Grassley resists call for special prosecutor

DAVENPORT - The report that President Donald Trump revealed classified information to Russian officials last week drew condemnation from Democrats on Tuesday, as they renewed their call for a special prosecutor.

However, Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, while saying he hadn't been briefed on the matter himself, pointed to the administration's defense of the president and said Congress' intelligence committees are best suited to look into the matter.

The Washington Post reported Monday night Trump revealed classified information to top Russian diplomatic officials in a meeting at the White House last week.

U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa, called for a special counsel to look into Trump's ties to Russia and said the revelations are focusing attention on 'national security risks” rather than on the economy.

Grassley said he didn't know himself whether the disclosures were problematic. But he pointed to National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster's defense of the revelations and noted the president has 'the authority to declassify and share information he deems necessary in the interest of our national security.”

McMaster said Tuesday the president's remarks to the Russian ambassador and foreign minister last week were 'wholly appropriate.”

A spokesperson for Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said: 'Senator Ernst has questions about what information was shared and hopes to learn more from the administration soon. As she has made clear, Russia is not our friend, and the U.S. must be extremely cautious in our engagement with them.”