PROMPT THE APPOINTMENT OF A SPECIAL COUNSEL. >> THAT OF COURSE
ULTIMATELY HAPPENED. ALL OF IT TRIGGERED BY A TWEET.
THE PRESIDENT WHO APPARENTLY SUSPECTED COMEY WAS BEHIND THAT
LEAK WROTE ON MAY 12th -- JAMES COMEY BETTER HOPE THERE ARE
NO TAPES OF OUR CONVERSATION BEFORE HE STARTS LEAKING TO THE
PRESS. >> LOOK, I HAVE SEEN THE TWEET ABOUT TAPES.
LORDY, I HOPE THERE ARE TAPES. MY FEELINGS AREN'T
HURT, RELEASE ALL THE TAPES. >> THE ADMINISTRATION
THEN CHOSE TO DEFAME ME AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE FBI.
BY SAYING THAT THE ORGANIZATION WAS IN DISARRAY.
THOSE WERE LIES. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. >> Reporter: HIS
CONCERNS LINGER ABOUT THE PAST ADMINISTRATION TOO,
AND LORETTA LYNCH. SHE MET BILL CLINTON ON A TARMAC WHEN THE
FBI WAS LOOKING AT HEADQUARTER HAD BEEN AND ASKED COMEY TO
CALL THAT INQUIRY A MATTER. NOT AN INVESTIGATION.
>> AS I SAID BEFORE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WE HAD
AN INVESTIGATION OPEN AT THE TIME AND SO THAT GAVE ME A QUEASY
FEELING. >> Reporter: A PERSON FAMILIAR WITH THOSE
DISCUSSIONS SAID THAT LYNCH USED THE WORD MATTER TO MAKE SURE
SHE DIDN'T CONFIRM OR DENY AN INVESTIGATION AND WANTED TO STAY
CONSISTENT WITH COMEY WHO THEY HAVE SAID HE WASN'T COMFORTABLE
WITH IT. CAPITOL HILL, CAPTIVATED BY ALL OF
I. PEOPLE STARTED TO LINE UP AT 4:00 THIS MORNING.
A GROUP OF FBI EMPLOYEES IN THE ROOM TO GIVE MORAL SUPPORT.
CALLING THEMSELVES COMEY'S HOMIES AND GETTING A PASSIONATE
GOOD-BYE FROM THEIR FORMER DIRECTOR. >> 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. >> Reporter:
REPUBLICANS SKITTISH. STILL GIVING THE PRESIDENT THE BENEFIT
OF THE DOUBT. >> THE PRESIDENT'S NEW AT THIS.
HE'S NEW TO GOVERNMENT. AND SO HE PROBABLY
WASN'T STEEPED IN THE LONG RUNNING PROTOCOLS THAT ESTABLISH THE
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DOJ, FBI AND THE WHITE HOUSES.
>> Reporter: DEMOCRATS UNSATISFIED. >> SO THE PRESIDENT
NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE VARIOUS ALLEGATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE.
AND IF HE DOESN'T FEEL THAT THEY'RE ACCURATE HE SHOULD SAY SO.
BUT IF HE CAN'T RULE OUT WHAT'S BEEN SAID THAT WILL BE PRETTY
DAMNING. >> Reporter: AND TWOAL SOURCES HAVE TOLD NBC
NEWS THAT JARED KUSHNER HAS AGREED TO MEET WITH SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE STAFFERS MID MONTH ON THE CONDITION HE
ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE SENATORS