and deliberations on special counsel appointment, 220
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 212, 219
and Flynn investigation, 168
and leak investigations, 175
and media coverage of Russia investigation, 177
and Mueller Report findings, 14, 317, 324
and Ohr’s demotion, 271–72
recusal from Russia investigation, 178–81, 191, 196–97
resignation of, 306
resignation offered, 233–34, 238–39, 240
and Rosenstein firing speculation, 292
and Rosenstein’s offer to record Trump, 304
Trump’s attacks on, 255–58
and Trump’s attacks on Comey, 265
and Trump’s attempt to initiate investigation of Clinton, 247
and Trump’s efforts to remove special counsel, 250–53, 252n
Trump’s nickname for, 251, 251n
and Twenty-fifth Amendment discussions, 223
and Wray’s swearing in, 262–63
Sessions, William, 3–4
Sign, Christopher, 70–71
Silver, Nate, 189, 320
Simpson, Glenn R., 94–96, 109, 141
Sinclair Broadcast Group, 195
Singer, Paul, 95
60 Minutes, 45, 327, 330
Smith, James J., 52
social media, 12, 13, 80–81. See also Twitter and “tweets”
Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, 112, 297
Soros, George, 55
Southern District jurisdiction, 114
Spicer, Sean
and Comey memo leak, 227
and Comey’s firing, 7–8, 198, 200
and Comey’s Intelligence Committee testimony, 246
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 216
and Flynn’s communications with Russia, 151, 155
and Flynn’s resignation, 170–71
and Trump’s intelligence briefings, 145
Spiering, Charlie, 207
Starr, Kenneth, 74, 301, 321
State Department
and anti-Clinton sentiment, 85
and Clinton email investigation, 34–35, 40, 59, 76
and Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting, 71
and Mueller Report findings, 323
Steele, Christopher
attempts to discredit dossier, 271
communication with the press, 132–33
and congressional pressure on FBI, 266
delivery of dossier to FBI, 101–3
origins of dossier, 94–96
and publication of dossier, 149–50
Trump’s attacks on, 184
and Trump’s New York Times interview, 252
Steele dossier, 3, 140–45, 148–50, 165–66, 184, 220
Stein, Gertrude, 236n
Stein, Jill, 136
Steinbach, Michael, 45
Stellar Wind surveillance program, 20–27
Stephanopoulos, George, 293–97, 301
Stoker, Michael, 86n
Stone, Roger, 13, 85, 89, 108
Stormy Daniels (Stephanie Clifford), 147, 280
St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, 89
Strassel, Kimberley, 233
Strzok, Peter
and assembly of Mueller’s team, 234–36
and Australian intelligence on Russian interference, 88, 90–91
background, 38
and Clinton email investigation, 38, 41, 49–52, 56–58, 63–66, 74, 76–77, 83, 123, 125
and Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting, 71
and Comey’s firing, 11–12
and Comey’s White House meetings, 175
and conservative culture of FBI, 111–12
and Crossfire Hurricane investigation, 91–93, 99–101, 109–10
and election interference concerns, 121
and election outcome, 136–37
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 204, 205
fired from FBI, 300–301
and Flynn investigation, 156–57
and Justice Department bias concerns, 56
and leak investigations, 267
and McCabe’s firing, 287–88
and media pressure on FBI, 83
and Mueller Report findings, 322, 326
and opening of investigation on Trump, 221–22
political opinions, 50–52, 57–58
relationship with Page, 152–53, 153n
and Russian interference investigation, 142
and Steele dossier, 96, 103–4, 322
and text messaging controversy, 135–36, 259–62, 269–70, 270n, 272–74, 276, 287, 299–300, 302–3
and Trump’s attacks on Sessions, 256
and Trump’s attempts to influence Comey, 148
Trump’s ongoing attacks on, 328–29
and Trump’s treason claims, 331
and Weiner laptop investigation, 107–9, 115–17
Super Tuesday primaries, 51
surveillance programs, 20–27
Sweeney, Bill, 106–7
Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 89
Thompson, Erika, 87, 88n, 92
The Threat (McCabe), 327
Toscas, George
and Clinton email investigation, 55, 63–64, 77, 83, 125–26
and Crossfire Hurricane investigation, 93
and Flynn’s communications with Russia, 152
and Weiner laptop investigation, 114, 115
travel ban, 163, 165
Trump, Donald J.
