Your guide to watching Comey’s Senate Intelligence Committee testimony

By Priya Krishnakumar, Christina Bellantoni and Chris Keller

Former FBI Director James B. Comey, who was abruptly fired by President Trump on May 9, will testify Thursday in front of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Here’s what to look out for during one of the most highly anticipated moments in Trump’s presidency.

How to watch:

The Los Angeles Times will live-stream the hearing on Facebook and the Essential Washington liveblog starting at 7 a.m. Pacific time on Thursday. It also will air on most major networks.

What Comey will say:

James Comey will begin his testimony by reading prepared remarks, which were released by the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday.

June 7, 2017

Read Comey's full prepared remarks

Where they'll be:

Comey will testify in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building. The room has had its share of high-profile hearings - former acting Atty. Gen. Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper also testified in this same room on May 8.

Inside Hart 216:

Here's what you can expect to see while Comey testifies.

Senate Seal on the marble back wall The 15-member Senate Intelligence Committee will sit by seniority and party affiliation, with the chairman and vice chairman in the middle. Republicans have more members because they are in the majority. Stenographer’s desk Committee staff members sit in the chairs behind the senators James Comey’s hot seat Comey will testify by himself before the committee. Before they begin questioning him, he will read prepared remarks. He also is expected to speak to senators in a private session. The news media are expected to take up dozens of seats in the room, but the hearing is open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. The committee expects a packed audience. Kamala Harris(Calif.) Joe Manchin III(W.Va.) Angus King(Maine) Martin Heinrich(N.M.) Ron Wyden(Ore.) Dianne Feinstein(Calif.) VICE CHAIRMANMark R. Warner(Va.) CHAIRMANRichard M. Burr(N.C.) Marco Rubio(Fla.) James Risch(Idaho) Susan Collins(Maine) Roy Blunt(Mo.) James Lankford(Okla.) Tom Cotton(Ark.) John Cornyn(Texas) GALLERY SEATING Four senior senators are ex-officio members of the panel: Republicans Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and John McCain (Ariz.) and Democrats Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Jack Reed (R.I.). McConnell and Schumer are their party's leaders.

What they'll be discussing:

  • Comey's interactions with President Trump that led to his firing in May, and any memos Comey may have written about those interactions.
  • Whether Trump pressured Comey into ending the FBI investigation into then-national security advisor Michael Flynn, and when those conversations may have happened.

What they won't be discussing:

  • The ongoing investigation into possible collusion between the Russian government and the Trump campaign during the 2016 election.
  • Aspects of the investigation now being led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III that do not directly pertain to Comey.

Questions to anticipate:

What are the details of the meeting between Trump and Comey?

Did Trump demand Comey’s loyalty, as reports have suggested?

Did Comey find any evidence that the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia?

About the Senate Intelligence Committee:

The committee, which is chaired by Sen. Richard M. Burr (N.C.), is comprised of eight Republicans, six Democrats and one independent. Several committee members from both parties had expressed strong concerns when Comey was fired in May. Here's what you need to know about the committee members.

For full coverage of Comey's testimony and its aftermath, head to the Essential Washington liveblog, or sign up for our politics newsletter.

Sources: AP Photography, ProPublica Congress API

Credits: Colleen Shalby also contributed reporting.