GOP set to move on from Russia in 2018; Democrats keep focus

WASHINGTON — Republicans and Democrats are scrambling in the final days of 2017 to establish an enduring narrative on multiple Russia investigations and the integrity of the investigators, a partisan messaging battle that has intensified as special counsel Robert Mueller has appeared to focus more intently on President Donald Trump and his inner circle.

Congressional Republicans who have put up with almost a year’s worth of speculation and investigations into Trump’s ties to Russia are hoping to move on from that topic in 2018, renewing focus on Democrat Hillary Clinton and stepping up criticism of Mueller. Democrats remain focused on Trump and are pushing to keep congressional investigations on Russia going for months to come.

On Thursday, Republicans brought the topic back to Clinton as two committees began conducting interviews in a new investigation of the FBI and its 2016 inquiry into Clinton’s email server. The House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees spent hours behind closed doors with Deputy FBI Director Andrew Mccabe, who was involved in that probe. It was the second time this week Mccabe has met with lawmakers behind closed doors as Republicans charge that there is anti-trump bias within the ranks of the bureau. Democrats are accusing the GOP of diversionary tactics and say their criticism could embolden Trump to take steps to fire Mueller.

“This is a fight for the soul of our democracy,” said Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the oversight panel, on Thursday. “Nothing less.”

Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, made a speech Wednesday on the Senate floor warning Trump not to take any action relating to Mueller. He said Thursday that he gave the speech because the “tone and tenor” coming from the White House and its allies “should send a chill through all of us.”