and Access Hollywood tape, 108, 140, 231
and appointment of special counsel, 229–31, 232–34
and assembly of Mueller’s team, 236–37
assumption of presidency, 138–39
attacks on Comey, 226, 265
attacks on Sessions, 255–58
attempts to influence Comey, 145–48, 154–55, 159–61, 162, 178–79, 185–86, 226–27
attempts to influence Mueller investigation, 314, 316, 318
and Barr appointment, 306–7, 308–9
and blackmail concerns, 81, 95, 102–3, 144, 152, 296
and changes to legal team, 291–92
and Clinton email investigation, 2, 80–81, 111, 128–29, 290
and Comey’s book release, 293–97
and Comey’s congressional testimony, 181–85, 188–89, 191–92, 244–46
and Comey’s firing, 9, 192–201, 202–9, 211n, 217, 220–25
criticism of Mueller, 238–40
and Crossfire Hurricane investigation, 92–93
and “deep state” conspiracy theories, 279–81, 279n
efforts to remove Mueller as special counsel, 246–49, 249n, 250–55, 281–82, 292, 325
and election interference concerns, 121
and election outcome, 136–37
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 212–16
and Flynn’s communications with Russia, 151–52, 156–58
and Flynn’s conviction, 267–69
and Flynn’s firing, 168–70
Fox interviews, 187–88
inauguration day, 152–53
indifference to Russian interference, 165
and inspector general’s report, 299
and McCabe campaign contributions controversy, 115
and McCabe’s interview for FBI director, 220–21, 227–29
and McCabe’s Judiciary Committee testimony, 275–76, 278
and McGahn resignation, 288–89
and media coverage of Russia investigation, 175–77
and midterm elections, 3
05
and Mueller Report findings, 310–16, 318, 320, 321–27, 329–30
nicknames for advisers, 251, 251n
and Ohr’s demotion, 271–72
ongoing attacks on investigators, 328
O’Reilly interview, 164–65
origins of Russia investigation, 3, 12
and Papadopoulos’s conviction, 266
pardon powers, 54, 268, 283, 289–91, 302
porn star hush money payments, 280–81, 290–91, 301–2
preoccupation with personal loyalty, 6, 25–26, 89, 160–62, 168, 170, 175, 186, 215–16, 226, 241, 243, 245, 264, 291, 295, 308, 315, 322–23
presidential campaign, 37
and Priebus’s White House meeting with Comey, 165–68
Putin’s relationship with, 3, 50–51, 90–91, 108, 142, 164–65, 171, 177, 205
replacement of Priebus, 258
Republican nominating convention, 85
resistance to testifying in Mueller probe, 282–84, 298, 307
and Rosenstein’s appointment, 163–64
Rosenstein’s offer to record conversations with, 224–25, 303–5, 315
security briefings with Comey, 172–74
and Sessions’s recusal from Russia investigation, 6, 178–81, 196–97
and Steele dossier revelations, 101–3, 148–50
and Strzok-Page text messaging controversy, 259, 270, 272–75
and Strzok’s firing, 300–301
and travel ban, 163, 165
treason claims, 331
Trump Tower Moscow deal, 89, 90n, 133, 142–45, 264–65, 291, 307–8, 315
and Weiner laptop investigation, 122
and Whitaker appointment, 306
and Wray’s swearing in, 262
See also Crossfire Hurricane investigation
Trump, Ivanka, 238, 239, 254–55
Trump, Melania, 161, 167, 238
Trump National Golf Club, 232, 254
Trump Organization, 291, 301, 307–8
Trump Tower Moscow project
Cohen’s role in, 89, 90n, 264–65, 291, 308
and Flynn investigation, 142–45
and Russian election interference, 133
and Trump’s written responses in Mueller probe, 307–8, 315
Trump University investigation, 149n
Twenty-fifth Amendment, 223, 303
20/20, 293–97
Twitter and “tweets”
and appointment of special counsel, 232
and Clinton email investigation, 80–81, 113, 128
on Cohen raid, 292
and Comey’s book release, 293–94, 296
and Comey’s Intelligence Committee testimony, 244
Comey’s use of, 28n
and confirmation of Trump investigation, 248
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 216
and Flynn resignation, 172
and leaks, 170, 173, 177
and McCabe campaign contributions controversy, 115
and McCabe’s firing, 288
and McCabe’s Judiciary Committee testimony, 278
and Mueller Report findings, 325
on Obama wiretapping allegations, 180, 182–83
and Ohr’s demotion, 272
and Papadopoulos-Russia connection, 88n
on Rosenstein’s meeting with Trump, 304
and Russian interference investigation, 142, 149
and Russia-WikiLeaks connection, 88
and Strzok-Page text messaging controversy, 269, 270, 303
and Strzok’s firing, 300–301
and Trump’s attacks on Comey, 226, 265
and Trump’s attacks on Sessions, 255–58
and Trump’s criticisms of Mueller, 239
Trump’s shaping of public opinion with, 12–13
and WikiLeaks, 86
and Wray nomination to FBI, 240
United Nations, 36
Urbahn, Keith, 294
USA Today, 136
U.S. Congress, 124–29, 232, 255. See also specific committees and people
U.S. Constitution, 4, 7, 15, 26, 31, 284, 324. See also rule of law
U.S. Department of Justice
