Description

2016 Election Interference: FBI Investigation Timeline and Key Figures

Timeline of Main Events

July 31, 2016: The FBI began investigating the Russian government’s attempt to influence the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
2016 (Specific dates not provided):FBI Director James Comey sent letters to Congress.
FBI investigations and information gathering occurred, including interviews with individuals such as Stephen Bannon, Michael Cohen, and Rick Gates.
Communications occurred between the FBI and Christopher Steele.
Deputy Director McCabe was involved in an Office of Professional Responsibility investigation and communications regarding his spouse’s Virginia State Senate campaign.
Congressional correspondence took place regarding the Hillary Clinton email server investigation.
July 13, 2018: A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against 12 Russian military intelligence officers for their alleged roles in interfering with the 2016 U.S. elections. The indictment detailed a computer hacking conspiracy involving unauthorized access, data theft, and staged releases of documents.
Date unspecified: Former FBI Director James Comey communicated with President Trump (Comey made notes on these communications).
Date unspecified: Records related to the prepublication review of James Comey’s book, “A Higher Loyalty,” were created.

Cast of Characters (Principal People Mentioned)

Stephen Bannon: Former White House official and Trump campaign manager. He was interviewed by the FBI as part of the investigation.
Michael Cohen: Lawyer who was interviewed by the FBI as part of the investigation.
Rick Gates: Individual who was interviewed by the FBI as part of the investigation.
James Comey: Former Director of the FBI. He sent letters to Congress in 2016, communicated with President Trump (documented in his notes), and was the author of the book “A Higher Loyalty,” which underwent prepublication review.
Andrew McCabe: Former Deputy Director of the FBI. He was involved in an Office of Professional Responsibility investigation and communications related to his spouse’s Virginia State Senate campaign.
Christopher Steele: Individual who had communications with the FBI (the nature of these communications is not specified in this source, but typically refers to his compilation of information regarding alleged Russian interference).
Hillary Clinton: Former U.S. Secretary of State. Her use of a private email server was the subject of a Congressional investigation.
Donald Trump: President of the United States during the period mentioned. He had communications with FBI Director James Comey.
Boris Alekseyevich Antonov: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Dmitriy Sergeyevich Badin: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Nikolay Yuryevich Kozachek: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Aleksey Viktorovich Lukashev: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Artem Andreyevich Malyshev: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Sergey Aleksandrovich Morgachev: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Aleksandr Vladimirovich Osadchuk: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Aleksey Aleksandrovich Potemkin: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Ivan Sergeyevich Yermakov: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Pavel Vyacheslavovich Yershov: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
Viktor Borisovich Netyksho: One of the 12 Russian military intelligence officers indicted for alleged interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.

Russian Interference with the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election FBI Files

2,212 pages of FBI and Department of Justice files, and material collected by the Bureau and the Department, related to the investigation of the interference.

The FBI began investigating the Russian government’s attempt to influence the 2016 presidential election since July 31, 2016.

On July 13, 2018, a federal grand jury sitting in the District of Columbia returned an indictment against 12 Russian military intelligence officers for their alleged roles in interfering with the 2016 United States (U.S.) elections. The indictment charges 11 defendants, Boris Alekseyevich Antonov, Dmitriy Sergeyevich Badin, Nikolay Yuryevich Kozachek, Aleksey Viktorovich Lukashev, Artem Andreyevich Malyshev, Sergey Aleksandrovich Morgachev, Aleksandr Vladimirovich Osadchuk, Aleksey Aleksandrovich Potemkin, Ivan Sergeyevich Yermakov, Pavel Vyacheslavovich Yershov, and Viktor Borisovich Netyksho, with a computer hacking conspiracy involving gaining unauthorized access into the computers of U.S. persons and entities involved in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, stealing documents from those computers, and staging releases of the stolen documents to interfere with the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

The material includes:

FBI interview 302-reports. The 302-reports summarize interviews with former White House official and Trump campaign manager Stephen Bannon, lawyer Michael Cohen, Rick Gates, and more.

Deputy Director McCabe Office of Professional Responsibility Investigation

FBI Director Comey Letters to Congress in 2016.

Comey’s note on his communications with President Trump.

Congressional Correspondence Regarding Hillary Clinton Email Server Investigation

Deputy Director McCabe Communications Regarding Spouses Virginia State Senate Campaign Part

Deputy Director McCabe Office of Professional Responsibility Investigation

Records Between FBI and Christopher Steele

Records on Prepublication Review of a Higher Loyalty by Former FBI Director James Comey