TEXTBOOK OBSTRUCTION:

1. President Obama sanctions Russia

On Dec. 28, 2016, then-President Obama ejects 35 Russian diplomats from the United States and introduces new sanctions against a number of Russian security services and individuals.

The move is retribution for Russia's interference in the 2016 election, detailed in the unclassified summary of a highly classified report by the intelligence community early in the new year.

2. Flynn confers with transition officials and talks sanctions with Russia

On Dec. 29, Flynn speaks with the Russian ambassador to the United States, Sergey Kislyak, as well as a "senior official" of the presidential transition team, according to court documents in Flynn's case.

The documents describe how Flynn spoke his colleague in the administration-in-waiting -- identified by some outlets as former deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland -- about what to tell the Russian ambassador about the sanctions. Then he spoke with Kislyak on the phone.

"Flynn called the Russian ambassador and requested that Russia not escalate the situation and only respond to the U.S. sanctions in a reciprocal manner," say the court documents. The Trump camp wants to offer Moscow the prospect for a better relationship once Trump is inaugurated.

On Dec. 31, Kislyak calls Flynn back and says Russia indeed will not escalate, as he asked. Russian President Vladimir Putin confirms that with a public announcement, which Trump hails on Twitter. [...]

9. Trump fires Comey

On May 9, Trump fires Comey, saying in an interview two days later that the FBI director was a "showboat" and a "grandstander."

Trump also mentions the FBI's Russia investigation, which Comey was leading -- "this Russia thing," as Trump calls it.

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