Senate Intelligence Committee finds 'no indications that Trump Tower was the subject of surveillance'
The leadership of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday flatly refuted President Trump's claims that his New York offices were wiretapped by the Obama administration in advance of the November election. "Based on the information available to us, we see no indications that Trump Tower was the subject of surveillance by any element of the United States government either before or after Election Day 2016." Chairman Richard Burr, R-N.C., and Vice Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., said in a joint statement. The House Intelligence Committee chairman made the same point yesterday. Ref. USAToday.
The Senate intelligence committee has asked 20 people to be questioned in its investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, the panel's chairman said Wednesday.
"This one is one of the biggest investigations the Hill has seen in my time here," Chairman Richard Burr, a North Carolina Republican, said at a news conference with committee vice-chairman Mark Warner.
Burr and Warner say they have 20 witnesses they plan to interview and have scheduled interviews with five of them so far. The committee leaders said that they are happy that President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort have agreed to testify, but they have not yet decided when they will bring them in.
The Senate investigation has garnered increased intention as the House investigation has stalled along partisan lines related to its chairman, Rep. Devin Nunes, and his communication with the White House related to the incidental collection of the president and his aides.
Democrats have called on Nunes to step down from his post, while most Republicans in the chamber say they support Nunes.
The panel will hold its first public hearing Thursday. Ref. CNN.
Richard Burr stepping down as Intelligence Committee chairman.