LAS VEGAS (KSNV NEWS3LV) — The New York Times reports that now-fired FBI Director James Comey says the President asked him to end his investigation into his former National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn.

According to the paper, Comey outlined his claim in a memo which followed a February Oval Office meeting with the President the day after Flynn was forced out of his job. Flynn got fired for lying to the Vice President over the nature of his contacts with Russian officials.

The FBI has been investigating Flynn over his alleged ties to Russia. The FBI also has a separate investigation into whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government.

President Trump fired FBI Director James Comey last week.

“The existence of Mr. Trump’s request is the clearest evidence that the president has tried to directly influence the Justice Department and FBI investigation into links between Mr. Trump’s associates and Russia,” writes New York Times reporter Michael S. Schmidt.

The White House issued a statement denying the report:

“The president has the utmost respect for our law enforcement agencies, and all investigations. This is not a truthful or accurate portrayal of the conversation between the president and Mr. Comey,” reported the Times.

Responding to the late-breaking report, Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nevada, issued a statement saying, “We need Republicans to stand up to their disgraceful standard bearer and join Democrats to establish an independent commission to investigate President Trump.”

The Times story caps a day that, until mid-afternoon, was dominated by a Washington Post report that said the president, last week, divulged highly-classified information about ISIS to Russia’s foreign minister and U.S. Ambassador during an Oval Office meeting. Democrats jumped on the news, saying Trump may have compromised our intelligence capabilities and the ally who gave the United States the information.

Published reports Tuesday say the intelligence came from Israel.

“The president in no way compromised any sources or methods in the course of this conversation,” said Gen. H. R. McMaster, the president’s national security advisor, who was in the meeting with the Russians.

On Tuesday, Trump said he was only trying to enlist Russia’s help against ruthless terrorists, “so we are going to have a lot of great success over the coming years and we want to get as many to help fight terrorism as possible.”

“If the reports of President Trump sharing classified information with Russian officials are true, our relationship with our allies who we rely on for intelligence is potentially threatened and our intelligence community is faced with repairing the damage,” says U.S. Senator Dean Heller, R-Nevada. “I expect the White House to provide Congress and the American people with a thorough explanation and I’m hopeful that the Senate Intelligence Committee will expand its bipartisan investigation to examine the facts surrounding the incident.”

“If true, this report identifies extremely alarming actions by the President,” says U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada. “The President’s cavalier regard to intelligence – in front of key members from Putin’s regime, no less – undermines our national security.”

“Congress must receive a full, immediate briefing on what transpired between the President and Russian officials,” says Rep. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada.

“It’s time that we convene a Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to fully investigate these claims and the impact on our intelligence operations abroad,” says Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nevada.

On Wednesday, Democrats in the House of Representatives will try to force a vote to establish an independent commission to investigate ties between the President and Russia. The President has repeatedly denied any improper connection.