Sen. Richard Burr to step down as Intelligence Committee chairman amid investigation into stock sales ahead of coronavirus pandemic. The FBI had seized Burr’s cellphone in a search warrant served on the North Carolina Republican’s lawyer, according to a senior Justice Department official. The Justice Department launched an inquiry into four senators' stock sales in March after financial disclosures showed the lawmakers, their spouses or advisers sold stocks around the time lawmakers received briefings about the severity of the coronavirus. Ref. USAToday.