The White House released a trove of documents showing that the FBI opened a 2017 investigation into whether President Donald Trump was acting on behalf of or under the influence of Russia when he fired FBI Director James Comey.
The investigation, codenamed “Oxferd Comma,” opened after Trump fired Comey in May 2017, according to the White Houses release. It is unclear why “Oxford” was seemingly misspelled, though there has been speculation that the misspelling may have been intended to make the investigation more difficult to uncover through Freedom of Information Act requests.
Investigators sought to determine whether Trump was “directed by, controlled by, and/or coordinated activities with, the Russian Federation in a manner constituting a threat to the national security of the United States and/or a violation of federal criminal statutes,” according to an FBI memo dated May 16, 2017. The memo also said investigators would examine whether Trump or others had obstructed or conspired to obstruct an associated FBI investigation.
TRUMP ALLY DIGENOVA TAPPED TO LEAD DOJ PROBE INTO BRENNAN OVER RUSSIA PROBE ORIGINS
The opening memo cited information developed during Crossfire Hurricane, the FBIs counterintelligence investigation into whether individuals associated with Trumps 2016 campaign were coordinating with the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 election.
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It also identified later events and information, including Trumps interactions with Comey, the administrations shifting explanations for Comeys firing, Trump campaign discussions concerning the Republican platforms language on Ukraine aid and Trumps business ties and real estate interests involving Russia.
Trump initially cited Comeys handling of the FBI investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server while she was secretary of state as the reason for his ouster, though he later said the Russia investigation was also on his mind when he made the decision.
The FBI memo said the circumstances surrounding Comeys dismissal could support an inference that the bureaus counterintelligence investigation was a factor in Trumps decision to fire Comey.
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However, the decision to open the investigation did not mean those suspicions had been substantiated.
Special counsel Robert Mueller, appointed in 2017 to investigate Russian election interference, reported in 2019 that his team did not establish coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia and did not make a prosecutorial decision on obstruction. Attorney General William Barr appointed John Durham to review the origins and handling of the FBIs Russia investigation in 2019. Durhams 2023 report concluded that the FBI opened the full Crossfire Hurricane investigation without sufficient evidentiary support and did not apply the same rigor it had used in other sensitive investigations.
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A separate 2019 Justice Department inspector general review found the FBI had enough information under its rules to open Crossfire Hurricane, though it later identified serious errors and omissions in surveillance applications involving former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.
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