Several lawmakers and aides claim that President Donald Trump reportedly pressed senior Senate Republicans to end panel’s investigation into the alleged Russian meddling in the presidential election. Among those Republicans was the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Richard Burr, who has said that the president told him that he wanted the investigation to be ended.
“It was something along the lines of, ‘I hope you can conclude this as quickly as possible,’” Burr said. He replied to Trump that they have exhausted everybody they need to talk to, they would finish.
The lawmakers and aides told The New York Times that Trump told Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, and Senator Roy Blunt, member of intelligence committee to end the investigation swiftly. According to Senator Dianne Feinstein, Trump’s demands were a breach of the separation of powers, but White House spokesman, Raj Shah, said that Trump had not acted improperly and had not tried to apply undue influence on committee members.
Trump’s requests came over the summer when he allegedly complained to McConnell about not doing enough to put an end to the investigation. Republicans played down Trump’s appeals. Burr did not feel pressured by Trump’s appeal and described it as an action of someone who has never been in government, but added that other members of his committee had similar discussions with Trump.
An unnamed Republican senator has told The New York Times that over the summer Trump called other lawmakers and asked them to push Burr to finish the inquiry, but he did not reveal the names of the lawmakers. Trump also contacted Senator Thom Tillis, who introduced a bipartisan bill limiting the president’s power to dismiss special prosecutors. Tillis said that Trump only asked him where his head was on the legislation and did not press him on the investigation.
Trump has denied allegations of collusion between his campaign and Russia. He says that the Democrats are using the investigation as an excuse for losing the election.
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