The House Oversight Committee will not pursue investigation of Trump and Russia

(Image credit: SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images)

last updated 23 June 2017

With House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) counting the days until he can head home to Utah, chairman-in-waiting Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) is walking into what has the potential to be a powder keg. But on Friday, Gowdy announced the committee will not investigate Russia's role in the 2016 election or President Trump's possible obstruction of justice, Politico reports.

Throughout the spring, Chaffetz navigated an investigation into Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and Flynn's interactions with Russia. Chaffetz was hesitant to expand the probe beyond Flynn, and now Gowdy has confirmed he wants to refocus on the panel's "original 'compulsory' jurisdiction, including overseeing more mundane issues like government procurement and the Census," Politico writes.

"Number one, [the Russia questions are] in the jurisdiction of [Special Counsel] Bob Mueller," Gowdy explained Friday. "And secondarily, I would think Judiciary has jurisdiction over the Department of Justice and the FBI. To the extent that any of those memos are classified, that would be [Intelligence]. And for those that think a third committee ought to look at it, Oversight would have secondary permissive jurisdiction but it would be secondary."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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