Michael Flynn’s ouster as President Trump’s national security advisor over his postelection conversations about sanctions with Russia's ambassador did not unfold with the cold efficiency of typical Trump axings on reality TV. Nor did Flynn’s forced resignation late Monday night, after a weekend of conflicting signals from the White House, end the broader drama over Trump and Russia. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) dismissed Democrats’ calls for an independent commission with broad powers to probe deeper into links between Russia and Trump’s team. The congressional inquiries parallel a separate FBI investigation of possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia. "President Trump has made it very clear that he expects the Russian government to de-escalate violence in the Ukraine and return Crimea," Spicer told reporters Tuesday.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 15, 2017 01:50 UTC