Richard Burr to step down as Intelligence Committee chairman
Last edited Thu May 14, 2020, 01:03 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: CNN
Washington (CNN)Republican Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina is stepping aside as chairman of the influential Senate Intelligence Committee while he's under investigation for stock trades he made ahead of the market downturn sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement Thursday that Burr "contacted me this morning to inform me of his decision to step aside as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee during the pendency of the investigation." He said Burr's resignation as chairman will be effective at the end of the day on Friday.
Burr's decision to step aside as chairman is a stunning development for the North Carolina Republican, who has led the Senate Intelligence Committee through its three-year investigation into Russian election interference that is nearing its completion.
Shortly after McConnell's announcement, Burr told reporters he is resigning as intelligence chair because "this is a distraction to the hard work of the committee and the members and I think the security of the country is too important to have any distractions." Burr also said he has been cooperating with investigators "since the beginning" and will let the investigation play out.
He stepped down after the FBI served his lawyer with a search warrant and Burr surrendered his phone Wednesday, a senior Justice Department official told CNN. The use of the search warrant had been signed off at the highest levels of the Justice Department, as is protocol, the official said. The Los Angeles Times first reported the warrant.
It's not immediately clear who will take over as chairman of the committee. Committee members Sens. Jim Risch of Idaho, Marco Rubio of Florida and Susan Collins of Maine are next in line in seniority, though all currently lead other committees.
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/14/politics/richard-burr-steps-down-intel-chairman/index.html
Expected.
Original article -
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement Thursday that Burr "contacted me this morning to inform me of his decision to step aside as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee during the pendency of the investigation." "We agreed that this decision would be in the best interests of the committee and will be effective at the end of the day tomorrow," McConnell said.
The FBI served Burr with a search warrant and seized a cell phone belonging to the North Carolina Republican on Wednesday, The Los Angeles Times reported, as part of the FBI's investigation into lawmaker stock trades.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Stuart G
(38,359 posts)dawg day
(7,947 posts)We are furrowing our brows in concern.
Fullduplexxx
(7,818 posts)grumpyduck
(6,197 posts)NewJeffCT
(56,827 posts)or else Moscow Mitch will replace him with somebody that will water it down.
RVN VET71
(2,686 posts)and therein lies a tale. Burr apparently committed a crime. But regardless of his guilt or innocence, he was a fairly bi-partisan Chair -- and that ain't gonna happen again. Mitch will make sure the next Chair is someone more compatible with Orange Anus' re-election campaign.
The report will either be kept from the public or watered down so as to be useless -- or both.
So Burr's guilt does hurt us all.
IronLionZion
(45,250 posts)The law prohibits the use of non-public information for private profit, including insider trading by members of Congress and other government employees.
Senator Burr probably thought he was being super clever.
turbinetree
(24,631 posts)He voted to keep the "IMPEACHED' guy in office.......................
AllaN01Bear
(17,346 posts)leftieNanner
(14,997 posts)That's definitely NOT clever.
flibbitygiblets
(7,220 posts)I'm honestly shocked he stepped down. Belligerent, entitled "how dare you question me" response is the typical R response when caught red handed.
leftieNanner
(14,997 posts)Gym Jordan and Devin Nunes are on the House "Intelligence" Committee! Maybe they thought they might catch some.
SledDriver
(2,049 posts)Thats why he was singled out
Bengus81
(6,907 posts)They should resign and do it today.
Traildogbob
(8,566 posts)But she blows smoke up trumps ass. Lock the whole damn bunch of em up. Start with their savior. I am librul, but ya know what, the death penalty as per the constitution gives me hope of justice. Treasonous justice.
2naSalit
(86,037 posts)BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)2naSalit
(86,037 posts)BumRushDaShow
(127,270 posts)a food fight to get that chairmanship - although I expect that Turtle could reassign some loon not already on the committee, to take it over.
AllaN01Bear
(17,346 posts)Texin
(2,585 posts)Never mind the fact that Burr and his cadres did engage in insider trader. The fact is, this was directed through the FBI to have Burr removed, i.e., *step down* in this case so tRump can move one of his lickspittle loyalists into that position. In tRump-Barr's opinion, Burr got too cooperative with Senate Democrats on the Intelligence Committe and he wants to muscle someone totally loyal into that role. Why didn't the FBI knock on Kelly Loefler's door and confiscate HER phone simultaneously?
leftieNanner
(14,997 posts)NCjack
(10,279 posts)appoint a replacement.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)The AG just removed a Senator that Trump found inconvenient
leftieNanner
(14,997 posts)Have been after Burr for a while. This is very convenient.
moose65
(3,164 posts)I've been stuck with Burr forever (see what I did there??) He is one of my Senators but before that he represented my district in the House. It's time for him to go.
And it's so hilarious to me that the Right Wing Crazies have been after Burr - in my opinion, HE is a Right Wing Crazy
leftieNanner
(14,997 posts)He is a right wing crazy, but he did release that report from his committee on the Russia "hoax" and that has put him on the naughty list.
moose65
(3,164 posts)In fact, here in NC we call him "Dick Burr"
leftieNanner
(14,997 posts)I have a bad news House Member here in Southern Oregon. We do have two wonderful Senators. But my little Blue area was grouped with Redder-than-Red Eastern Oregon to form District 2. Greg Walden, who is retiring, has been bad news for ever. Unfortunately, the guys running to replace him are even worse. They make Burr look like a Democrat.
ancianita
(35,812 posts)Mr. Ected
(9,670 posts)Or maybe our omnipotent President could stand in Mitch's place. Maybe set it up on Fifth Avenue.
Mersky
(4,969 posts)He coulda been a statesman, but didnt have the courage. Now, hes let himself be nipped out of the way by barr's justus maneuvers. He worked too quietly, ultimately towed the party line, and will be a convenient sacrifice for political show. Georgias loeffler deserves a visit from the feds, too, but wont get one because shes a freshman toady without a soul or fcks to give.
All I can say now, is that the republicans in the senate who give a damn about the survival of this country as a democracy/functioning republic had better get together and start pushing back at Deathrate Donnie and Moscow Mitch. And if that aint enough reason, then do it before Kawasaki syndrome predictably takes down schoolchildren in the fall as the all important election approaches. The country cant afford anymore of tRumps unmitigated mishandling of the virus response or the grim reapers depraved prioritizing. Make the madness stop, republican senators.
lastlib
(22,978 posts)She needs to be serving as chair of the Senate Toilet Floor-Mopping Committee. Or as the mop.
rainin
(3,010 posts)to any senators who might try to cross tRump. They only have to take out one powerful Senator to chill all the others into complete submission.
My guess is there was rumbling among the ranks because of the poor response to the virus and this served many purposes. They now can control what happens to the Russia investigation and more AND they let every Senator know the Justice department will come for them if they don't stay in line
Scary times
littlemissmartypants
(22,417 posts)lanlady
(7,133 posts)Burr was dumb enough to engage in insider trading, and Barr-ump saw an opportunity to get back at him for not quashing the Senate Russia report.