Congressional Republicans have announced parallel inquiries into a uranium deal under President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s emails.
One committee will investigate how the Obama administration approved a 2010 acquisition that gave Russia control of 20% of the US uranium supply.
Two other panels will scrutinise the FBI decision not to charge Mrs Clinton over her private email server.
Democrats pilloried the inquiries as “a massive diversion”.
Both issues to be placed under the spotlight by the committees are longstanding political grievances of President Donald Trump.
His campaign aides are currently the subject of congressional investigations into whether they colluded with alleged Kremlin attempts to sway last year’s US presidential election.
On Tuesday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte and House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy announced inquiries into the previous administration.
They said there were “outstanding questions” about the FBI’s investigation into former Democratic presidential candidate Mrs Clinton’s emails.
The congressmen said they wished to know why former FBI director James Comey chose to divulge the inquiry into Mrs Clinton, but not the one about Trump aides and Russia.