and appointment of special counsel, 230–31, 232
attacked by Trump’s legal team, 283
and Barr’s appointment, 308–9
and Barr’s defense of Trump in Russia probe, 298
and briefings on Russia investigations, 181–83
and Clinton email investigation, 40–44, 52, 54–55, 57–64, 74, 77, 83, 124–27, 129–30, 265
and Clinton Foundation investigation, 97
and Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting, 67, 71–73
Comey criticized in memo, 196–97
and Comey-Sessions relationship, 4
and Comey’s firing, 4–7, 8, 194, 196, 199–200
concerns of bias at, 54–57
and Crossfire Hurricane investigation, 93
and “deep state” term, 279
and deliberations on firing Comey, 192
and deliberations on special counsel appointment, 219–20
and election interference concerns, 97, 120–21
and Espionage Act cases, 54
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 206, 212, 214
and FBI oversight, 254
and Flynn’s communications with Russia, 155–56, 166
and Flynn’s firing, 171
Grassley complaints to, 227, 228
and Hatch Act regulations, 48
independence requirement, 331
and McCabe’s firing, 287–88
and McCabe’s Judiciary Committee testimony, 275
and Mueller conflicts, 240
and Mueller Report findings, 312–13, 316, 318–19, 320–21, 323, 325, 327, 329, 330
and Ohr’s demotion, 271–72
and opening of investigation on Trump, 222
and Page’s background, 46–47
and Priebus’s White House meeting with Comey, 166
and purge of U.S. attorneys, 26
and relations with the media, 174
and Rosenstein firing speculation, 292
and Rosenstein’s appointment, 164
and Rosenstein’s offer to record Trump, 303–4
and Russian interference investigation, 12
and Sessions’s recusal from Russia investigation, 178–79
and Sessions’s resignation offer, 238
and Steele dossier, 265–66
and Stellar Wind surveillance program, 21, 23–24, 26–27
and Strzok-Page text messaging controversy, 269, 302–3
and Trump’s attacks on Sessions, 255–56
and Trump’s attempts to influence Comey, 186, 188
Trump’s attempt to initiate investigation on Clinton, 247
and Trump’s travel ban, 163
weekly threat briefings, 175
and Weiner laptop investigation, 107, 114, 123, 134–35
and Whitaker appointment, 306
U.S. News & World Report, 98
U.S. Senate
Armed Services Committee, 178
Intelligence Committee, 45, 181, 202–3, 241–47, 264
Judiciary Committee, 26, 181, 189–92, 233
and midterm elections, 305
U.S. Supreme Court, 185, 304, 314, 317
Vanity Fair, 264, 291, 309
Vietnam War, 20
Volstead, Andrew, 54–55
Volstead Act, 55
Wall Street Journal
and assembly of Mueller’s team, 237
and Clinton Foundation investigation, 116, 123, 130, 195–96, 219
and Comey’s firing, 198
and Comey’s personality, 28
and leak investigations, 195, 262, 267, 285, 287, 293, 327
and McCabe campaign contributions controversy, 114–15
and Mueller appointment, 239
and Ohr’s background, 94
and porn star hush money payments, 280
and Strzok-Page text messaging controversy, 260, 263, 269
and Weiner laptop investigation, 117
and Wray appointment as FBI head, 240
Washington Post
and Access Hollywood tape, 108
Bezos’s purchase of, 257
and Clinton email investigation, 60, 82–83, 129, 131
and Clinton Foundation investigation, 98
and Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting, 72
and Comey’s Intelligence Committee testimony, 246
and Comey’s notoriety, 135
confirmation of Trump investigation, 247
and “deep state” conspiracy theories, 327
and election outcome, 136
and fallout from Comey’s firing, 217
and Flynn investigation, 169
and Flynn’s communications with Russia, 150–51
and Flynn’s resignation, 171
and Jill McCabe’s campaign, 47
and media coverage of Russia investigation, 177–78
and Mueller Report findings, 309
and Strzok-Page text messaging controversy, 269, 299
and Trump’s candidacy, 37
and Trump’s tensions with Comey, 188
and Trump’s use of nicknames, 251
Wasserman Schultz, Deborah, 55–56, 86, 88
Watergate affair, 4, 137n, 238, 249, 254, 274
Watters, Jesse, 198
Weiner, Anthony (and laptop investigation), 105–9, 113–14, 113n, 122–23, 133–36, 166
Weissman, Andrew, 237
Whitaker, Matthew, 306–7
White House counsel’s office, 155–56
Whitewater investigation, 4, 36, 50, 301
WikiLeaks
and Access Hollywood tape, 108
and Australian intelligence on Russian interference, 87–88
and Clinton email leaks, 86–88
and Crossfire Hurricane investigation, 92
and Guccifer 2.0 leaks, 66, 86
impact on election results, 189
and Mueller Report findings, 322
and Papadopoulos-Russia connection, 87–88
Will, Candice M., 300
Williams & Connolly law firm, 41–42
WilmerHale law firm, 236, 239
Wittes, Benjamin, 154–55, 164, 215
Woodruff, Judy, 246
World Cup, 102
World Economic Forum, 281
Wray, Christopher A., 240, 262, 274, 284–85, 300
Yates, Sally