• Republican chairman steps aside from leading Russia probe,
WASHINGTON — The Republican chairman is temporarily stepping aside from leading a congressional investigation of Russian interference in last year’s U.S. presidential election, citing ethics complaints that he mishandled classified information.
The decision by Rep. Devin Nunes of California comes amid partisan turmoil on the House intelligence committee. Democrats have alleged that Mr. Nunes, who was on President Donald Trump’s transition team, is too close to the White House and cannot lead an impartial inquiry. In an extraordinary step, the usually quiet House Ethics Committee said that it is investigating whether Mr. Nunes improperly disclosed classified information. President Donald Trump said Mr. Nunes is “a very honorable guy.”
Mr. Nunes blamed “leftwing activist groups” for filing “entirely false and politically motivated” accusations against him with the Office of Congressional Ethics.
Democrats’ cries for an independent panel to investigate Russia’s possible ties with the Trump campaign have grown. They have pointed in particular to two Nunes trips to the White House — one announced, one not — as evidence that his loyalty to Mr. Trump outweighs his commitment to leading a bipartisan investigation.
By all accounts, the intelligence committee’s growing partisanship has become a distraction from its underlying investigations.
The top Democrat on the committee, Adam Schiff of California, said he appreciated Mr. Nunes’ decision to step aside from the Russia investigation.
While Mr. Schiff said the panel’s investigation is back on track, the Republicans had not signed off on rescheduling a public hearing with former Obama administration officials. Mr. Schiff said it was important that the public hear testimony from former acting Attorney General Sally Yates about why Mr. Trump’s first national security adviser was fired. Mr. Nunes canceled the hearing.
GOP Rep. Mike Conaway, who has served in Congress for more than a decade, will temporarily take charge of the investigation, said Republican Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.
Mr. Conaway, a Republican from the oil fields of West Texas with a reputation as a conservative, has been critical of Mr. Trump’s plans to cut the Department of Agriculture by 21 percent.
As for the Russia probe, Mr. Conaway demonstrated a low-key approach in the committee’s first public session.
Aside from Mr. Nunes’ recusal, it was a busy day in the Washington political sphere.
GOP health bill
House leaders threw up their hands over the Republican health care bill and sent lawmakers home for a twoweek recess. GOP chiefs announced a modest amendment to curb premium increases, but internal divisions still blocked their promised repeal of Mr. Obama’s law.
Twitter sues U.S.
Twitter sued the federal government on Thursday to block the unmasking of @ALT_USCIS, an anonymous account that has posted messages critical of the Trump administration and has claimed to have ties to a government agency.