Axios

President Trump dismissed James Comey May 9, Comey testified last week before the Senate Intelligence Committee, and now the special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating whether Trump obstructed justice, at least in part due to Trump's interactions with Comey.

Here's a look at all the key events relating to Trump, Comey and the Russia probe:

In a 97-2 vote Wednesday, the Senate voted to place new sanctions on Russia over interference in the 2016 election. The measure has been attached to a bill sanctioning Iran for its continued work on developing ballistic missile technology. The two voting against were Republicans Rand Paul and Mike Lee.

The legislation would enable fresh sanctions on entities engaging in "malicious cyber activity on behalf of the Russian government." It would also require Congress to review any attempt by the president to ease or end existing penalties.

Timing: The measure was approved in the Senate just two days after it was announced by leaders of the Senate Banking and Foreign Relations committees, and must now be approved by the House then signed into law by Trump.

Why this matters: The bill is a rebuke to the Trump administration, which many Senators argue has not done enough to punish Moscow for meddling in U.S. politics and around the world.

Bernie Sanders said he learned James T. Hodgkinson, the alleged shooter at the GOP baseball practice Wednesday morning, used to volunteer on his presidential campaign and said he is "sickened by this despicable act."

"Let me be as clear as I can be. Violence of any kind is unacceptable in our society and I condemn this action in the strongest possible terms. Real change can only come about through nonviolent action..."

There are several posts in support of Bernie Sanders on what appears to be Hodgkinson's Facebook page.

President Trump offered his prayers following the ""very, very, very brutal assault" on the GOP Congressional baseball practice Wednesday morning and announced that the shooting suspect, James Hodgkinson, "has now died from his injuries."

• Trump said House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was on of 6 shooting victims, is in stable condition.
• Trump called on viewers to "take a moment today to cherish those you love" and asked for unity, stating, "we are strongest when we are unified, and when we work for the common good."

Virginia law enforcement officials have identified the shooting suspect of the Republican Congressional baseball practice as 66-year-old James Hodgkinson, per the Washington Post. Hodgkinson, from Belleville, Illinois, was charged in April 2006 with "battery and aiding damage to a motor vehicle." The charges were later dismissed.

The latest:

• House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy says Majority Whip Steve Scalise is out of surgery. He also stated that all floor action will be delayed until tomorrow but committee hearings will resume this afternoon.
• Rep. Roger Williams confirms Zack Barth, one of his legislative correspondents, was shot at the practice and is receiving medical attention. Williams says he is expected to make a full recovery.
• President Trump has canceled his event at the Department of Labor today. There are no other public events on his schedule.
• Lobbyist Matt Mika, director of government relations for Tyson's DC office, was also shot, per NBC.
• Rep. Eric Swalell on Twitter: "The #congressionalbaseballgame is on. We will play for charity, but also for the victims & the heroic officers who took down the shooter."

Ivanka Trump will meet with GOP members of Congress in the upcoming weeks to go over different ways to promote paid family leave and better tax benefits to parents at an event organized by Sen. Marco Rubio, who is also a proponent of improving family aid, per Politico.

What they're saying: "I think we're trying to help the same people," Rubio told Politico. "Obviously I like my approach... She has a different one, at least for now. I don't think they're inflexible about it."

The White House has issued a statement by President Trump in response to this morning's shooting at the Republican Congressional baseball practice in Virginia:

The Vice President and I are aware of the shooting incident in Virginia and are monitoring developments closely. We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the members of Congress, their staffs, Capitol Police, first responders, and all others affected.

Later, Trump tweeted in response to the attack:

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's longtime personal lawyer, said that he has been asked to testify in front of the House Intelligence Committee on Sept. 5 as a part of the House's Russia investigation, per Bloomberg.

His Russia connection: The unverified Steele dossier claimed that Cohen traveled to Prague in order to meet with Russian officials. He was also a conduit for the secret Ukraine peace plan that made its way to the desk of then-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions came out swinging with his opening statement before the Senate Intelligence Committee Tuesday, adamantly denying claims of collusion with the Russians, and condemning the "secret innuendo being leaked" about his contacts with Russian officials:

"Let me state this clearly, colleagues, I have never met with or had any conversation with any Russians or any foreign officials concerning any type of interference with any campaign or election in the United States, further I have no knowledge of any such conversations by anyone connected to the Trump campaign... any suggestion I participated in or was aware of collusion with the Russians is an appalling and detestable lie."

Did you meet with the Russian Ambassador at the April 2016 Mayflower Hotel event?

• "I did not have any private meetings nor do I recall any conversations with Russian officials at the Mayflower Hotel... if any brief interaction occurred in passing with the Russian ambassador during that reception, I do not remember it."

Why did you recuse yourself?

• "I recused myself, not because of any wrongdoing... but because of a DOJ regulation... I felt it required it."
• "I recused myself from the Russia probe, but I did not recuse myself from defending my honor against scurrilous and false allegations."
• Sessions became angry when asked if there were any undisclosed reasons for his Russia probe recusal, as was suggested by Comey. "You tell me, Senator! There are none!"

