BREAKING: Richard Burr Steps Down as Senate Intel Committee Chairman Amid Stock Sale Investigation
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) informed reporters Thursday that Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) will step down from his position as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.
JUST IN: Sen. Burr stepping down as Senate Intel Cmte. chairman during investigation into stock trades, Senate Majority Leader McConnell says. pic.twitter.com/17Sp7c3o37
— NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) May 14, 2020
McConnell says Burr is stepping down as chair of Senate Intel during an investigation into his stock trades.
“Senator 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.”
— Meredith Lee (@meredithllee) May 14, 2020
McConnell: “Senator 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.”
McConnell says the move will be effective at the end of the day tomorrow.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 14, 2020
The news comes amid reports the FBI took Burr’s cell phone as part of an investigation on the legality of his stock sales in recent months. Burr and other members of Congress have come under scrutiny after reports they sold off stock and allegedly tipped off others after receiving private information about the coronavirus before it became a global pandemic that upended the international economy.
This story is breaking and will be updated accordingly.
