SENATE OPENS CONTROVERSIAL RUSSIA PROBE

WASHINGTON A top Senate Republican ally of U.S. President Donald Trump accused the FBI on Wednesday of conducting a corrupt investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign, during a congressional probe that Democrats view as part of a partisan attack on candidate Joe Biden.

Former U.S. deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, pictured, told a Senate Judiciary Committee he was unaware of problems with warrants allowing the FBI probe code-named “Crossfire Hurricane” to keep Trump 2016 campaign officials under surveillance and would not have given his approval if he had known about them.

“Every application that I approved appeared to be justified based on the facts it alleged, and the FBI was supposed to be following protocols to ensure that every fact was verified,” Rosenstein testified at a hearing.

The FBI launched the probe after learning of contacts between campaign officials and Russia involving information about Trump’s then rival, Hillary Clinton.