U.S. House Speaker backs intelligence panel chair in Russia probeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Republican in Congress on Tuesday stood by Devin Nunes, the head of the House of Representatives intelligence committee who is under fire over his handling of an investigation into possible Russian ties to President Donald Trump’s election campaign. Democrats and some prominent Republicans have criticized Nunes, a Trump ally, since he announced last week that U.S. security agencies had collected information on Trump’s transition team while conducting legal surveillance on other targets. Democrats see the surveillance accusations, which Nunes said were based on unspecified intelligence reports, as a distraction from the probe into possible Russian influence on last year’s election in Trump’s favor that has cast a shadow over the president’s first two months in office.  They have demanded Nunes step aside from his committee’s investigations into the Russia ties.  House Speaker Paul Ryan, asked at a news conference whether Nunes should step aside from the investigation and if he knew the source of Nunes’ claims about surveillance, said: “No and no.” Trump, at an event in the White House, declined to comment on whether Nunes should step back. Nunes had acknowledged visiting the White House grounds to meet a source and review the intelligence reports before making his announcement that Trump and his associates may have been ensnared in incidental intelligence collection. However, he told ABC News on Tuesday he would not divulge who gave him intelligence reports, even to other members of his panel, saying: “We will never reveal those sources and methods.” Critics say Nunes’ statements were an effort to justify Trump’s unfounded accusations this month that his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, had directed surveillance on Trump Tower during the election campaign. The Senate Intelligence Committee, which is also investigating Russia’s role in the election, wants to question Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, about meetings he held with the Russian ambassador and a Russian banker in December. Nunes, who was a member of Trump’s transition team after the Nov. 8 election, told reporters on Tuesday the House panel’s investigation was moving forward. Asked whether he would recuse himself, he said: “The investigation continues.”     Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in an email that “Speaker Ryan has full confidence that Chairman Nunes is conducting a thorough, fair, and credible investigation.”                   However, Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both influential foreign policy hawks, questioned Nunes’ actions.  “I think he put his objectivity in question, at the very least,” Graham said on NBC’s “Today” show. One Republican lawmaker, Representative Walter Jones of North Carolina, went so far as to join Democrats in demanding a special committee to investigate the Russia probe, telling Fox News on Tuesday that Nunes was now “tainted.” politicsNews
house speaker backs intelligence panel chair russia probewashington reuters the top republican congress tuesday stood devil tunes head house representatives intelligence committee fire handling investigation possible russian ties president donald trump election campaign democrats prominent republicans criticized tunes trump ally since announced last week security agencies collected information trump transition team conducting legal surveillance targets democrats see surveillance accusations tunes said based unspecified intelligence reports distraction probe possible russian influence last year election trump favor cast shadow president first two months office they demanded tunes step aside committee investigations russia ties house speaker paul ryan asked news conference whether tunes step aside investigation knew source tunes claims surveillance said no trump event white house declined comment whether tunes step back tunes acknowledged visiting white house grounds meet source review intelligence reports making announcement trump associates may ensured incidental intelligence collection however told abc news tuesday would diverge gave intelligence reports even members panel saying we never reveal sources critics say tunes statements effort justify trump unfounded accusations month democratic predecessor barack obama directed surveillance trump tower election campaign the senate intelligence committee also investigating russia role election wants question trump adviser jared pusher meetings held russian ambassador russian banker december tunes member trump transition team election told reporters tuesday house panel investigation moving forward asked whether would recuse said the investigation ryan spokeswoman ashley strong said email speaker ryan full confidence chairman tunes conducting thorough fair credible however republican senators john mccain lindsay graham influential foreign policy hawks questioned tunes actions i think put objectivity question least graham said nbc today show one republican lawmaker representative walter jones north carolina went far join democrats demanding special committee investigate russia probe telling fox news tuesday tunes politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. House Speaker backs intelligence panel chair in Russia probeWASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top Republican in Congress on Tuesday stood by Devin Nunes, the head of the House of Representatives intelligence committee who is under fire over his handling of an investigation into possible Russian ties to President Donald Trump’s election campaign. Democrats and some prominent Republicans have criticized Nunes, a Trump ally, since he announced last week that U.S. security agencies had collected information on Trump’s transition team while conducting legal surveillance on other targets. Democrats see the surveillance accusations, which Nunes said were based on unspecified intelligence reports, as a distraction from the probe into possible Russian influence on last year’s election in Trump’s favor that has cast a shadow over the president’s first two months in office.  They have demanded Nunes step aside from his committee’s investigations into the Russia ties.  House Speaker Paul Ryan, asked at a news conference whether Nunes should step aside from the investigation and if he knew the source of Nunes’ claims about surveillance, said: “No and no.” Trump, at an event in the White House, declined to comment on whether Nunes should step back. Nunes had acknowledged visiting the White House grounds to meet a source and review the intelligence reports before making his announcement that Trump and his associates may have been ensnared in incidental intelligence collection. However, he told ABC News on Tuesday he would not divulge who gave him intelligence reports, even to other members of his panel, saying: “We will never reveal those sources and methods.” Critics say Nunes’ statements were an effort to justify Trump’s unfounded accusations this month that his Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama, had directed surveillance on Trump Tower during the election campaign. The Senate Intelligence Committee, which is also investigating Russia’s role in the election, wants to question Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, Jared Kushner, about meetings he held with the Russian ambassador and a Russian banker in December. Nunes, who was a member of Trump’s transition team after the Nov. 8 election, told reporters on Tuesday the House panel’s investigation was moving forward. Asked whether he would recuse himself, he said: “The investigation continues.”     Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said in an email that “Speaker Ryan has full confidence that Chairman Nunes is conducting a thorough, fair, and credible investigation.”                   However, Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, both influential foreign policy hawks, questioned Nunes’ actions.  “I think he put his objectivity in question, at the very least,” Graham said on NBC’s “Today” show. One Republican lawmaker, Representative Walter Jones of North Carolina, went so far as to join Democrats in demanding a special committee to investigate the Russia probe, telling Fox News on Tuesday that Nunes was now “tainted.” politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: house speaker backs intelligence panel chair russia probewashington reuters the top republican congress tuesday stood devil tunes head house representatives intelligence committee fire handling investigation possible russian ties president donald trump election campaign democrats prominent republicans criticized tunes trump ally since announced last week security agencies collected information trump transition team conducting legal surveillance targets democrats see surveillance accusations tunes said based unspecified intelligence reports distraction probe possible russian influence last year election trump favor cast shadow president first two months office they demanded tunes step aside committee investigations russia ties house speaker paul ryan asked news conference whether tunes step aside investigation knew source tunes claims surveillance said no trump event white house declined comment whether tunes step back tunes acknowledged visiting white house grounds meet source review intelligence reports making announcement trump associates may ensured incidental intelligence collection however told abc news tuesday would diverge gave intelligence reports even members panel saying we never reveal sources critics say tunes statements effort justify trump unfounded accusations month democratic predecessor barack obama directed surveillance trump tower election campaign the senate intelligence committee also investigating russia role election wants question trump adviser jared pusher meetings held russian ambassador russian banker december tunes member trump transition team election told reporters tuesday house panel investigation moving forward asked whether would recuse said the investigation ryan spokeswoman ashley strong said email speaker ryan full confidence chairman tunes conducting thorough fair credible however republican senators john mccain lindsay graham influential foreign policy hawks questioned tunes actions i think put objectivity question least graham said nbc today show one republican lawmaker representative walter jones north carolina went far join democrats demanding special committee investigate russia probe telling fox news tuesday tunes politicsnews