BYJORDAIN CARNEYANDALEXANDER BOLTON-
The chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen.Richard Burr(R-N.C.) said today he is stepping aside, amid an investigation into his stock sales from earlier this year shortly before markets crashed.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell(R-Ky.) said in a statement Thursday, “Senator Burr contacted me this morning to inform me of his decision to step aside as Chairman of the Intelligence Committee during the pendency of the investigation."
McConnell added, “We agreed that this decision would be in the best interests of the committee and will be effective at the end of the day tomorrow."
Burr's announcement to temporarily step down comes just a day after federal investigators seized Burr’s cellphone as part of an investigation into alleged insider trading.
More: TheHill.com