US House Intel chairman steps aside from Russia probe

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes said Thursday he will temporarily step aside from an ongoing probe into Russia’s alleged meddling in last year’s U.S. presidential election.

The announcement comes as Nunes faces investigation by the House Ethics Committee for potentially improperly disclosing classified information.

Committee Chairwoman Susan Brooks and Ranking Member Ted Deutch on Thursday issued a statement announcing the investigation.

The statement says they are aware of allegations Nunes “may have made unauthorized disclosures of classified information, in violation of House Rules, law, regulations, or other standards of conduct”.

Nunes blamed the inquiry on “several leftwing activist groups”, calling the charges “entirely false and politically motivated”.

“Despite the baselessness of the charges, I believe it is in the best interests of the House Intelligence Committee and the Congress for me to have Representative Mike Conaway, with assistance from Representatives Trey Gowdy and Tom Rooney, temporarily take charge of the Committee’s Russia investigation,” Nunes said in a statement.

He added that he will continue to fulfill his other responsibilities as committee chairman.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told reporters that Nunes has his full confidence, but that the ethics probe would "be a distraction for the House Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian interference in our election".

Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Adam Schiff expressed his appreciation for Nunes’ decision, saying he looks forward to working with Nunes’ replacement on the investigation.

“I know this is not an easy decision for the Chairman, with whom I have worked well for many years,” he said. "He did so in the best interests of the committee and I respect that decision."

Nunes, a former member of President Donald Trump's transition team, has faced mounting doubts about the propriety of helming the probe into Russia's influence campaign in last year's election.

The claims came to a head last month after Nunes said a confidential source told him Trump and his associates may have been incidentally caught up in surveillance.

Nunes made the disclosure after visiting the White House where he read the documents reportedly given to him by two White House officials.

They were later shared with Schiff amid controversy that they were not shown to the committee before being made public.