Russia-Trump campaign collusion probes should end, RNC chairwoman says

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RNC chair on how Comey's testimony impacts GOP agenda

Ronna McDaniel reacts to former FBI director's appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee

The head of the Republican National Committee called Sunday for “an end” to congressional investigations looking at possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, speaking with “Fox News Sunday,” did not call for an end to the separate special counsel probe or the component of the congressional probes looking at Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign. She did say, however, that the Senate and House intelligence committees should stop looking at collusion.

“This is a fishing expedition,” she said. “I’m calling for an end to the investigations about … President Trump’s campaign colluding with the Russians. There’s been no evidence of it; I don’t think that should continue.”

TRUMP SAYS COMEY LEAKS THE REAL ISSUE

The head of the Republican Party made the call in the wake of testimony from former FBI Director James Comey, which McDaniel said backed up the president on key points.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., however, told “Fox News Sunday” that cutting the collusion probes short would not be appropriate.

“We have a separate obligation,” said Reed, the top Democrat on the Armed Serves Committee and an “ex officio” member of the intelligence committee which heard testimony from Comey.

Reed defended the Senate intelligence panel investigation as “truly bipartisan.”

Asked about the existence of evidence of collusion, he said: “There are questions that have been raised about the involvement of his campaign.”

McDaniel, though, said lawmakers have discovered no such evidence.

“Not yet do you have a single senator saying there’s definitive evidence that there’s been any collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians,” she said.

McDaniel also picked apart Comey’s explosive testimony, saying his admission that he leaked notes from his conversations with Trump “shows how questionable his character is.”

Trump also tweeted Sunday that Comey's leaking is the real issue.

“I think it proves that the president made the right choice in firing Director Comey,” McDaniel said, while calling his recollection nothing more than “his version of events.”

At the same time, she said Comey made clear Trump did not seek to impede the broader Russia probe.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has said that even the special counsel probe led by Robert Mueller should end, calling it a “witch hunt” on “Fox News Sunday.”

McDaniel, however, would not go so far.

“That’s going to run its course, we’ll see what happens. I think it should end quickly,” she said.

After Trump said at a press conference he’d be “100 percent” willing to testify under oath, Reed said Sunday he indeed wants to see a deposition with Trump covering multiple issues.

“The president should answer truthfully, under oath,” he said, referring to the special counsel probe.