REED: Well, yes. So you're fired. So do you believe that you were fired because you -- you refused to -- to take the president's direction? Is that the ultimate reason? COMEY: I don't know for sure. I know I was fired. Again, I take the president's words. I know I was fired because of something about the way I was conducting the Russia investigation was, in some way, putting pressure on him, in some way, irritating him. And he decided to fire me because of that. REED: Now, the Russian investigation, as you have pointed out, and as all my colleagues have reflected, is one of the most serious hostile acts against this country in our history. Undermining the very core of our democracy and our elections is not a discrete event. It will likely occur -- it's probably being prepared now for '18 and '20 and beyond. And yet the president of the United States fires you because, in your own words -- some relation to this investigation. And then he shows up in the Oval Office with the Russian foreign minister, first, after classifying you as crazy and a real nut job, which I think you've effectively disproved this morning. He said, "I face great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off." Your conclusion would be that the president, I would think, is downplaying the seriousness of this threat. In fact, took specific steps to stop a thorough investigation of the Russian -- Russian influence. And also, from what you've said, or what was -- been said this morning, doesn't seem particularly interested in these hostile threats by the Russians? Is that fair? COMEY: I don't know that I can agree to that level of detail. There's no doubt that it's a fair judgment -- it's my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation. I was fired, in some way, to change -- or the endeavor was to change the way the Russia investigation was being conducted. That is a -- that is a very big deal, and not just because it involves me. The nature of the FBI and the nature of its work requires that it not be the subject of political consideration. And on top of that you have -- the Russia investigation itself is vital, because of the threat. And I know I should've said this earlier, but it's obvious -- if any Americans were part of helping the Russians do that to us, that is a very big deal. And I'm confident that, if that is the case, Director Mueller will find that evidence. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/james-comey-full-transcript-ex-fbi-chief-s-testimony-n770086
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COMEY: I don't know for sure. I know I was fired. Again, I take the president's words. I know I was fired because of something about the way I was conducting the Russia investigation was, in some way, putting pressure on him, in some way, irritating him. And he decided to fire me because of that.
REED: Now, the Russian investigation, as you have pointed out, and as all my colleagues have reflected, is one of the most serious hostile acts against this country in our history.
Undermining the very core of our democracy and our elections is not a discrete event. It will likely occur -- it's probably being prepared now for '18 and '20 and beyond. And yet the president of the United States fires you because, in your own words -- some relation to this investigation.
And then he shows up in the Oval Office with the Russian foreign minister, first, after classifying you as crazy and a real nut job, which I think you've effectively disproved this morning. He said, "I face great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off." Your conclusion would be that the president, I would think, is downplaying the seriousness of this threat.
In fact, took specific steps to stop a thorough investigation of the Russian -- Russian influence. And also, from what you've said, or what was -- been said this morning, doesn't seem particularly interested in these hostile threats by the Russians? Is that fair?
COMEY: I don't know that I can agree to that level of detail. There's no doubt that it's a fair judgment -- it's my judgment that I was fired because of the Russia investigation. I was fired, in some way, to change -- or the endeavor was to change the way the Russia investigation was being conducted.
That is a -- that is a very big deal, and not just because it involves me. The nature of the FBI and the nature of its work requires that it not be the subject of political consideration.
And on top of that you have -- the Russia investigation itself is vital, because of the threat. And I know I should've said this earlier, but it's obvious -- if any Americans were part of helping the Russians do that to us, that is a very big deal. And I'm confident that, if that is the case, Director Mueller will find that evidence.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/james-comey-full-transcript-ex-fbi-chief-s-testimony-n770086