I would throw conspiracy into that mix as well.
"While Comey may be in the clear legally, that does not mean that he acted “appropriately,” critics say. Lawmakers are frustrated that the former director didn’t bring his story to Congress, rather than the media."
Comey has a history within the time frame of Trump's election and taking office, of failing to report various things to Congress. He was chastised previously for not notifying Congress about something related to the Russian investigation, and I believe it had to do with not telling them about the FICA requests in a timely manner. There are probably plenty of other examples where Comey failed to notify Congress about parts of this investigation, and like his timing his leaks, he timed his failures to notify Congress in the same manner, to have the greatest negative effect against President Trump.