Remember the Russia investigation? Here's what's been happening.
As Donald Trump's presidency passes the 100-day mark, it's important to remember that how he got to the White House in the first place — and whether Russia had anything to do with it — still remains under investigation.
Actually, it's under several investigations. In addition to the much-publicized FBI investigation led by FBI Director James Comey, committees in both the House and Senate are conducting their own inquiries into the Trump campaign's Russian ties.
Though it's still unclear when these high-profile investigations will come to an end, some progress has been made. Here's what to know about the latest developments in these investigations.
FBI investigation
On March 20, Comey made headlines when he admitted the FBI was currently investigating the links between Russia and the Trump campaign.
The investigation had begun in July 2016, a few months before Trump had been elected president. The FBI has reportedly continued to invest in the high-profile investigation; the Financial Times reported that the bureau was establishing a special unit in Washington dedicated to the investigation, which would begin work in May.
Since Comey's March testimony, little else has been revealed about the ongoing investigation. The FBI director evaded questions about the investigation during a Senate judiciary committee hearing on Wednesday, refusing to answer such questions as whether Trump himself was being investigated as part of the inquiry.
When asked if the public would be given a public explanation about the Trump investigation, Comey replied he would "push" for a public statement, but noted it was "not up to him," CNN reported.
Senate investigations
The Senate Intelligence Committee also continues to investigate Trump's Russian ties, and in public appearances the committee has given an impression of progress and bipartisanship. Members of the committee from both parties appeared during a press conference on March 29, in which, the New York Times reported, they promised an "aggressive inquiry" into the Russians' election role.
On March 30, the committee held hearings with academics and cybersecurity experts, giving insight into Russia and its efforts to digitally interfere with other countries' affairs.
But behind closed doors, the Senate committee's investigation is allegedly lagging behind. In April, the Daily Beast reported the Senate committee didn't have the adequate resources dedicated to the investigation. There are no full-time staffers dedicated to the investigation, and none of the part-time staffers have the adequate investigative background required for this sort of large-scale inquiry.
No interviews have yet been conducted with key Trump administration officials, the Daily Beast reports, and according to Yahoo News, committee chairman Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) has failed to respond to requests from Democratic members of the committee. Burr's alleged unresponsiveness has kept the committee from requesting crucial evidence, as his approval is necessary to make the requests.
The Senate committee is typically more of an oversight committee than an investigative one, and so is not well-equipped for this sort of investigation, according to the Daily Beast.
"The biggest obstacle now for a serious investigation into Trump-Russia ties is dedicated resources for staffing," a source with ties to the committee told the Daily Beast.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is conducting its own investigation into the Russian ties. As part of that investigation, the committee will be conducting hearings with former acting Attorney General Sally Yates and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper on May 8.
House investigation
The House Intelligence Committee's investigation became embroiled in scandal in March, as Rep. Devin Nunes stepped down from the inquiry after colluding with the White House about information related to the investigation.
Nevertheless, it seems that the House investigation is still propelling forward. The Daily Beast reported the committee sent one of its members to Cyprus in mid-April to investigate Russian money laundering, and the committee resumed hearings on Thursday, speaking with Comey and National Security Agency head Admiral Michael S. Rogers.
Though the hearings were private, Rep. Adam Schiff, the committee's top Democrat, said in an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio that the committee "did ... get some good new information" through their questioning.
The hearings, Schiff said, explored the investigation's three core areas, which Schiff defined as the the intelligence community's assessment that the Russians intervened in the election, the U.S. government's response to the Russian hacking and whether any Americans — particularly Trump officials — were colluding with the Russians.
The committee has also invited Clapper and former CIA director John O. Brennan to testify, the New York Times notes, along with Yates, whom the White House previously tried to block from testifying.
"We're working together very well," Schiff told reporters after Thursday's hearing, as quoted by the Times. "The whole committee is."
