Poll: 73 percent want independent Russia probe

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. adults want an independent, nonpartisan commission probing Russia’s meddling in the 2016 presidential election, according to a poll released Monday.

Only 16 percent say Congress should should be in charge of investigations into Russia’s attempts to influence the outcome of the election, according to the NBC News/Wall Street Journal survey, while 73 percent call for an outside group.

Pollsters found that 61 percent have little or no confidence in Congress conducting a fair and impartial investigation as both the House and Senate Intelligence committees continue their probes.

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Thirty-one percent said they have “some confidence” in Congress, while only 8 percent said they have “a great deal of confidence.”

Fifty-four percent believe Congress should examine whether contact existed between Russia and President Trump’s campaign. Twenty-six percent believe lawmakers should not examine the issue, which has dogged Trump’s administration as he nears his 100th day in office.

Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) earlier this month recused himself from the House Intelligence Committee’s probe amid criticism of his handling of classified documents.

Reports emerged Sunday that the Senate Intelligence panel’s investigation into Russia’s 2016 election interference lacks any full-time dedicated staff members and is being undercut by “partisan divisions.”

NBC/WSJ conducted its latest survey of 900 adults via cellphone and landline telephone interviews from April 17 to 20. It has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.