previously reported by the times, which noted that then-white house counsel don mcgahn intervened and stopped it from being sent. the second instance was this interview that the president did with lester holt two days after he fired comey in which he discussed his reasoning for doing so. >> i was going to fire comey. there's no good time to do it, by the way. >> in your letter, you said i accepted their recommendation. you already made the decision? >> i was going to fire regardless of recommendation. he made a recommendation. he's highly respected, very good guy, very smart guy. the democrats like him. the republicans like him. he made a recommendation, but regardless of recommendation, i was going to fire comey. knowing there was no good time to do it. and in fact, when i decided to just do it, i said to myself, i said, you know, this russia thing with trump and russia is a made-up story.