Thursday, April 6, 2017

Senior US lawmaker steps aside from Russia probe [Clips]

The chairman of the US House Intelligence Committee has removed
himself from their investigation into Russia's alleged meddling in
last year's presidential election.

The announcement comes on the same day the House Committee of Ethics
revealed that Devin Nunes is under investigation due to public reports
that he may have made unauthorized disclosures of classified
information.

Nunes says the claims are entirely false and politically motivated but
adds that it's in the panel's best interest if he temporarily removes
himself from the Russia probe.

House speaker Paul Ryan says the Ethics Committee investigation is a
distraction but is standing by Nunes.


IN: "Chairman Nunes…
OUT: …his decision
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GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0406Nunes2-wd-generic.mp3


The chair of the House Intelligence Committee was on President Donald
Trump's transition team and Democrats accuse the Republican senator of
being too close to the administration to be able to impartially
examine whether Trump's team had improper contacts with Russia.

Leading Democrat on the panel Adam Schiff welcomes the news.

IN: "I just…
OUT: …the investigation
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GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0406Nunes1-wd-generic.mp3


Nunes was criticized last month for revealing that Trump's team may
have incidentally been caught up in foreign surveillance carried out
by US intelligence agencies leading some Democrats to question whether
the Republican senator is too cozy with the Trump administration.

Leading Democrat on the panel Adam Schiff welcomes Nunes' decision to
step aside but says that the Committee has still been functioning
despite the controversy.


IN: "We've been…
OUT: …the documents
DUR: 12 seconds

GENERIC: http://www.fsnradionews.com/feeds/0406Nunes3-wd-generic.mp3