McConnell chooses Rubio to lead Senate Intelligence Committee amid Burr investigation

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) will be the next head of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) announced Monday that Rubio would take over for Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who stepped down from the committee amid an FBI investigation into Burr's questionable stock dealings. Rubio's appointment leaves him in charge of the committee's Russia probe, at least until the investigation into Burr is complete.

McConnell called Rubio "the natural choice for this temporary assignment on the basis of accumulated committee service," saying "his proven leadership on pertinent issues only made the decision easier." Rubio has spent his time in the Senate focused on national security and foreign policy issues, and "is expected to largely continue Burr's bipartisan approach to the committee's Russia investigation," Politico notes.

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Burr stepped down from chairing the intelligence committee last week, with McConnell saying he agreed it "would be in the best interests of the committee." Burr was found to have sold between $628,000 and $1.72 million of his stocks in 33 separate transactions on Feb. 13, while he was getting private briefings from health officials about forecasted economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. He has denied wrongdoing.