The Latest: Russia probe adds Obama-era uranium deal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on congressional investigations into possible contacts between the Trump campaign and Russia (all times local):

1:18 p.m.

The chairman of the House intelligence committee is launching a new probe into an Obama-era uranium deal as his panel interviews two witnesses key to its investigation into Russian meddling in the U.S. election.

Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., announced the joint investigation with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. It is the second investigation launched by Republicans on Tuesday. The House Judiciary Committee also launched an investigation with the oversight panel into Obama's Justice Department and Democrat Hillary Clinton's emails.

The GOP announcements come as the House intelligence committee is interviewing President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, and campaign digital director Brad Parscale Tuesday.

Democrats have said Republican focus on the uranium deal is an attempt to distract from the Russia probes.

__

12:55 p.m.

The political research firm behind a dossier of allegations about President Donald Trump's ties to Russia is challenging a congressional subpoena that seeks access to its banking records.

In a statement Tuesday, a lawyer for Fusion GPS calls the subpoena from the chairman of the House intelligence committee "overly broad" and without a legitimate purpose.

The lawyer, William Taylor, also says the subpoena for the banking records is designed to "punish President Trump's political foes while chilling future investigative research into his actions."

Taylor calls the subpoena "an abuse of authority" given that the committee chairman who signed it, Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, had stepped aside months ago from overseeing an investigation into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign.