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| Democrats Escalate Calls for Trump Inquiry, With Republicans More Reserved | Democrats Escalate Calls for Trump Inquiry, With Republicans More Reserved |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Members of Congress from both parties escalated calls on Tuesday for the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey to appear before them after reports that President Trump had asked him to drop an investigation into Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser. | WASHINGTON — Members of Congress from both parties escalated calls on Tuesday for the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey to appear before them after reports that President Trump had asked him to drop an investigation into Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser. |
| Democrats were aggressive in seeking new hearings and an independent investigation. Republicans, on the whole, reserved judgment until they learned more or heard from Mr. Comey himself. | Democrats were aggressive in seeking new hearings and an independent investigation. Republicans, on the whole, reserved judgment until they learned more or heard from Mr. Comey himself. |
| “The country is being tested in unprecedented ways,” said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader. | |
| The news of Mr. Comey’s memo, a day after it was disclosed that Mr. Trump had revealed sensitive intelligence to Russian officials, added another layer of chaos and uncertainty on Capitol Hill, diverting attention from debates on health care and tax policy and increasing many lawmakers’ reservations about the president. | |
| Some Republicans put the burden on Mr. Comey to produce proof, with Representative Jason Chaffetz, Republican of Utah, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, vowing to obtain a memo Mr. Comey wrote in which he said Mr. Trump had made his request on the Flynn investigation during a meeting in February. | |
| “I need to see it sooner rather than later,” Mr. Chaffetz, who recently announced he was leaving Congress, said on Twitter. “I have my subpoena pen ready.” | “I need to see it sooner rather than later,” Mr. Chaffetz, who recently announced he was leaving Congress, said on Twitter. “I have my subpoena pen ready.” |
| Lawmakers in both parties were largely confounded by the latest controversy, one in a series of self-made crises that have hobbled their ability to move forward with Mr. Trump’s policy priorities. | |
| As the day began, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who has been mostly silent on the president’s increasing troubles concerning Russia, carefully pleaded with the administration to stop impeding the Republican agenda. But even as he tried to change the conversation to health care, the focus remained firmly on the president and Russia. | As the day began, the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, who has been mostly silent on the president’s increasing troubles concerning Russia, carefully pleaded with the administration to stop impeding the Republican agenda. But even as he tried to change the conversation to health care, the focus remained firmly on the president and Russia. |
| “I think we could do with a little less drama from the White House on a lot of things so that we can focus on our agenda,” Mr. McConnell said on Bloomberg Television on Tuesday morning, reflecting the Republican majority’s increasing frustration over the White House’s mishaps. | |
| Later, when asked during a news conference on Capitol Hill whether he was concerned about Mr. Trump’s competence in handling intelligence information, Mr. McConnell paused for several beats before responding, “No.” | Later, when asked during a news conference on Capitol Hill whether he was concerned about Mr. Trump’s competence in handling intelligence information, Mr. McConnell paused for several beats before responding, “No.” |
| By evening, the drama swelled with the news of Mr. Comey’s memo, and Democrats demanded an even more aggressive investigation of Mr. Trump. | By evening, the drama swelled with the news of Mr. Comey’s memo, and Democrats demanded an even more aggressive investigation of Mr. Trump. |
| “You’re watching an obstruction of justice investigation developing in real time,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “If there were ever any question about the need for an independent special prosecutor, this report is the nail on the argument.” | “You’re watching an obstruction of justice investigation developing in real time,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “If there were ever any question about the need for an independent special prosecutor, this report is the nail on the argument.” |
| Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the report solidified the need for Mr. Comey to brief lawmakers again. He said they also wanted to see his notes. | Representative Adam B. Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said the report solidified the need for Mr. Comey to brief lawmakers again. He said they also wanted to see his notes. |
| “Enough is enough,” Mr. Schiff told reporters. “Congress needs to get to the bottom of this.” | “Enough is enough,” Mr. Schiff told reporters. “Congress needs to get to the bottom of this.” |
| Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, said at a dinner honoring him on Tuesday night that the scandals surrounding the Trump administration were “Watergate-size,” according to a person who was in the room and confirmed the quote on the condition of anonymity. | |
| But most Republicans, who hold majorities in the House and Senate, were far more tempered in their assessments. | But most Republicans, who hold majorities in the House and Senate, were far more tempered in their assessments. |
| Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina suggested that he was withholding judgment, saying he was “not going to opine about a memo.” | Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina suggested that he was withholding judgment, saying he was “not going to opine about a memo.” |
| “If the F.B.I. director feels the president did something inappropriate, he should come in and tell us,” Mr. Graham told reporters. | “If the F.B.I. director feels the president did something inappropriate, he should come in and tell us,” Mr. Graham told reporters. |
