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Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., is stepping aside as chairman of the Intelligence Committee amid a Justice Department probe of his stock trades, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Thursday.

"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 said in a written statement. "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." 

A senior Justice Department official told NPR that the FBI executed a search warrant Wednesday and seized Burr's cellphone. The news of the search was 

At issue are stock trades Burr made before the market crash caused by the coronavirus pandemic. 

 that he dumped up to $1.7 million in stocks, while assuring the public that the U.S. was well positioned to withstand the outbreak.  

Politics and Government News

NPR Staff

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Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., is stepping aside during the Justice Department's investigation, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement on Thursday.

Burr to step down as Intelligence chairman during probe of stock sell-off

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