Page 4 - ARUBA TODAY

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 29 March 2017
Head of Trump-Russia probe under fire, won’t step down

EILEEN SULLIVAN transition team, has said he
ERIC TUCKER met with a secret source
Associated Press last week on White House
WASHINGTON (AP) — Po- grounds to review classi-
tential White House en- fied material that showed
tanglement in Congress’ Trump associates’ com-
investigation of Russian munications had been
meddling in the 2016 elec- captured in “incidental”
tion brought new cries of surveillance of foreigners
protest from Democrats on in November, December
Tuesday as fresh political and January.
allegations clouded the Nunes would not name
probe. the source of the informa-
Devin Nunes, the chairman tion, and his office said he
of the House intelligence did not intend to share it
committee which is con- with other members of the
ducting one of the con- committee.
gressional investigations, Nor would he disclose who
turned aside calls to step invited him on the White
aside. Later in the day, the House grounds for the
White House vehemently meeting. He described the
denied a report that it source as an intelligence
had sought to hobble the official, not a White House
testimony of a former act- White House press secretary Sean Spicer holds up a document concerning a Washington Post official. In an interview on
ing attorney general be- story on Sally Yates as he talks to the media during the daily press briefing at the White House in CNN, he suggested the
fore Nunes canceled the Washington Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Spicer discussed the Supreme Court nominee Justice Neil president’s aides were un-
hearing where she was to Gorsuch, jobs, healthcare, Russia and other topics. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) aware of the meeting.
speak. Trump has used Nunes’ rev-
President Donald Trump’s that’s a Russian connec- ate intelligence committee Nunes’ decision to cancel elations to defend his un-
spokesman, Sean Spicer, tion,” he suggested. is doing its own investiga- Tuesday’s hearing was the proven claim that Barack
lashed out at reporters, The embattled House com- tion, and since late July latest in a series of actions Obama tapped phones
claiming they’re seeing mittee is conducting one the FBI has been conduct- that Democrats contend at Trump Tower. In a series
conspiracies where none of three probes into the ing a counterintelligence demonstrate that his loyal- of tweets Monday night,
exist. election campaign, its af- investigation into Russia’s ty to Trump is greater than Trump said that instead of
“If the president puts Rus- termath and potential con- meddling and possible co- his commitment to leading probing his associates, the
sian salad dressing on his tacts between Trump offi- ordination with the Trump an independent investiga- committee should be in-
salad tonight, somehow cials and Russians. The Sen- campaign. tion. The California Repub- vestigating his Democrat
lican, who was a member opponent Hillary Clinton’s
of Trump’s presidential ties to the Kremlin. q
White House calls for domestic

cuts to help finance border wall

ANDREW TAYLOR eliminate $1.2 billion in Na-
Associated Press tional Institutes of Health re-
WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi- search grants, a favorite of
dent Donald Trump is pro- both parties.
posing immediate bud- The community develop-
get cuts of $18 billion from ment block grant pro-
programs like medical re- gram, also popular, would
search, infrastructure and be halved, amounting to
community grants so U.S. a cut of $1.5 billion, and
taxpayers, not Mexico, can Trump would strip $500 mil-
cover the down payment lion from a popular grant
on the border wall. program for transportation
The White House docu- projects.
ments were submitted Like Trump’s 2018 pro-
to Congress amid nego- posed budget, which was
tiations over a catchall panned by both Demo-
spending bill that would crats and Republicans ear-
avert a partial government lier this month, the propos-
shutdown at the end of als have little chance of
next month. The package being enacted.
would wrap up $1.1 trillion But they could create bad
in unfinished spending bills political optics for the strug-
and address the Trump ad- gling Trump White House,
ministration’s request for an since the administration
immediate $30 billion in ad- asked earlier for $3 billion to
ditional Pentagon spend- pay for the Trump’s contro-
ing. versial U.S.-Mexico border
The latest Trump proposal, wall and other immigration
disclosed Tuesday, would enforcement plans. q