What is your involvement in the Russia investigation?

• Sessions said his briefings regarding the Russia investigation stopped a day after he was sworn in as AG. "I have no knowledge about this investigation as it is ongoing today beyond what has been publicly reported."
• On Special Counsel Robert Mueller: "I have confidence in Mr. Mueller," said Sessions, but "[I] have not had any interactions with Special Counsel Mueller since his appointment."
• Did Russia interfere in the November presidential election? "It appears so," said Sessions, adding that he was never briefed on the subject.

Why did you leave Comey alone with Trump prior to their Flynn conversation?

• Sessions acknowledged that he lingered in the Oval Office, but left Comey because, "It didn't seem to me to be a major problem, I knew that Director Comey, long-time, experienced in the Dept. of Justice, could handle himself well."
• Sessions contradicted Comey's testimony, and stated that he told Comey the next day that he would tell the WH to follow proper protocol.

What was your involvement in the firing of Comey?

• "I cannot confirm or deny" whether I had a conversation with Trump about the firing of Comey.
• Sessions said he was not aware of Trump taping his Oval Office conversations.

Why are you "stonewalling" questions from the Senate panel?

• "I am not stonewalling."
• Sessions invoked the "right" not to answer certain questions because the president might invoke executive privilege at some point in the future.

Watch the highlights

Russian hackers hit election systems in at least 39 states in the summer and fall of 2016, a person with direct knowledge of the U.S. investigation into the matter told Bloomberg. Investigators have found evidence that cyber hackers tried to delete or change voter data by accessing software used by poll workers. In at least one state, hackers tried to tap a campaign finance database.

Obama's response: The extent of the hack so concerned the Obama administration, they picked up "the red phone" and talked to Moscow about it.

The attack was "far more widespread than has been publicly revealed, including incursions into voter databases and software systems in almost twice as many states as previously reported," according to Bloomberg.

Massachusetts Rep. Mike Capuano is digging in on California Rep. Brad Sherman for drawing up impeachment articles for Trump, which began circulating Monday, per Politico. Sherman has requested feedback by the middle of this week.

Sherman and Texas Rep. Al Green, who is also drafting articles, both say Trump has engaged in obstruction of justice in the Russia probe, and Sherman notes impeachment "is a long road. But we ought to begin" since it will take a while.

Breaking party lines:

1. Capuano reportedly said there should be a discussion in the caucus before moving forward.
2. Some Dems are hesitant to push swing-state voters away from going blue.
3. Democratic leadership is urging reserved actions about using the impeachment word just yet since the investigations haven't revealed enough yet.

Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein told senators Tuesday that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has "full independence" to investigate the ongoing Russia probe, although he can be fired at any time.

Rosenstein said there was "no basis" for firing Mueller, and he would only dismiss him if there was "good cause" — even if Trump ordered him to do so. Rosenstein later confirmed he is the only person who could fire Mueller, but noted there was "no secret plan" to remove him, or at least, "no secret plan that involves me."

The quote: "I appointed him. I stand by that decision... I am going to defend the integrity of that investigation."

Marc Kasowitz, President Trump's personal lawyer, told associates that he had a hand in Trump's decision to fire Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, earlier this year, per ProPublica.

The key quote: Kasowitz reportedly told Trump that Bharara was "going to get" him, according to ProPublica's sources.

Why this matters: While the president has the power to hire and fire U.S. attorneys, it's just another potential entanglement of Trump's personal relationships and his duty to govern — especially after Trump asked Bharara to stay in his job last November before eventually firing him in March.

We try very hard here to simply explain the Trump White House, and not join the pile-on. To us, the Trump world doesn't need more noise — it needs more explanation and illumination. But there are moments when it's important to remind even our staunchest pro-Trump readers that this often isn't anything approximating normal:

On Tuesday afternoon Jeff Sessions will face the Senate Intelligence Committee in an open hearing, where senators will grill the Attorney General about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.

Here's how Sessions will address some thorny questions, per sources familiar with his thinking:

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told the House Armed Services Committee Monday evening he sees "no evidence Mr. Putin wants a positive relationship" with the U.S., but added he thinks North Korea is the "most urgent and dangerous threat to peace and security," putting it past Russia.

Mattis also critiqued the defense budget, noting he is "shocked" by the low level of U.S. military preparedness. Trump's proposal aims to remedy that by boosting defense spending, but not by as much as many hawks would like:

• Trump vs. Obama: Trump's proposal calls for $603 billion for the DOD, whereas Obama's called for $584 billion — that is to say "it's basically the Obama approach with a little bit more, but not much," as committee chairman Mac Thornberry put it.
• That's not enough for defense hawks. They want another $37 billion. John McCain said, the "request is inadequate to the challenges we face" and "illegal under current law" — that's because the 2011 Budget Control Act which is still in place, and means his proposal is $54 billion over budget caps, per the Washington Examiner.