Sioux City Journal: Sam Clovis, a northwest Iowan who has been questioned in connection with special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged meddling by Russia in the 2016 presidential campaign, today withdrew his nomination to a Department of Agriculture post. Clovis wrote a letter to President Donald Trump, saying he wanted the president to withdraw his nomination to become the chief scientist in the Agriculture Department. “The political climate inside Washington has made it impossible for me to receive balanced and fair consideration for this position. The reckless assaults on you and your team seem to be a blood sport that only increases in intensity every day,” Clovis wrote.