Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell opposes new Russia investigation

The U.S. Senate majority leader, Republican Mitch McConnell, said on Wednesday he did not support any additional investigation into whether Russia influenced the 2016 U.S. election, saying as he opened the Senate that it would "impede" probes already under way.

But the chamber's Democratic minority leader, Chuck Schumer, reiterated his calls for a special counsel to look into the matter. Schumer said the need was more urgent after Republican President Donald Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)