Transcript for Key moments from Comey's testimony on Trump, Russia

The administration been chose. To defame me and more importantly the FBI. By saying that the organization was in disarray. It was poorly Latin that the workforce have lost confidence in its leader. Those relies. Plain and civil. The FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is and always will be independent. And now to my former colleagues if I'm. I am so sorry but I didn't get the chance to say goodbye to you. Proper director did the special counsel's office and review and were heading your written testimony. No he was general Flynn had that time in serious legal jeopardy. And in addition of that do you sense the president turning to obstruct justice or just see. Two away from Mike Flynt a safe place given he had ordered an honor. General Flynn at that point time was in legal jeopardy. There was an open FBI criminal investigation. His statements in connection with the Russian contacts. And the context themselves. And so that was my assessment of the time. I don't think it's for me to say whether the conversation I haven't the president was an effort to obstruct. We took it as a very disturbing thing very concerning. But that's a conclusion I'm sure the special counsel will work towards a trying to understand what the intention was there and whether that's an offense had to do something separately. To protect the credibility of the investigation which meant both the FBI and the justice. Were there other things that contributed to that you can just grab in an open session. There were other things that contribute to that. But one significant item I can't I know the committee's been briefed on expensive public accounts which are nonsense when and a Senate Committees been briefed on the classified facts. Probably the only other consideration. Going to sing and talk of an open setting is that at one point the attorney general and directed me not to call it an investigation. But instead to call it a matter. Which confuse me concerned me but that was one of them bricks in the load that led me to conclude. I have to step away from the department if we're to close this case credibly what was it about that meeting. That my due to determine if you need to start putting down a written record the nature of the personal. Honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting and so I thought really important to document. This statute justice has a blindfold on two counts was beaten he can now to see when your patron is pleased they're not what you're doing. It should be about the facts and the law that's why I was. That's why I became FBI director. To be enact kind of positions and that's why it was so an easy as well I've very carefully chosen words and looked I've seen the tweet about tapes Laurie I hope their tapes. I'm to crank tenders Jim whether there was any kind of investigation of the press and are under way. And we specifically said the president does not one of those Americans but bed. There was no other investigation of the president that we were not mentioning at that time what the context was counterintelligence. But I wasn't trying to hide some criminal investigation. The president didn't use show copies. Of your memos. To anyone outside. Of the Department of Justice yes. And to whom TG show patents. President treated on Friday after I get fired not a better hope there's not tapes. I woke up in the middle of the night a Monday night. It didn't dawn on me originally. That there might be corroboration. For our conversation might entail. In my judgment was I needed to get that out into the public square and so I asked a friend of mine. To share the contents of the memo with a reporter into a myself for a variety of reasons and I asked him to because I thought that might prompt the appointment of the special counsel. So I asked a close friend of my. How serious. This action actually was and why there was an investigation in the first place the Russians. Interferes. In our election during 2016 cycle V did with purposely didn't sophistication. They did it with blue overwhelming. Technical efforts. And he was an active measures campaign driven from the top of that government there is no fuzz on that. It is a high confidence judgment of the entire intelligence community and and members of this committee. Seeming intelligence and it's not a close call. That happened that's about as one stages you can possibly get. And is very very serious which is why it's so refreshing to see a bipartisan focus on that focuses about America and out of any particular court. So that was a hostile act by the Russian government against this country to certain did you in any way initiate that in. Because he called me at my desk at lunch time and asked me. Was a free for dinner that night many said about 630. And I assume whatever works for you sir and then I. Hung up and then to call my wife and break a date with Harris was take her out to dinner that night that's one of the all time great excuses for breaking. In retrospect I would bellows bank town I like yeah. Mr. Cummings do you believe humans and fared Hillary Clinton become president. That's the question I don't know bonds I might have been like I don't know look I've said before. That was an extraordinarily difficult and painful time. I think I did what I had to do I knew it was going to be very bad for me personally and the consequences that might have been feeling that was elected I might have been termed it I don't know I really don't view. Believe that you fired it is you who refused to one. Into prisons where he'll. I don't know for sure I know I was fired and managing the president's words and or was fired because of something about the way I was conducting the Russian investigation. Was some way putting pressure on him in some way irritating him and you decide if army because.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.