Fact check: Did James Comey brief Barack Obama on the Russia investigation before the 2017 election?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, none of the sources explicitly confirm that James Comey briefed Barack Obama on the Russia investigation before the 2017 election. However, the sources do reveal several relevant meetings and interactions:

• Multiple high-level meetings occurred between Obama administration officials regarding Russia-related matters. Sources document meetings on July 28, 2016 ^[1], July 19, 2016 ^[1], and December 9, 2016 ^[1] where Obama, Comey, and other officials discussed Russia-related issues.
• A crucial January 5, 2017 Oval Office meeting took place where Comey briefed President Barack Obama on the FBI's investigation into Flynn's contacts with the former Russian ambassador ^[2]. This occurred after the 2016 election but before Trump's inauguration.
• The sources indicate that Comey briefed Trump on the anti-Trump dossier in January 2017, with John Brennan present for that briefing ^[3].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important contextual information that emerges from the analyses:

• The timeline distinction is crucial - while the sources don't confirm pre-election briefings specifically about the Russia investigation, they document extensive Russia-related discussions throughout 2016 between Obama and his intelligence officials, including Comey ^[1].
• Multiple intelligence agencies were involved beyond just the FBI. The sources mention James Clapper and other National Security Council Principals participating in Russia discussions ^[4].
• The nature of these briefings varied - some focused on Russian election interference broadly, while others specifically addressed individual investigations like the Flynn matter ^[2].
• Political motivations are contested - some sources suggest the Obama administration "manufactured" intelligence to create the Russian election interference narrative ^{[1] [5]}, while others frame the Russia investigation as "essential" ^[2].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question, while factually structured, may contain implicit assumptions:

• The question assumes a specific briefing occurred without acknowledging the complex, ongoing nature of Russia-related intelligence sharing throughout 2016 and early 2017 ^{[1] [2]}.
• The framing suggests a singular event when the evidence points to multiple meetings and ongoing discussions about Russia-related matters between Obama administration officials ^{[1] [4]}.
• The question doesn't account for the disputed nature of whether these intelligence activities represented legitimate national security concerns or, as some sources allege, a "conspiracy to subvert President Trump's 2016 victory" ^{[4] [6]}.

The sources reveal significant political stakes in how this question is answered, with different political factions benefiting from different interpretations of the Obama administration's Russia-related intelligence activities.