| Asked if he was any more inclined now to embrace a special prosecutor to investigate ties between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia, Mr. Graham said no. “Nobody’s showing me a crime anywhere,” he said. | Asked if he was any more inclined now to embrace a special prosecutor to investigate ties between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia, Mr. Graham said no. “Nobody’s showing me a crime anywhere,” he said. |
| Representative K. Michael Conaway, Republican of Texas, who is leading the House investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, declined to comment Tuesday as members of the committee filed out of a closed-door meeting with Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director. | Representative K. Michael Conaway, Republican of Texas, who is leading the House investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election, declined to comment Tuesday as members of the committee filed out of a closed-door meeting with Mike Pompeo, the C.I.A. director. |
| Other Republicans said they had not had time to process the news of Mr. Comey’s memo. “I don’t know the facts,” said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the second most powerful Senate Republican, who took himself out of contention on Tuesday to be Mr. Comey’s replacement. | Other Republicans said they had not had time to process the news of Mr. Comey’s memo. “I don’t know the facts,” said Senator John Cornyn of Texas, the second most powerful Senate Republican, who took himself out of contention on Tuesday to be Mr. Comey’s replacement. |
| In an interview on CNN, Senator Angus King, the Maine independent who typically votes with Democrats, was asked whether the revelation of the Comey memo had made impeachment proceedings more likely. “Reluctantly, I have to say yes,” he said. | |
| Some Republicans seemed inclined to defend Mr. Trump and to question any news report that suggested executive impropriety. After a lengthy defense of the president, Senator Jim Risch of Idaho turned to an Associated Press reporter who appeared unconvinced. | Some Republicans seemed inclined to defend Mr. Trump and to question any news report that suggested executive impropriety. After a lengthy defense of the president, Senator Jim Risch of Idaho turned to an Associated Press reporter who appeared unconvinced. |
| “Get that look off your face,” Mr. Risch said, grinning. “Be happy! Come on. He’s not so bad.” | “Get that look off your face,” Mr. Risch said, grinning. “Be happy! Come on. He’s not so bad.” |
| Republican lawmakers who represent swing districts were more inclined to be critical of the president. | Republican lawmakers who represent swing districts were more inclined to be critical of the president. |
| “Once again, we are faced with inexplicable stories coming from the White House that are highly troubling,” said Representative Barbara Comstock of Virginia, who is up for re-election next year in a highly competitive district. | “Once again, we are faced with inexplicable stories coming from the White House that are highly troubling,” said Representative Barbara Comstock of Virginia, who is up for re-election next year in a highly competitive district. |
| “We need to have immediate classified briefings on what occurred at this meeting so that Congress can at least know as much as Russian leaders and know the impact on our national security, our allies, and our men and women protecting our country,” she said in a statement. | “We need to have immediate classified briefings on what occurred at this meeting so that Congress can at least know as much as Russian leaders and know the impact on our national security, our allies, and our men and women protecting our country,” she said in a statement. |
| The often shifting narrative coming out of the White House has made it nearly impossible for lawmakers to get a grasp of what has happened and how to respond, or to weigh the potential damage to their party. | The often shifting narrative coming out of the White House has made it nearly impossible for lawmakers to get a grasp of what has happened and how to respond, or to weigh the potential damage to their party. |
| “In order for me to judge the appropriateness or not, I have to have context,” Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, said. “If it is in fact true that this information was shared with the Russian ambassador, it seems to me it’d be O.K. to be shared with U.S. senators.” | “In order for me to judge the appropriateness or not, I have to have context,” Senator Thom Tillis, Republican of North Carolina, said. “If it is in fact true that this information was shared with the Russian ambassador, it seems to me it’d be O.K. to be shared with U.S. senators.” |
| Mr. McConnell did not go as far on Tuesday as Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who suggested in a statement that the information discussed by Mr. Trump with the Russians might have endangered allies. “The disclosure of highly classified information has the potential to jeopardize sources and to discourage our allies from sharing future information vital to our security,” Ms. Collins said. | Mr. McConnell did not go as far on Tuesday as Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine and a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who suggested in a statement that the information discussed by Mr. Trump with the Russians might have endangered allies. “The disclosure of highly classified information has the potential to jeopardize sources and to discourage our allies from sharing future information vital to our security,” Ms. Collins said. |
| Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, requested that the White House provide information to the committee on the Russian meeting and had yet to hear a reply on Tuesday. But after the news broke about Mr. Comey’s memo, Mr. Burr said that the burden was on The Times to produce the document. | Senator Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, requested that the White House provide information to the committee on the Russian meeting and had yet to hear a reply on Tuesday. But after the news broke about Mr. Comey’s memo, Mr. Burr said that the burden was on The Times to produce the document. |